26 December 2004	Sunday	13 Ziqa'ad 1425

LARKANA, Dec 25: A resident of Qambar, Ghulam Umar Magsi, lodged a murder case against 67 policemen, including seven officials, on Saturday after a committee led by Sindh Revenue Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh visited the town.

The FIR was registered at the Qambar police station against Taluka Police Officer Sahib Shah; Larkana Saddar Taluka Police 0fficer Ghulam Abbas Gadhi; SHOs Habiur Rehman Abro, Abdul Hakim Bullo, Jani Shah and Ashraf Lashari of the Qambar, Shahdadkot, Taluka and Mahota police stations, respectively; Assistant Sub-Inspector Khadim Magsi and 60 unknown policemen.

Sources said the officials had been suspended.

On the directive of the chief minister, a team comprising the revenue minister, Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari, chief minister's advisor Sultan Ahmed Khuhawar, MPA Haji Altaf Unnar, Parvaiz Paichoho and Akbar Shah Rashdi arrived at Larkana in a special plane on Friday night.

The committee inquired about the health of the injured in the Chandka Medical College Hospital and held talks with Nawab Shabir Ahmed Chandio, the chief of his tribe, in the presence of Kambar Taluka Nazim Sardar Ahmed Chandio and elite of the area.

Imtiaz Shaikh told newsmen after the meeting that an inquiry into the incident would be conducted by the district and sessions judge.

It was decided that Rs200,000 would be paid as compensation and a job would be given to the heirs of each victim.

The provincial government would bear the expenses of treatment of the injured in Larkana and Karachi, the minister said.

He said the chief minister would visit Qambar and a district police officer would assume charge in Shahdadkot soon.

The deputy inspector-general (operation), Sukkur range, Mohammed Ramzan Channa, Larkana District Coordination Officer Abdul Razzak Qureshi and other officials were also present.

The victims of alleged police firing, Madad Ali Magsi, Riaz Ahmed Buriro, Nasir Ali Rajput and Abdul Fatah Tunio, were buried on Saturday. Hundreds of people, including Jeay Sindh Mahaz Chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi, attended the funeral.

Police remained confined to the police station as a complete strike was observed in the town and the situation remained tense. A citizens' committee has announced seven days of mourning in the town.

A team appointed by the provincial police chief, comprising Additional IG Asad Jahangir, AIG Hussain Asghar and former Larkana DPO Ghulam Nabi Memon recorded the statements in the hospital of the injured. The team would submit its report in a week, the sources said.

Misbah Tunio took over as the Shahdadkot district coordination officer and held a meeting with Nawab Chandio with the Larkana DCO and a Pakistan Mulsim League leader Masood Ahmed Khunro.

Activists of the People's Party Parliamentarians took out a procession in Larkana in protest against the incident.