HYDERABAD, April 11: The Shafi Mohammad Brohi Release Committee has accused the Tharparkar DCO of being involved in the kidnapping of Mr Brohi, and warned that if he is not freed in 48 hours, the committee will hold protests throughout Sindh, and later in Balochistan, if circumstances demand. Speaking at a press conference at the press club here on Monday, Ali Ahmed Brohi, Amanullah Brohi and Wahab Pandrani alleged that Shafi Mohammad Brohi had been kidnapped from outside his house near the new filter plant, Hyderabad, on March 22, at the instance of the Tharparkar DCO in connivance with the administration.

They said that 23 days had passed since the incident, but Mr Brohi, a 65-year-old ailing man, had not been found, and added that police had initially refused to register a case. However, on their persistence, a non-cognizable report (cases in which police have no authority to arrest or investigate) was registered on March 28.

Giving the background of the incident, they said that a dispute had been going on between Mr Brohi and a former commissioner, late Hashim Memon, over a piece of land measuring 64.38 acres in Deh Shah Bukhari village, Tappa Hatri, for the last 17 years.

They said that the civil court as well as the Panchayat had passed judgment in favour of Mr Brohi. However, Mr Memon, who died five years ago, had filed an appeal and the case was pending with the Sindh High Court.

They alleged that Mr Memon, son, Tharparkar DCO Aftab Memon, had been trying to take over possession of the aforementioned land through administrative pressure.

They demanded that a case should be registered against him and Mr Brohi recovered in 48 hours. If that was not done, they said they would hold protest demonstrations and hunger strikes throughout Sindh, and later, stage sit-ins on national highways in Sindh and Balochistan.

When contacted on telephone, DCO Aftab Memon refuted the allegations, asserting that he knew nothing about the kidnapping. In fact, he was the aggrieved party as his land had been encroached upon. He added that he would welcome a judicial inquiry into the matter.

Earlier, members of the Brohi and other communities held a demonstration outside the press club to protest against the kidnapping and raised slogans against the DCO.