SANGHAR: Groups of mourners belonging to the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Hur Jamaat followers of Pir Pagara continued to pour in Sanghar, which remained completely shut for a second consecutive day on Monday to mourn the 11 victims of an armed clash in Daraza Sharif, Khairpur, on Saturday.

Pir Pagara, who heads both the Hur Jamaat and PML-F, received thousands of condolence messages from leaders of all political and religious parties and his followers over the killing of eight of his followers, including Faqir Noor Hassan Khaskheli, the son of the Pir’s representative (Khalifa) MPA Waryam Faqir Khaskheli.

The MPA’s house remained packed with mourners offering their condolences. Ismail Shah Rashdi, the son of Pir Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi, also visited him late on Sunday night. He was said to be accompanying Noor Khaskheli when the clash took place.

Noor Khaskheli was buried in the Juman Shah graveyard near Sinjhoro town after thousands of people attended the funeral prayer on Sunday.

His driver, Ali Murad Gaho, was buried in Awad village, some 20 kilometres from Sanghar and bodyguard, Wesaro Dars, in another graveyard located in Dhilyar village, about 30 kilometres from Khipro town. Three of the other deceased victims, Ali Akbar Khaskheli, Munawwar Khaskheli and Ghulam Murtaza Marri were buried in a graveyard in Khadro town of Sanghar district. Usman Khaskheli and Arbab Rajar, the bodyguards of Ismail Shah Rashdi, were buried in Khadro and Khipro graveyards, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Sanghar district bar association observed a boycott of court proceedings on Monday in protest against the killings.

In Badin district, a complete shutdown was observed in Talhar town on a call given by the local chapter of the PML-F in protest against the Daraza incident.

All bazaars and business centres remained shuttered for half a day as a large number of PML-F workers staged a demonstration outside the press club.

The protesters demanded early arrest of all the culprits involved in the killing of party workers.

The PML-F workers also took out rallies in Tando Bago, Pangrio and other towns of the district for a second day running to register their protest against the killings.

‘Blood of martyrs won’t go in vain’

Former Sindh home minister Dr Zulfikar Ali Mirza condemned the Daraza incident and said the blood of martyrs would not go in vain.

Addressing a number of public meetings near Badin and other areas of the district on Monday, he said he would trounce all candidates fielded by Asif Ali Zardari and his cronies since ‘he knew how to win elections’.

Mr Mirza said he hoped that people of Badin would never leave him alone and his aides in his struggle against ‘inept and corrupt rulers of Sindh’.

He believed he was in a strong enough position to inflict humiliating defeat on PPP candidates with the help of his supporters and committed people of the district.

Dr Mirza said that Mr Zardari sidelined him after he exposed his friend Altaf Hussain and other corrupt elements and killers. He had rendered great sacrifices for his principles and for the people who were still with him despite the trials and tribulations he had been through, he said.

He warned his opponents to avoid harassing and victimising his supporters, else, he said, “I know how to deal with my foes”.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2015

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