SUKKUR, Dec 5: The Sindh High Court, Sukkur double bench, has ordered the Khairpur DPO to appear in the court to answer the allegation levelled against him by 33 petitioners and the district Nazim.

The ordered was passed here on Thursday in a petition, filed by Faiz Mohammad and 32 other taluka/union council Nazims and councillors against 17 respondents, including the state, the Sindh and Khairpur district governments and the DPO.

The petitioners alleged that they were being harassed by the Khairpur police on the behest of Sindh Irrigation Minister Sadruddin Rashdi to force them to change their loyalties.

Earlier, the Sindh additional advocate-general submitted five statements of some police officials, including the DPO.

The DPO rejected the allegation and stated that no harassment had been caused to the petitioners.

The TPOs of Mirwah, Kotdiji and Sobhodero and the Kotdiji SHO stated that they had neither harassed nor arrested the petitioners. However, they added, if any action was taken, it was required by the law.

One of the respondents, Khairpur District Nazim Nafisa Shah, appeared in the court and confirmed that the petitioners were being harassed by the police.

She requested the court to allow her to defend herself and said that she wanted to file her counter affidavit regarding the incident of harassment.

Ms Shah said that as the district Nazim, she was administrative head of the district and the police had to act under her directives according to the Sindh Local Government Ordinance. However, she deplored, the DPO and other police officials were not cooperating with her.

The court, comprising Justice Zahid Qurban Alvi and Justice Maqbool Baqar, directed her to submit her complaint in writing and ordered the DPO to appear in the court on the next hearing of Dec 9.

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