THERE was hope among the people of Larkana that after the formation of the PPP government there would be peace for the terrorised and harassed people of the area.

But instead what has happened is that outlaws are roaming scot-free on the roads, shooting and looting people at their free will. It is like Wild West of Hollywood movies.

A few days ago, near Al Murtaza house, a young man of Narejo community was gunned down by unidentified motorists who were raising slogans of who they were and what they were doing. The broad daylight killing took place at a distance of a half kilometre from the Hyderi police station. On the same day people of Larkana felt more insecure about their children when a student of KG class, the son of an SHO, was kidnapped. Later his body with torture marks was recovered from a canal.

As soon as Sultan Khwaja left the charge of the office of Larkana DPO, criminals have established a state of their own in the district. Extortionists are so fearless that they come for 'monthly' at high noon. Resisting them, Fida Mirani was injured by tribal goons. Cellphone and motorcycle snatching goes unnoticed as no police station is willing to file an FIR about such an incident.

There was time when people considered themselves safe in their houses but now gangs come firing in the air and barge into houses.

In Darri Mohalla they dragged a woman out of her home and took her away. When this incident was occurring, top policemen were enjoying a delicious meal with a VVIP at the DPO house. Recently city goldsmiths have observed a week-long strike in protest against looting of three jewellers.

Initially the elected members of the ruling party tried their best to dissuade them from continuing their strike but the strikers had just ignored them.

The situation puts a question mark over Sultan Khwaja's transfer. People were satisfied with him and are unable to understand the logic behind his transfer. His office used to be open for people but he gave cold shoulder to bigwigs of the district. Now they are seen driving in and out of the DPO house, especially at lunch and dinner time.

As for the people, they cannot muster courage to walk in the streets after sunset or in the early morning.There is another strange factor in the area where tribes like Jatoi, Leghari, Unnar, Chandio, Magsi, Khoso, Jalbani, Narejo, Dakhan, Buledi and Jamali are settled, no high-ranking police official is Sindhi-speaking. Can cultural intricacies be ignored while dealing with a worsening law and order situation?

The situation is alarming and there seems to be no end to crime. Previously, people use to flock Naudero house but now its doors are closed for them. Nobody is listening to their grievances and taking efforts to redress them.

It shows that no one is moved by the suffering of the people of this district after Benazir Bhutto.

A concerned citizen

Via email