KARACHI, Nov 14 Representatives of different nationalist and leftist parties on Saturday described the murder of Nisar Baloch, an activist of Trans-Lyari area, as a “planned assassination”, alleging that an ethnic party, which is also a coalition partner of the ruling Pakistan People's Party in Sindh, was behind the targeted killing.

They believed that the slain activist had been killed because he was actively campaigning against the land mafia, which they said was grabbing the precious land of the Gutter Baghicha in SITE town.

The Sindh Joint Action Committee (SJAC) organised a rally to protest against the killing of Nisar Baloch, who was gunned down by unidentified assailants a couple of days ago.

The SJAC consisting of nationalist and liberal parties including the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party (STP), National Workers Party (NWP), Awami Tehrik (AT), Pakistan Liberal Party, PPP (Shaheed Bhutto group) and Trans-Lyari Bachao Tehrik, and local NGOs.

The participants of the rally, who came in buses from different parts of the city, converged outside the Karachi Press Club. A large number of womenfolk were visible in the rally besides trade union, political and NGO activists.

Carrying banners and placards, they raised slogans against the government and its coalition partner.

The speakers told the rally that in his struggle to protect the land of the Gutter Baghicha from encroachers, the Baloch activist had faced jail terms on several occasions; numerous fake cases were registered against him at various police stations, but he never succumbed to the pressure of a particular ethnic group, which they said was eying the precious land for the rehabilitation of their own people.

They also condemned the policy of the Sindh government for supporting the ethnic party, but they declared that all Sindhis were united to protect every inch of their land from illegal occupation.

The speakers urged the chief justice of Pakistan to take suo motu notice on the murder of Nisar Baloch and issue orders for demolition of illegal structures on Gutter Baghicha land.

The speakers also pledged to uphold the mission of the assassinated activist, saying that the struggle for the protection of the land would continue.

The rally was addressed by Usman Baloch, STP leader Gulzar Soomro, NWP leader Yusuf Mustikhan, Trans-Lyari Tehrik leader Nadir Baloch, Nasir Karim Baloch and others.

Mr Usman Baloch appealed to the people to join a rally being organised by the AT on Nov 22 which will start from Guggar Phattak and terminate at the Karachi Press Club to express solidarity with the family of deceased Nisar Baloch and condemn his murder.

Mr Soomro also announced that a black day would be observed across Sindh on Nov 25 to protest against the murder of Nisar Baloch.