HYDERABAD, Dec 13: The eight women and four children who were picked up by police on Nov 24 and finally released on Dec 11 have demanded that the authorities direct police to return the cattle and valuable belongings which they had taken away with them.

Police had arrested the family, who was reportedly related to one of the persons accused of being involved in the kidnapping of Tando Allahyar’s EDO of health, Dr Abdul Jalil Bachani, to pressurise kidnappers.

Hadi Bux Khokhar said at a news conference at the press club in the presence of released women and children that the police had picked up the women, children and an old man, Mir Mohammad Khokhar, after a raid on Khair Mohammad Khokhar village and held them incommunicado for 17 days.

He said that they were kept at different places and treated like animals. Police had to finally release them on Dec 11 under pressure from media and human rights organisations, he said.

He alleged that on Nov 24, police had also taken away 30 buffaloes, 25 cows, 43 goats and 50 tolas of gold as well as a licensed double barrelled gun.

Mr Khokhar appealed to authorities to direct the police to return the cattle and other belongings and take action against the officers who had kept the women and children in wrongful confinement for 17 days.

The Asian Human Rights Commission had appealed to the chief justice of Sindh High Court in a written communication to take suo moto action on the villagers’ confinement.

RELIEF WORK: The district government had installed 14 heavy pumps to drain out water from several villages, including Jadal Shah, Misri Shah and Sajan Detho, which were inundated by a breach in a lagoon of Jamshoro filter plant.

A spokesman for the district government said on Saturday that the pumping machines had the capacity of draining out 10,000 gallons per minute. Blankets, quilts and edibles had been provided to the affected villagers, he said.

The district health department had set up medical camps and provided fodder for the cattle, he said, adding that a veterinary camp had also been set up there.

PPP MPA: PPP MPA Syed Mohsin Shah Bukhari has said that the government was making efforts to provide jobs to the unemployed youth.

He said at a ceremony for electrification of Goth Wali Mohammad near Tando Mohammad Khan on Saturday that it was a great honour for the country that Benazir Bhutto had been given award by the United Nations for her services for democracy.

He said that she had followed in the footsteps of her illustrious father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto too had sacrificed his life for people. Those who were disrupting law and order in Karachi would be dealt with iron hand and life and property of people would be protected at all cost, he said.

MPA Farheen Mughal said that conspiracies were being hatched against the government but they would be foiled with people’s power. The government was determined to eliminate unemployment, poverty and price hike, she said.

DATE EXTENDED: The director of admissions of the Sindh University on Saturday extended last date to Dec 19 for submitting forms for admission to the bachelor’s and master’s degree evening programme.

He advised the candidates to collect their admit cards from the Sindh University Model School Hyderabad on Dec 20 and said that the pre-entry test for the evening programme would be held on Dec 21 at 9 am at Allama I.I. Kazi Campus, Jamshoro.

The director of graduate studies of the university also announced that pre-entry test for admission to MS and M.Phil would be held on Dec 21 at 10am at Allama I.I.Kazi Campus.