DADU: A large number of Lashari tribesmen held a protest demonstration to block the route of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar and the accompanying team of judges at the approach road of Manchhar Lake and Pir Shakh (water channel) here on Saturday in protest against the killing of six of their kinsmen a day earlier.

The victims were gunned down allegedly by a group of Marri tribesmen near the district jail of Dadu when they were proceeding to court for the hearing of an attempted murder case registered against them by the Marris a fortnight back.

The Lasharis put up barricades and burning tyres to block the road causing suspension of vehicular traffic on the route of CJP’s entourage for six hours. The area police managed to persuade the enraged protesters to clear the way a little before the CJP’s passing time but it was learnt that the chief justice changed his plan and did not visit certain installations in the area.

ASI held, probe into ‘police complicity’ launched

During the six-hour protest, the Lasharis kept raising slogans for the arrest of the killers, claiming that “a group of 10 armed Marris in connivance with the area police had carried out a pre-planned attack on the car carrying their six fellow tribesmen”. They also demanded arrest of the policemen allegedly involved in the conspiracy.

Aktiar Ali Lashari, the brother of one of the deceased persons, Mashooq Ali Lashari, lodged a murder FIR (58/18) under Sections 302, 324, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 6/7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) at the B-Section police station of Dadu against Meer Hassan, Meer Gul, Mohammad Bakhsh, Khuda Bakhsh, Sher Mohammed, Allah Bukhsh, Bakhat Jamal, Dhani Bakhsh and two other unknown Marris.

Away from the protest venue within the city, the victims’ Talti village remained tense for a second consecutive day as Lasharis mourned their deceased loved ones amid fear of a flare-up.

The Lasharis and Marris of the area are embroiled in a long-standing land dispute and in the latest armed clash a fortnight back one Marri tribesman was wounded. The Marris took it as a murderous attack and had lodged an FIR against the six deceased Lasharis. The area police believed that the Friday tragedy might be a reprisal to the same attack.

Fearing a flare-up residents of Talti and adjoining villages, barring participants of the funeral, remained indoors while police took stringent measures to prevent further violence. Tension was also reported from the nearby areas of Jamshoro district having pockets of the two rival tribes. Pervez Ahmed, one of the Lasharis leading the protest demonstration on Dadu-Sehwan road, speaking to local reporters, alleged that certain officers of Dadu police were hand in glove with the Marris in carrying out the attack. He claimed that the “fake” FIR of Marris against the deceased Lasharis had previously been registered against a handsome amount of money.

“Official weapons were used in the attack, which was carried out by assailants riding two vehicles — a double-cabin and a car — and the bullets received by the deceased appeared to be of G-3 guns usually used by police,” claimed another tribesman, Ghulam Sarwar Lashari.

He wondered that none of the attackers could be arrested although the attack took place very close to the heavily guarded district jail. He said the attackers [nominated suspects] armed with automatic weapons were roaming freely amid police deployment.

Another tribesman, Subhan Lashari, demanded arrest of SHO of the A-Section police station and his two subordinates for their alleged complicity in the heinous crime.

Dadu SSP Tanvir Tunio, who led the police team that persuaded the protesters to clear the road, held out the assurance that the policemen identified by the Lasharis would be booked and an investigation into the whole episode conducted.

Soon afterwards, ASI Mohammed Umer Panhwar of the Dadu town police station was arrested and an inquiry was started on the SSP’s order.

However, none of the nominated Marri suspects was arrested till late on Saturday.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2018