THATTA/LARKANA: A local court on Saturday expressed its displeasure over the handling of a land dispute by the Makli police, and summoned the SHO concerned to appear before it on Tuesday (July 7) with a report on the entire episode.

The dispute involves a space in Jangshahi used for the holding of programmes on every death anniversary of veteran Sindhi nationalist leader Rasool Bux Palijo.

The order was passed by the In-charge Judicial Magistrate, Saba Turk, while hearing a case registered under Section 145 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC. The matter was originally fixed for hearing before Judicial Magistrate Waqas Afzal, but since he has been on leave, it was taken up by the In-charge JM, Saba Turk.

The court also directed the police to ensure implementation of the relevant law and maintain peace in the area. The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.

Counsel for the applicant, Awami Tehreek (AT), informed the court that the disputed land was being further encroached upon which led to violence and injuries to several people. He stated that the police had neither registered an FIR nor did they dispossess the alleged encroachers.

AT leader, Vasand Thari, spoke to reporters outside the court. He accused the Makli and Thatta district police of patronising the alleged encroachers.

He announced that a peaceful protest march would be held from Makli to Thatta on July 7.

He recalled that the boundary wall of the space — used to hold programmes commemorating Rasool Bux Palijo’s death anniversary every year — was demolished and the site was occupied on June 17. The police did not take any action against the alleged encroachers despite repeated complaints lodged with them, he said.

He further deplored that banners bearing their beloved leader’s portraits were removed from his mausoleum on June 30 to further provoke the unrest among his followers.

Mr Thari said his party would continue to pursue the matter through legal and peaceful political means.

A large number of AT leaders and Thatta Bar leaders and members attended the hearing.

Meanwhile, the Larkana and other Bar associations of Sindh on Saturday strongly condemned the June 17 and 30 incidents and demanded retrieval of encroached land.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2026