NAWABSHAH / HYDERABAD: The body of Moro violence victim Irfan Leghari was exhumed and handed over to the heirs on Tuesday for burial on the directives of the district and sessions judge of Naushahro Feroze.

It was earlier buried by police as unclaimed in the Mallo Mohammad Shah graveyard near Moro without the consent of the family.

The body was exhumed under the supervision of First Civil Judge and Judicial Magistrate Madad Ali Khoso in the presence of the deputy commissioner and SSP of Naushahro Feroze, assistant commissioner and DSP of Moro, applicant Qurban Leghari, family members and lawyers.

After the exhumation, the body was taken to the village of Leghari Bijarani and the family members in consultation with lawyers decided to proceed with the burial on Wednesday at 10am.

The lawyer community, however, has rejected the committee formed by the authorities for probe into the violence and demanded a judicial inquiry to investigate the matter and ensure justice.

Committee formed by IGP rejected

Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz chairman Riaz Ali Chandio has rejected the inquiry committee formed by the Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) regarding the May 20’s Moro incident in which two protesting activists were killed.

He described that formation of the committee as a conspiracy to spoil the case.

The IGP on Monday formed the committee to ascertain facts leading to the May 20 violent incidents in Moro.

Headed by DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch, the committee comprises of Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell SSP Amjad Ahmed Shaikh, Shaheed Benazirabad SSP Shabbir Sethar, Hyderabad CIA DSP Iftikhar Buriro and SI Naik Mohammad.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, Riaz Chandio said that he had stated on the day one that the government had staged a drama of torching the home minister’s house. A judicial commission, comprising two senior judges of the Sindh High Court and sessions judge of Naushahro Feroz, should be formed to hold inquiry to fix responsibility, he demanded.

Saying that the government did not accept the demand, he alleged that the government, chief minister and home minister were playing that dangerous game to take to the logical end the work on canals over Indus and usurpation of lands in the name of corporate farming.

He said the conspiracy was aimed at sabotaging peaceful struggle of the nationalist parties. People were now witnessing how the government was running away from a fair investigation of the incident, he said.

He demanded removal of the Sindh home minister from the office till completion of the judicial inquiry.

He alleged that terrorists were accommodated in Lanjar House who opened fire on the peaceful protesters in Moro. He alleged that the police committee was formed to protect those who had killed the protesters.

Probe committee starts proceedings

The probe committee formed by IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon on Tuesday started its proceedings by summoning 13 police officers and personnel who were on duty in Moro and within its proximity on May 20, the day the violent incidents took place.

They included SSP of Naushahro Feroze Sanghaar Malik, DSPs Moshin and Qalandar Bux Soomro, Ghulam Hussain Dahri (group officer at Special Branch in Naushahro Feroze), Sub-divisional Inspector Kamal Dero, Pervaiz Memon and SHOs of Moro, Dars, Sadhuja and New Jatoi police stations.

The officers and then in-charge of the District Intelligence Bureau (DIB), security in-charge and all police officials deployed at Lanjar House, as well as sheet clerk, office superintendent, line officer and writer head constables of the Moro, Dars, Sadhuja and New Jatoi police stations, have been asked to personally appear before the committee on May 29.

The official concerned has been asked to bring record of allocation of anti-riot gears and teargas guns / shells on the day.

Through an intimation notice issued by SSP AVLC Amjad Shaikh on Tuesday, the officers and personnel have been asked to record their statements. They are supposed to appear before the SSP in his office, located on the first floor of Artillery Maidan police station, Karachi.

The inquiry committee is headed by DIG-Karachi West Irfan Ali Baloch.

Published in Dawn, May 28th, 2025