April 09, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-us-Sani 2, 1429

MITHI, April 8: Police registered three FIRs against 271 supporters of former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and arrested several for damaging public property and attacking PPP activists during protest rallies taken out in Kaloi, Chhachhro and in other areas of Sindh against manhandling Mr Arbab in Sindh assembly on Tuesday.

Pakistan People’s Party activists had lodged the FIRs.

Diplo police have arrested retired ASI Wali Mohammad Nohri, Government School Teachers Association president Arbab Zulfiqar, Ramzan Hajam, Revo Kolhi, Usman and Jarar Bajir, named in one of the FIRs.

The Diplo police have registered two FIRs on complaints of PPP activists, Mohammad Asghar and Roshan Zamir Lund, against 240 supporters of Mr Arbab for their alleged involvement in attacking PPP activists and damaging public property during a protest rally in Kaloi.

Meanwhile, on the complaint of PPP activist Abu Bakar Rahoomo, Chhachhro police have registered an FIR against 31 supporters of Arbab who had taken out a protest rally in Chhachhro to protest against his manhandling.

They had burnt tyres, blocked road, and resorted to firing in the air while attacking PPP activists and forcing shopkeepers to close down their businesses.

The supporters of Arbab also took out a rally, burnt tyres, blocked traffic in Diplo town.

The protesters forced shopkeepers to close down their businesses.

Speaking at the rally, they condemned the incident.

The protesters demanded action against those involved in the manhandling of Arbab.

The protesters armed with clubs staged a sit-in at a bus stop, marched on main roads and forced the shopkeepers to shut down businesses.

Markets were closed down in the area.

District Nazim Arbab Anwar, MPA Abdul Razzaq and Chhachhro taluka nazim Dilawar Malkani arrived there and convinced the protesters to end their protest.

Our Mirpurkhas correspondent adds: Workers of the PML-Q have staged a demonstration here to protest manhandling of Arbab Ghulam Rahim in the assembly.

Protesters, carrying banners and placards, demanded of the government to arrest those involved in incident.

Addressing a press conference, leaders of the PML-Q, Abdul Hameed Abbasi, Haji Mohammad Saleem and Syed Liaquat Shah, expressed concern over violence against their leader by PPP supporters.

They claimed that the incident was pre-planned which had damaged the reconciliation move in the country.

The PML-Q supporters also took out a rally in Umerkot. They were led by taluka naib nazim of Umerkot.

The protesters exchanged hot words with shopkeepers when they asked them to close down their businesses. Police resorted to tear-gas shelling to disburse protesters.

The angry protesters also attempted to set a petrol pump on fire and pelted it with stones but private guards at the pump opened fire and dispersed the protesters.

Owner of the petrol pump told reporters that a mob took away canes of oil and lubricants and other items from the pump.

This led to closure of shops in markets.

The SHO of the Umerkot police, Ghulam Nabi Shar, said that 370 unidentified people had been booked for creating law and order situation.