UMERKOT: A.B. Arisar, Dawn’s correspondent in Umerkot and the general secretary of the local press club, was attacked and injured by some hooligans while he was discharging his professional duty in Solangi Mohallah, near Sultan Chowk, on Friday.

Mr Arisar was collecting facts about the forced eviction of many Solangi families, a day earlier, from a disputed property. The affected families were protesting against the treatment meted out to them by police in the process, claiming that women, children and the elderly were physically harmed, dragged out of their homes and abused. The police, however, claimed that they were dispossessing the occupants in compliance of a court order.

Mr Arisar was subjected to threats and severe manhandling by more than three suspects, who first tried to stop him from interacting with the affected families. One of the suspects, Dilbar Bhayo, allegedly pointed a gun at him and threatened to pull the trigger if he did not leave the place. However, some onlookers intervened to save Mr Arisar.

With his clothes torn off and injuries on different parts of his body, Mr Arisar went to the area’s police station and lodged an FIR against Bhayo and his unruly companions, including Ali Murad Dal.

Bhayo is an employee of the Agriculture Department’s Water Management Wing, and on this ground his membership of the Umerkot Press Club was cancelled some time ago, said Mr Arisar, who is the General Secretary of the club. He added that Bhayo had harboured grudge against him over the membership cancellation issue.

Soon after the violent incident, a meeting of the club’s office-bearers and members condemned the act of hooliganism and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Later, Umerkot SSP Uzair Ahmed Memon told media personnel that Bhayo had been arrested and a hunt for other suspects was underway.

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2026