SANGHAR: A thick pall of gloom hung over Sanghar, Khairpur, Mirpurkhas, Badin, Umerkot and some other districts as followers of Pir Pagara — the spiritual leader of the Hur Jamaat who also heads the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) — observed a second day of mourning on Sunday for prominent Hur leader Faqir Noor Hassan Khaskheli, who was gunned down along with his seven companions at a polling station in an armed clash near a polling station in Khairpur a day earlier.

Thousands of people arrived in Sinjhoro town of Sanghar district overnight from across the province and outside to take part in the funeral of Faqir Khaskheli, the adviser to a former chief minister and nephew of Pir Pagara’s representative (or Khalifa) MPA Waryam Faqir Khaskheli.

The seven victims were among the 11 people who sustained fatal bullet wounds in a clash between PML-F and PPP workers at a polling station in Daraza Sharif — the holy town that houses the shrine of Sufi saint Sachal Sarmast — during the course of polling for the local government elections held in eight districts of the province on Saturday.

With Sanghar district remaining totally closed on Sunday to mourn the deaths, most cities, towns and villages of Khairpur, Mirpur­khas, Umerkot and Badin districts also observed a shutdown. Traffic on roads and intercity routes remained thin in the affected districts. While roads, streets and lanes wore a deserted look throughout the day, Hur Jamaat members and PML-F workers held demonstrations and rallies in various towns in protest against the killings.

No untoward incident took place during the protest as strong contingents of police and Rangers were deployed at sensitive places.

Chief Khalifa of the Hur Jamaat Fqir Abdul Qadir Mangrio leading thousands of mourners received the body of Faqir Khaskheli at Sinjoro when the coffin, along with those of his seven companions, arrived in the town from Khairpur in the early hours of Sunday. The deceased was buried in the Juman Shah graveyard amid touching scenes.

Faqir Khaskheli’s companions who died in the clash were his driver Ali Murad Gaho and bodyguard Wesaro Dars; Usman Khaskheli and Arbab Rajar, the bodyguards of senior PML-F leader Pir Syed Sadruddin Shah Rashdi’s son Syed Ismail Shah Rashdi; Ali Akbar Khaskheli, Munawwar Khas­kheli and Ghulam Murtaza Marri.

Speaking to the media after the burial, MPAs Waryam Khaskheli, Haji Khuda Bukhsh Rajar and Nand Kumar Goklani claimed that it was a “targeted attack”. “We are in mourning at the moment but will sure move court for justice,” they said, adding that the Pir Pagara had ordered his followers not to react to the killings by indulging in violence.

Faqir Khaskheli had considerable following and political support in PML-F dominated areas of Sanghar and Khairpur. He was twice elected as the nazim of Shah Sikandarbad union council and once headed the district health committee.

Two deceased victims, Naeem Junejo and Gul Mohammed Junejo, of the armed clash were laid to rest in Waryo Wahan village of Khairpur district.

A shutdown was observed in Pir Jo Goth and Pakka Chang towns, as well as some smaller towns of the district, to mourn the deaths.Many of the 15 wounded victims were admitted to various hospitals in Gambat and Khairpur and some of them were referred to other hospitals in Karachi due to their serious condition.

In Badin district, a shutdown was observed in Tando Bago, Pangrio, Khoski, Nindo Shahar and some other towns on a call given by the PML- F and close aides to former home minister Dr Zulfikar Mirza.

Responding to the call, people also held demonstrations at various places to condemn the killings.

A complete shutdown was observed in Mithi and Islamkot towns of Thaparkar district to express solidarity with the PML-F and Hur Jamaat.

Condemning the killings, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) provincial chief Ismail Rahu held the Sindh government responsible for the bloodshed in the LG election.

When contacted for his comment, Mr Rahu expressed his deep grief and sorrow over the tragedy and said it also exposed the chief minister’s claim of having ensured a free and fair election. The PPP wanted to snatch victory be it at the cost of many lives, he alleged.

Several hundred PML-F workers led by Faqeer Ghulam Qadir Mangrio and others took out a rally from the local railway station and marched up to the local press club and held a sit-in.

Wearing black armbands, the protesters raised slogans against the government and demanded action against the culprits.

Mr Mangrio claimed that PML-F activist and his companions were gunned down in a targeted attack, adding that those behind it would be held accountable for the bloodshed. He called for constituting a judicial commission to fix responsibility.

The Mirpurkhas-Hyder­abad road remained blocked for one-and-a-half hour due to the sit-in.

A similar rally was taken out by PML-F activists and supporters in Kot Ghulam Mohammed.

Leading the protesters, Yousuf Dal, Zulfikar Kaimkhani and other activists demanded a thorough investigation into the clash and immediate arrest of the killers.

While a shutdown was observed across Umerkot district on Sunday in response to a PML-F call, Senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah led a protest rally taken out from Muslim League House in Umerkot city.

The participants marched up to the local press club raising slogans against the provincial government and the PPP.

Speaking to them, Mr Shah said the election commission and Sindh government did not take appropriate security measures despite repeatedly being urged to ensure peace on the polling day as political tension had considerably heightened during electioneering in Khairpur and some other districts. “The provincial government did not take our apprehension seriously,” he said, adding that the tragedy did not have happen had the army was deployed at polling stations. He said the option must be considered for the second phase of the local government elections in Sindh.

The senator also demanded a judicial inquiry into the armed clash.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2015

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