12 January 2004	Monday	19 Ziqa'ad 1424

HYDERABAD, Jan 11: The police reforms are merely an eyewash as even after their introduction, the Sindh police continues to work as the servants of feudal lords.

This was said by Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party general secretary Dr Hameed Memon and spokesman Muzaffar Kalhoro in a statement issued here on Sunday

They alleged that the police were arresting innocent people and releasing criminals on the command of influential landlords. They said the criminals, who had attacked Dr Sadiq Siyal in Nawabshah and subjected him to torture, had not been arrested after the passage of two weeks.

They said the father and brother of the Jacobabad district STPP president, Ramzan Khokhar, were languishing in police lockup. They said a murderous attack was made on Khokhar but instead of arresting the assailants, his father and brother were arrested and sent behind the bars.

They said the reason was that the main accused was a relative of an influential man. They said the police and Waderas were ruling over Sindh. They said there was neither any government in Sindh nor any writ of law and added law was being held as a hostage in the hands of the Waderas.

They said the police reforms had enhanced the role of Sindh's feudal gentry. They said when Mutahidda Qaumi Movement was out of power it had been crying hoarse against the extra-judicial killings and highhandedness of police and rangers, but now when it was in power and even holding the portfolio of home affairs, it had become blind to the inhuman atrocities unleashed by the police and feudal lords on the people of Sindh. They demanded the assailants of Dr Sadiq should be arrested and the father and brother of Khokhar be released.

SEMINAR: Speakers at a seminar held here on Saturday stressed the need for joint efforts for the rights of Sindh and said the provinces should be given autonomy and a true democracy be restored in the country.

The one-day seminar was organized by the Sindh National Party on "National Autonomy and Democracy" at a hotel. In his presidential speech, Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palejo said in a true democracy the opinion of every individual was respected and the rights of minorities were protected. He said democracy provided a complete code of rights for individuals and political entities.