LARKANA, Aug 20: The villagers from Akil and its surrounding vicinity of Larkana District alleged that a gang of outlaws had made their lives miserable by encroaching upon their farm lands and extracting money at gun point.

Several villagers including Ghulam Rasool Kori, Hubdar Bhayo, Mohammed Malook Gaad, Muhib Kori, and Maula Bakhsh Gaad told newsmen on Tuesday that the gang of outlaws, who were led by Himath Chandio, demanded a monthly bhatta from the orchard owners and threatened to occupy their lands if they failed to do so. They also said that if somebody tried to resist them he would be killed.

They said that so far the gang had killed five villagers — Ghulam Nabi Kori, Hujatullah Khuhro, Ghulam Qadir Khuhro, Ghulam Akbar Mirbahar, and Ghulam Hussain Kori — as they had refused to bow to their demands.

They said that they killed a policeman, Ghulam Hussain Kori, and had gone underground to escape police action.

They said that recently the gang had sent a letter to Ghulam Rasool Narijo, who was injured in the attack, asking him to withdraw the case or they would kill his whole family.

The villagers have appealed to President Pervez Musharraf, the Sindh governor, and the district Nazim to come to their rescue and protect them against the highhandedness of the criminals.

PPP: The PPP, Larkana District, in its meeting on Tuesday urged the NADRA for promptly issuing computerized national identity cards as the elections were getting closer.