HYDERABAD, March 28: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad bench, on Tuesday directed 84 peasants to appear before the tenancy tribunal for resolving a controversy after counter-claims were made by the counsel of petitioners and respondents regarding their status as peasants.

The petitioners had been recovered by police on directives of the court and produced in the court which had set them free on personal bonds. The bonds stood discharged as the court disposed of the petition.

Hoti, son of Satram, had filed a petition against Mohammad Ali Nagori, his kamdar, Moosa Kheenho, and the SHO of the Umerkot police station.

He said the peasants were residents of a desert area. He said that during days of famine and drought, they used to leave the area for earning their livelihood and whenever the drought was over they returned to their native village.

He said that one year ago, he and his 17 relatives and their family members left the village in search of labour and when they reached the land of respondent landlord Mohammad Ali Nagori, they were offered work on daily wages. They said the respondent undertook to provide them loans and other basic facilities but he did not fulfil his promise and even did not pay them wages.

The petitioner said that they raised objections and due to non-payment of their dues, they were passing a miserable life.