MIRPURKHAS: The six-day sit-in on Thar Coal Road at Shadi Large town by a large number of people to force the government to make ‘relief cuts’ in the dykes of Dhoro Puran and LBOD, came to an embarrassing end on Thursday when the protesters were attacked by an enraged mob who blamed them for the death of an ailing girl who could not reach hospital in time because of the blocked road.

Hundreds of people armed with sticks attacked the protesters and forced drivers of tractor-trolleys parked across the road to leave the area.

The authorities took notice of the incident and ordered registration a case against the culprits who had stopped the ambulance.

FIR lodged against protesters

Khoski police registered an FIR against leaders of the protesters on a complaint lodged by Mohammad Nawaz Kumbhar of Kaloi town, said our Mithi correspondent.

The case was filed against Mir Mazhar Talpur, close relative of PPP MNA Mir Munwar Ali Khan Talpur, social activist of Kaloi town Moulana Mohammad Ramazan Loond, two journalists of Pangrio town Ali Gul Khoso and 30 nominated and 40 unknown protesters under sections of 322, 341 and 149 of Pakistan Penal Code.

Kumbhar complained that the protesters had obstructed the ambulance when they were carrying their ailing relative, Sumera, to Badin.

He said that when they neared Shadi Large town on Badin-Mithi road they were forced to stop for 45 minutes despite the fact that he had requested that his niece needed urgent medical help.

He deplored that when they finally arrived at Indus Hospital in Badin, doctors said she could have survived if they had reached a little earlier.

He said that they were intercepted again when they were taking the girl’s dead body back to Kaloi. He held protesters and their leaders responsible for the death of his young niece.

Khoski police reportedly arrested two nominated suspects including Maulana Loond.

FIR against protesters condemned

Leaders of various political parties condemned registration of the FIR against ‘peaceful’ protesters who, according to them, only wanted to pressure the government to make relief cuts and restore ancient flows of dead rivers including Dhoro Puran and Hakro so that floodwaters could be drained out from Jhuddo, Hayat Khaskheli towns and several hundred villages.

A shutdown strike was observed in Pangrio on Thursday while demonstrations were staged in Jhuddo, Nakout and other areas of Tharparkar, Mirpurkhas and Badin districts against the registration of FIR.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2022