LARKANA: The Awami Tehreek leaders have said that dacoits have established a state within a state under the very nose of Sindh rulers and

demanded formation of a judicial commission headed by a serving judge of Supreme Court to probe the pernicious bandit culture and smuggling of modern weapons into the province, which ultimately fell into criminals’ hands.

Lal Jarwar, central president of AT; Noor Ahmed Katyar, general secretary; advocate Sajid Mahesar, central vice president, and others said at a big rally staged here on Saturday that ever rising graph of crime and mysterious disappearance of Pirya Kumari for three years raised serious questions over police’s professional efficiency.

They strongly criticised Sindh government for its failure to rein in deteriorating law and order and unabated crimes in the province. Police were hand in gloves with criminals and provided them shelter to carry out their nefarious activities under their very nose, they said.

They wondered police had utterly failed to launch an ‘effective’ anti-dacoits operation to uproot crime despite having huge budget at its disposal.

They alleged that dacoits had been given a free hand to spoil peace and help influential persons capture Sindh’s land and other resources. Pakistan Peoples Party had come to power under an agreement to hand over Sindh’s resources to exploiters, they said.

They alleged that sophisticated weapons were being smuggled into the areas in Sindh where dacoits ruled the riverine area.

They called for measures to plug the infiltration of arms and smuggling of narcotics and demanded action against those involved in such heinous crimes.

The protesters carrying party flags, banners and placards raised slogans and condemned breakdown of law and order in Sindh. After marching on main thoroughfares, the participants assembled outside Larkana Press Club.

Dr Dayali Gul, president of Pakistan Medical Association; Dr Sikandar Mughal, president of Rotary Club Mohenjo Daro; Haresh Lal, chairman Hindu Panchayat; advocate Salma Bhutto and a host of social workers also joined the rally.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2024