SUKKUR: Police on Saturday booked over a hundred people, including a local leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional, on charges of blocking a road and creating hurdles to ongoing anti-encroachment operation launched by irrigation department along both sides of Nara Canal.

Police took the action after irrigation engineer Mohammad Ishaq Mahesar lodged an FIR at Patni police station near Rohri against PML-F leader Fakir Inayatullah Buriro and over 100 of his supporters under sections of Anti-Terrorism Act.

After registration of the FIR, police conducted raids for arresting Buriro and his supporters and contingents from more than 10 police stations led by Rohri DSP besieged the PML-F leader’s bungalow and the autaq in Arore, which sparked vociferous protest by the party workers.

The protest by hundreds of workers led by Khalifa Fakir Kamal Panhiar forced police to lift the siege after two hours and leave without arresting the PML-F leader but not without picking up six protesters identified as Khair Mohammad Mirani, Mohammad Mirani, Manzoor Mirani, Zahid Buriro, Shahid Buriro and Faraz Buriro.

Buriro later filed an application in antiterrorism court for seeking pre-arrest bail and his counsel argued before Judge Anand Ram that the case registered against Buriro and others was politically motivated.

He said that through this case, Sindh government and Pakistan Peoples Party aimed to harass Buriro and his supporters because they were associated with their rival party, PML-F.

The court heard the arguments of both sides and ordered removal of sections of ATA from the FIR. The judge contended that the case did not fall within the purview of ATA, hence he directed it be sent to sessions court for hearing and disposing of the application for pre-arrest bail.

Buriro and his supporters told media persons at the court that the PPP was bent upon taking vengeful actions against the PML-F leader and workers who were merely protesting against demolition of their houses by the irrigation department on the pretext of apex court’s orders.

They termed the drive against encroachments selective and alleged that officials of irrigation department and police were only taking action against political opponents of the ruling party and the poor people who could not afford to seek remedy from courts.

They said that no action was being taken against the illegal structures owned by influential PPP leaders and accused SSP Irfan Samo of working at the behest of PPP by registering about 50 “fake” cases against workers and supporters of opposition parties, including Pakis­tan Tehreek-i-Insaf and PML-F.

They demanded chief justice of Pakistan, chief justice of Sindh High Court, prime minister and other higher authorities take notice of the “arbitrary and selective police action” and provide them justice.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2021