HYDERABAD, Feb 27: The inquiry committee appointed by outgoing provincial police officer Syed Kamal Shah has not yet initiated investigations into the custodial death about one month ago of one Abu Bakar Panwhar.

The Sindh police chief had appointed the committee, headed by the DIG, Sindh Reserve Police, Ghulam Qadir Mahar, with AIGP, investigation, Hyderabad region, Mohammad Sadiq, and the AIGP, finance, Hyderabad region, Fida Hussain, as members, in the first week of the current month.

The team was supposed to visit the Satellite Town police station in Mirpurkhas and record statements of people concerned, including family members of Mr Panwhar, arrested police officials, medico-legal officer and an area watchman. However, the committee members have not paid even a single visit to Mirpurkhas.

The team has to ascertain circumstances leading to the death of the man. Mr Panwhar had died in police custody on Jan 25 after he had been caught by a watchman of a shopping centre in scheme-II of the city. His death had sparked violence in the city for two days.

Satellite Town police station SHO Mohammad Rafiq Siyal, SI Khamiso Khan, ASI Ghulam Shabbir Dasti and police constable Mohammad Aslam had been booked in a murder case on the complaint of Ali Mohammad, father of Panwhar, following protests by activists of the Sindh People's Students Federation and the People's Party Parliamentarians.

Mr Panwhar's family members have observed a token hunger strike outside the press club, demanding re-investigation into the case and provision of justice to them. They expressed dissatisfaction over the current investigation process and demanded that the inquiry should be entrusted to some honest and competent officer. They also accused police of harassing the family members and issuing threats to them since registration of the murder case against policemen.

INJURED: A man was shot at and injured in the jurisdiction of the GOR police station on Saturday night. Zeeshan Ali Pirzada was chased by occupants of a car who fired on him. He was taken to the civil hospital.

Police said Mr Pirzada had identified the assailant as Mian Faraz Penhar, son of Mian Iqbal Penhar, with whom he had an altercation 10 days ago. A case was registered on the complaint of Ali Nawaz, father of Mr Pirzada.

SUICIDE: Aqil Hussain, son of Majaz Hussain, committed suicide in Bhatti Goth, Phulelli police station jurisdiction, on Saturday. His uncle, Farooq Bhatti, claimed that Aqil Hussain was suffering from mental disorder.