HYDERABAD, March 24: A large number of residents of the American Quarters smashed windowpanes of an engine of Faisalabad-bound Super Express near Shahbaz hospital on Wednesday to protest against non-availability of water in their area.
The residents blocked the up-country railway track, delaying scheduled arrival and departure of trains. Enraged residents staged a sit-in on railway track in the jurisdiction of union council-14.
A councillor of the UC-14, Rukhsana Khalil told Dawn that the residents had been demanding restoration of water supply after the area was badly hit by water scarcity. The problem had been brought to the notice of WASA.
She said that sensing the public mood, she had informed the officials concerned that the situation was taking a serious turn and she should not be blamed if any unpleasant incident took place.
The windowpanes of the engine and a compartment of the train were smashed by the people. The engine of the train was replaced afterwards. The schedule of passengers and goods trains got disturbed as a result. WASA officials including Kafeel Khanzada and XEN Bashir Awan also rushed to the spot.
Awan told this correspondent that water was supplied to Hala Naka water works of WASA after water was released in Akram Wah at 1pm on Tuesday. He said water would take some time to reach the area and that by 6pm water supply to American quarters would be ensured. Later the protesters dispersed.
BAIL GRANTED: Anti-Terrorism Court Hyderabad judge Syed Ali Ashraf Shah here on Wednesday granted bail to Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz leaders Dr Suleman Palejo and Ganja Ram in two separate cases of sedition in a sum of Rs1 lakh each.
The defence counsel prayed the court to grant bail to the accused in the light of rule of consistence because the main accused Bashir Khan Qureshi, chairman Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz and Dr Niaz Kalani had already been granted bail.
Dr Suleman Palejo and Ganja Ram were granted bail in a case, lodged at police station Daro in 2000. Abdul Wahid Areesar is absconding. They were booked after they allegedly delivered anti-state speeches at a meeting of death anniversary of Zakrya Memon, gunned down near Thori Phatak along with four others the then Jeay Sindh Tahreek activists.
Dr Suleman Palejo was also granted bail in a similar case, lodged at police station Jhoke Sharif on November 24, 2000 after JSQM leaders led a protest rally outside Shah Murad Sugar Mills to protest sacking of workers from the mills.
RAID: Superintendent of sessions court, Tariq Hashwani recovered an illegal detainee at Hussainabad police station during a raid. He was appointed as commissioner by sessions judge Hyderabad, who is also the Director Human Rights Board on an application, filed by Shirimati Basri, seeking recovery of her husband Arjun Kolhi.