January 15, 2008	Tuesday	Muharram 05, 1429

KHAIRPUR, Jan 14: Fifty activists of Pakistan People’s Party continued token hunger strike on Monday, the third consecutive day, outside the Ranipur press club seeking withdrawal of cases against party workers.

The hunger strikers Ashiq Hussain, Haji Rajpar and Arif Bhelar said the cases, lodged in the wake of martyrdom of PPP chairperson were fake and demanded probe into the Ms Bhutto’s assassination by the United Nations Commission.

In the meantime, a large number of civil society activists and journalists staged a demonstration in Sobhodero on Monday in protest against implication of six office-bearers of the club in fake cases. They alleged that police booked journalists for their reporting.

POLICEMAN KILLED: Armed thieves shot dead a police constable when he was chasing them with a group of villagers near Kamaldero late on Sunday night.Police Constable Ghulam Akbar Junejo, who was on duty at Jado Wahan police picket, accompanied the villagers when he saw them following the footprints of thieves, who had stolen away a buffalo belonging to Sultan Khuhro from Zanwar Nawab Khuhro village.

They caught up with the thieves near Kamaldero and exchange fire with them. As a result the policeman suffered serious injuries from bullets and died on the spot. Reports said that the thieves escaped with his official weapon.

The body was handed over to relatives after post-mortem at Gambat Taluka Hospital.

His funeral was held at his native village Waryo Wahan Daraza.

Khairpur DPO Fida Hussain Mastoi and a number of police officials also attended the funeral. The DPO on this occasion announced job for the son of late constable and continuation of salary and other service benefits for his family for 60 years. He also gave Rs25,000 cash to his family.