SUKKUR: The All Sindh-Balochistan Mill-owners Association has condemned the “insulting” attitude of Qambar-Shahdadkot deputy commissioner who, they alleged, refused to receive a delegation of rice millers for a scheduled meeting on Monday and also threatened them with arrests and sealing their mills.

Abdul Aziz Abro, president of the association, told the media in Jacobabad that the DC through his letter had invited the rice millers’ delegation for talks in the backdrop of the kidnapping, and later murder, of Sindh Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association (SBRMTA) leader Haji Nawaz Mengal. However, when the delegation went to his office on Monday, the DC refused to receive it. Instead, they said, the DC called the SSP, DSP and the other police officers and threatened to arrest the delegation members and order closure of all rice mills in the district.

Mr Abro urged the Sindh chief minister and other authorities concerned to take notice of the DC’s “uncivilised and insulting” attitude. He demanded the millers’ grievances be addressed.

Haji Nawaz Mengal, 55, was kidnapped in Dera Murad Jamali (Balochistan) on Nov 7 and police’s failure to find a clue to his kidnappers over the next three days led to a closure of all rice mills in Sindh and Balochistan on Nov 10.

The trussed-up body of Mr Mengal was found by the Balochistan Levies in Dera Murad Jamali on Nov 13.

Rice millers of both the provinces have announced a 10-day mourning over his abduction and murder.

Published in Dawn, November 20th, 2018