HYDERABAD, Jan 19: A large number of peasants staged a demonstration outside the press club here on Sunday against the kidnapping of nine family members of a Hari, Mannu Bheel, by a feudal lord of Sanghar, Abdur Rehman Mari, and the indifferent attitude of the police.

The protest demonstration was held under the aegis of the HRCP, special task force, Sindh.

The protesters were led by the members of national and provincial assemblies, leaders of various political, social welfare, and labour federations, and HRCP activists.

Addressing the rally, MNA and a leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA), Abul Khair Mohammad Zubair, said that the inordinate delay in the recovery of nine kidnapped Haris spoke volumes for the injustices against the poor people and the apathy of the government.

MQM leader and MNA Prof Khalid Wahab said that justice to the poor Haris and the oppressed people could not be provided without the abolition of the feudal system in the country.

He demanded an end to feudal system in the country.

PPP MNA Shagufta Jumani said that the failure of the police and other law enforcement agencies to recover the kidnapped family, despite the passage of five years, was an ample proof that the government institutions had ceased to function.

She pledged to raise her voice against the tormentors of Mannu Bheel on the floor of the National Assembly.

PPP MPA Zahid Bhurgari said that the rule of law had totally disappeared from the country and the rulers were least concerned with the plight of the poor people.

An MPA of the MMA, Abdul Rehman Rajput, claimed that the MMA was the representative of the oppressed people of Pakistan and would raise its voice for the rights of the common man on the floor of the assemblies.

A council member of the HRCP and PPP leader Jam Saqi said that the kidnapping of nine members of a Hari family was ample proof that the government was absolutely helpless and incompetent.

He urged the peasants to unite on one platform and launch a joint struggle against their exploiters.

The provincial president, National Labour Federation, and a member of the district council, Hyderabad, Rana Mehmood Ali Khan, said that the recovery of the nine kidnapped people could be made possible only if the Haris and all workers were to unite on one platform and fight against the injustices of the feudal lords.

Others who spoke on the occasion included the coordinator, HRCP, Sindh Task Force, Nasreen Shakeel Pathan; the HRCP Core Groups Coordinator, Akhtar Baloch; the vice chairperson, HRCP, Ali Hassan; the provincial president, PML-N labour wing, Afzal Gujjar; and the chairman, Sindh National Party, Dr Dodo Maheri.