SUKKUR: A large number of people staged a demonstration on Sindh-Balochistan road after forcing closure of markets in Tangwani town on Saturday in protest against police failure to curb increasing crimes in and around the town.

The protesters first forced shopkeepers in the market to pull down shutters then blocked the road by staging the demonstration and burning tyres.

The protesters’ leaders Asif Khoso, Lal Bajkani, Asghar Malik and others told journalists that crime rate had shot up in the town. Just last night, a gang of criminals attacked a trader, Laiquat Bajkani, robbed him of cash and escaped easily, they said.

They said that another group of outlaws snatched a motorcycle from a journalist, Bari Malik, at gunpoint the other day but police did not take any action against the robbers neither did they do anything to control law and order.

They demanded police immediately arrest the robbers and restore peace to the crime-infested town.

SUP protest outside SSP’s office

A large number of workers of Sindh United Party and members of general public staged a demonstration at main entrance to the SSP-Kandkot office on Friday in protest against rising crime rate in the district.

The demonstrators raised charged slogans against police and chanted “protect citizens, restore peace” in Kandhkot and its surrounding areas.

The protesters’ leaders Dilmurad Dahani, Zareef Bijarani, Shahnawaz Marhato, Fazal Sabzoi and others said that police had left Kandhkot-Kashmore district at the mercy of dacoits and criminals who routinely committed crimes without any fear of law.

They said that motorcycles were snatched, shops were broken into, pedestrians and motorists were robbed of their valuables in broad daylight but district police were the least concerned about it and were not ready to move into action against the outlaws. If police did not discharge their duties then who would protect citizens against criminals, they asked.

They said that they would continue holding protests till police were awakened and restored their writ in the district.

Published in Dawn, January 29th, 2023