THATTA: The office of the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) managing director at Keenjhar Lake was ransacked by a large number of enraged people over termination of many contractual workers on Sunday.

Several hundred people, mostly locals, had gathered outside the office of the Managing Director, Fayyaz Shah, upon coming to know that the corporation had decided to lay off an unspecified number of contractual workers, discontinue hiring daily-wage earners and stopping other workers from serving local and foreign tourists in and around the huts at Keenjhar, one of the most popular recreational spot in Sindh frequented by several thousand people every week.

The crowd started raising slogans against the STDC, its management and the provincial government over the decision which, the affected workers deplored, deprived them of their livelihood.

Initially, only a few workers had gathered outside the MD’s closed office but the number kept rising in a matter of hours as the news about the PTDC decision spread fast across the cities and villages of Thatta and Sujawal districts. Groups of youths along with their family members and friends started joining the protesters, who were waiting for the arrival of MD Fayyaz Shah to hold talks with him for a reversal of the decision.

60 suspects booked for attempted murder, assault on officials, rioting and damaging state property

As soon as Mr Shah came and entered into his office, many of the emotionally charged workers started slogans against him and the PTDC. Amid heightening tension, Mr Shah allowed some of the sacked workers to represent all others in the talks with him. Accordingly, a small group of workers shared the their and other affected fellow workers’ grievance with him. However, the atmosphere in his room turned highly tense as the MD expressed his inability to get the decision reversed. Heated argument followed and the people crowding the spaces outside the office realised that he might not have offered any favour to the negotiators.

All of a sudden noise of violence started coming out of the office and the people waiting outside also went on the rampage. The MDs office was ransacked by the enraged crowd and police were called out to restore order and disperse the crowd.

An FIR (57/2026) was later lodged by an STDC official, Gulzar Ahmed, against 50-60 protesters under Sections 324 (attempt to murder), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and other Pakistan Penal Code sections liable against rioting, unlawful assembly, damaging property and criminal intimidation.

SHO Murad Ali Bakhrani said extensive damage was caused to the state property and STDC officials were physically assaulted by the suspects.

Speaking to local reporters, the protesters said that several of those being sacked had been serving as contractual employees for over 15 years and expecting regularisation of their service.

“Instead of regularising out jobs, we and scores of our fellow workers were even being disallowed to provide their services to Keenjhar Lake visitors and tourists on their own.

They alleged that MD Shah not only declined to extend any favour to them, but also tried to lock the negotiators and other protesters in the rooms of the STDC facility.

They said the authorities concerned should intervene to save the livelihood of several hundred workers.

STDC MD Fayyaz Shah kept his phone off during and after the violent incident. Several attempts to reach him remained unsuccessful till late in the evening.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2026