THATTA, Jan 11: Police launched a crackdown against activists of Pakistan People’s Party and supporters in Thatta district and arrested over 50 of them in a late night swoop on late Thursday night.

Reports said that 92,000 persons, of them a large number of PPP activists and supporters, were booked in the cases of riots that erupted after assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto.

On Thursday night, police launched a crackdown in the district and after raiding at the houses of PPP workers and sympathisers, arrested over 50 of them.

The arrested persons included Babu Malkani, Shahjehan Malkani, Jan Mohammad Malkani, Punhoon Khero, Nawaz Khero, Allahdino Waryah, Maqbool Bukero, Rasheed Lashari, Khursheed Lashari, Haji Ahmed Lashari, Amin Lashari, Amin Bhatti, Juman Khaskheli, Ehsan Khaskheli, Wahid Khaskheli, Urs Khaskheli, Asad Bhatti, Talib Bhatti, Khan Mohammad Bhatti, Pir Bux Bhatti, Dosu Mallah, Zahid Mallah, Shaukat Umrani, Rasheed Baloch, Anwar Mangi, Hafeez Jokhio, Ahmed Ali Kalhoro, Akbar Khokhar, Waqar Ahmed Mughal, Deedar Chandio, Abbas Chandio, Ghulam Ali Chandio, Morr Chandio and others.

NEWSMAN ARESTED: The police picked up Juma Khan Jokhio, correspondent of a Sindhi daily, in recent violence acts. According to Thatta police, Jokhio was involved in vandalism and riots. President Thatta press club, Yar Mohammad Jalalani contacted DPO Thatta, Zulfiqar Larik, who assured him of early release of Juma Khan.

Investigation police were conducting raids for further arrests.

Meanwhile, PPP district president, Arbab Wazir Memon, Dr Abdul Wahid Soomro, Ms Humera Alwani have threatened to stage protests throughout district if crackdown was not halted immediately.

PPP candidate for PS-85 Mirpur Sakro, Sassui Palijo, has alleged that police on behest of Shirazis wanted to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the district. At a press conference here on Friday, she said that police arrested over 50 activists and sympathisers from her constituency and were conducting raids for more arrests.She alleged that SHOs of Mirpur Sakro, Gharo and Dhabeji were not working as police officers but as henchmen of Shirazis. She demanded early release of arrested activists.

In Badin, a meeting of workers and office-bearers of PPP was held on Friday, which was presided over by Dr Fehmida Mirza. The meeting condemned arrest of the PPP workers in the district.

Addressing a meeting, Dr Fehmida Mirza said that assassination of Ms Benazir Bhutto was a irreparable national loss. PPP leader, Dr Zulfiqar Ali Mirza, condemned the role of some politicians who reached Naudero and offered fateha and condoled the death of Benazir Bhutto but later they lodged false cases against PPP workers.

Dr Sikandar Ali Mandhro alleged that the cases were also registered against those who had died sometime ago.

Later, at a press conference, the PPP leaders condemned Badin police for implicating the deceased PPP worker Sajan Memon, who was reportedly killed in a police firing.The PPP leaders alleged that registration of FIRs and harassment of the PPP workers were meant to keep them away from the mass contact campaign. Among others, Mirza Sohail Akbar and Ashfaq Memon attended the meeting.

Sindh PPP president Syed Qaim Ali Shah said in Khairpur that the district police were harassing party workers and sympathisers by implicating them in fake cases, raiding their houses, arresting and lodging them at undisclosed police posts while they were mourning the death of their leader Benazir Bhutto.

He was talking to delegations of Pakistan People’s Party workers and civil society activists here on Friday.

He said that such a situation was aimed to create harassment among the people.