August 10, 2007	Friday	Rajab 25, 1428

LARKANA, Aug 9: The civil judge of Ratodero on Thursday remanded the SHO of Mouladad police station of Jacobabad in police custody for seven days in compliance the order of the Larkana circuit bench of the Sindh High Court passed a day ago that an FIR be registered against the police official for keeping innocent people in illegal confinement.

Ms Mehar Khatoon Khokhar of Allahwarayo Mashi village near Naudeo had moved the high court against the SHO and a number of other police officers accusing them of breaking into her house, robbing gold jewellery, valuable household articles and kidnapping five people including her son Ali Akbar.

She had nominated the SHO of Mouladad police, Mohammed Ibrahim Soomro, and 30 other policemen in the FIR and charged that the SHO let go all her relatives except her son after receiving bribe. The whereabouts of her son were still not known, she added.

Police arrested the SHO and handed over the case to Inspector Ghulam Murtaza Abbasi posted at Market police station in accordance with court orders, which had directed that no less than an inspector should probe the case.

The case would again come up for hearing on Aug 10. The court had also asked the DPO of Jacobabad to appear the same day in connection with the case.

PROTEST: More than 200 people belonging to different parts of Dokri and Bakrani talukas staged a procession on Thursday in protest against police for allegedly forcing People’s Party parliamentarians MNA Hizbullah Bughio to defect his party.

The procession led by local PPP leaders, Khan Mohammed Sangro and Rajib Solangi marched on main thoroughfares of the town before staging a sit-in outside the Jinnahbagh’s gate.

They called for strict action against police, which they said was being used by pro-government parties for pressurising elected representatives into joining treasury benches.