26 December 2004	Sunday	13 Ziqa'ad 1425

KARACHI, Dec 25: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal on Saturday condemned the killing of four people by police in Qambar Ali Khan and termed it 'state terrorism'.

MMA leaders, including MNA Abdul Sattar Afghani, Mumtaz Hussain Sehto and Abdul Hafiz Bijarani, who attended funeral of the deceased, demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident and strict action against the police officials involved in it.

MNA Afghani said police opened fire on innocent protesters in minutes but took years in taking action against terrorists, dacoits and kidnappers in Sindh.

"Freedom of expression, which includes holding protest demonstrations, is a constitutional and democratic right of people," he said.

He accused the Sindh government of following a policy of divide and rule.

Mr Sehto criticized the chief minister for his threats to residents of Qamber and asked him to concentrate on the recovery of the two kidnapped judges instead of ordering firing on innocent protesters.

People's Party Parliamentarians leader Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement, condemned the killings and demanded registration of an FIR against the chief minister.

He said resort to indiscriminate firing on peaceful protesters was a new example set by the provincial government, which wanted to frighten the downtrodden people of Sindh.

"It is horrible to note that the provincial government maintains a killing squad to shoot its opponents for expressing their dissent," he said.

He said the perpetrators of the crime against innocent people would be brought to justice soon.

He called for an inquiry into the incident by a Supreme Court judge.

He said the incident appeared to be a deliberate attempt by the provincial government to frighten people of the home district of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

JSM: The Jiay Sindh Mahaz, in a statement, condemned the killings.

JSM Chairman Abdul Khalique Junejo and Vice-Chairman Hashim Khoso said that imprudent policies of the government and cruel attitude of police were responsible for the mishap.

They alleged that the rulers had initiated a policy to spread ethnic, tribal and regional polarization in the province to serve their vested interests.

They appealed to the people of the province to remain united and thwart the conspiracies being hatched against them.

ARSON CASES: Former defence minister Aftab Shaaban Meerani has condemned registration of arson cases against 200 PPP workers in Sujawal, including its District President Syed Masood Shah, and arrests elsewhere in the province.

In a statement issued from Bilawal House, he asked the government to withdraw the cases and stop vindictive actions against the party's workers.

The PPP leader said it appeared that the regime was using all its energy on persecuting innocent workers of the party while criminals and thieves had been given a free hand.

Mr Meerani said murders, rapes, robberies, carjacking and kidnapping for ransom had become the order of the day in the province and the regime had failed to restore law and order.

"The government has left the law-abiding citizens at the mercy of murderers and criminals and deputed police and the administration to carry out victimization of supporters of democracy and peace," he said.

He said the ruthless treatment being meted out to PPP workers all over the country would not be tolerated.

He asked the government to stop undemocratic actions against liberal forces in the country.-PPI