HYDERABAD, June 3: More than half a dozen groups of protesters held separate demonstrations and observed token hunger strike outside the press club here on Tuesday.

Workers of the Dadu Sugar Mills observed a token hunger strike against the closure of the mill.

The protesters demanded that the Dadu and Thatta sugar mills should be reopened and workers should be paid their dues.

The retrenched workers of the Faran Sugar Mills, Shaikh Bhirkio, former employees of the Sui Southern Gas Company and growers of Mail Shakh, Tando Adam irrigation sub-division, staged a joint protest demonstration for their reinstatement and against the acute shortage of water.

Speaking at the demonstration, People’s Party Parliamentarians MPA Zahid Bhurgari called upon the SSGC administration to reinstate 1,390 employees of the company and pay their dues as directed by the apex court.

He also condemned the retrenchment of 426 permanent employees of the Faran Sugar Mills.

He said the mill had sacked the employees illegally as it had not taken permission from the labour court which was required under the law.

He also condemned the non-release of water to tail-end areas of Mail Shakh.

Speaking on the occasion, the growers’ leaders, Daim Khaskheli, Atta Mohammad Khaskheli and others said no water was available at the tail-end of Mail Shakh for the last six months.

They accused the area SDO of selling water to influential landlords.

They said the growers would stage a protest sit-in in Mirpurkhas June 8 during the visit of the Sindh chief minister.

Activists of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz observed a token hunger strike against registration of what they called a false case against party leader Dr Zulfikar Panhwar with the Johi police station.

They demanded withdrawal of the case against Mr Panhwar and the members of his family.

Activists of the Sindh People’s Students Federation-SB, Sindh University chapter, continued their token hunger strike for the third consecutive day.

They are protesting against the construction of a boundary wall around the IBA department, shortage of transport and lack of other facilities in the university.

SPSF-SB leaders Mohammad Ali Mirjat, Asad Umrani and others warned that they would continue their protest till their demands were accepted.

A group of women and children of Qasimabad held a protest demonstration against the excesses of the police.

Talking to journalists, Ms Ameerzadi said the Qasimabad police had picked up her husband, Saeed Mohammad Shah, and ransacked her house.

She said whereabouts of her husband were not known and feared that he might have been killed.

She threatened she would commit self-immolation if justice was not restored to her.

Employees of the Sindh Adabi Board staged a demonstration and observed a token hunger strike to protest against non-payment of their salaries for the last four months.

Tariq Alam Abro and other board employees appealed to the Sindh governor, chief minister, chief secretary and education secretary to ensure payment of salaries to the board employees.