MIRPURKHAS/DADU: A large number of people took to the streets in Mirpurkhas and Dadu in protest against increasing incidents of street crime and police failure to establish its writ.

In Mirpurkhas, a sizable number of people staged a demonstration on a call given by All Marri Ittihad Pakistan outside local press club on Sunday in protest against Nawabshah police for their failure to register case of extrajudicial murder of Yaseen Marri, who was allegedly killed in Nawabshah district five months ago.

Carrying banners and placards, the protesters demanded Sindh IGP ensure registration of Yaseen’s murder case without further delay and arrest the police officials involved in his killing.

Haji Ghulam Rasool Marri and others, who led the protest, condemned police and said that five months ago, Yaseen who was a poor labourer, was picked up by Nawabshah police in Karachi and held in illegal confinement.

The police officials demanded huge amount of money as bribe in return for his release but his family could not arrange it and hence police killed him in a staged encounter, they alleged.

That was why, his murder case had not been lodged yet, they said and accused SSP of Nawabshah and SHO of Daulatpur of being involved in his murder.

They demanded the high authorities order an impartial inquiry and ensure registration of murder case and arrest of the police officers.

Scores of Marri clansmen held a similar protest demonstration in Tando Allahyar under the banner of All Marri Ittihad Pakistan and demanded registration of murder case of Yaseen Marri and exemplary punishment to police officers.

Procession in Johi

A large number of members of political and religious parties, civil society and shopkeepers took out a procession in Dadu on Sunday in protest against increasing crimes in the district and posting of local police officers as SHOs, who had allegedly contributed to phenomenal rise in crimes across the district.

The procession started from Bilawal Park and culminated at local press club.

Sardar Imdad Khan Leghari, Qurban Khokhar, Hashim Khoso, Maulvi Ghulam Mustafa Lashari and others, who led the protest, said that Dadu SSP had posted local police officers in the district, who instead of restoring law and order had started protecting criminals and thieves, exacerbating law and order situation in the district.

They said that robberies in houses and shops had become a routine and dacoits ruled all the roads during the day as well as the night, sowing fear in the hearts of citizens.

They warned that they would stage a protest in front of SSP office in Dadu for the removal of local SHOs and breakdown of peace.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2024