Dileep Doshi Lohano
THARPARKAR: Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) have condemned the brutal killing of two Hindu traders in Umerkot city and termed the incident as an attempt to fuel further uncertainty among the highly depressed minority people in the Sindh province.
A delegation of CSOs comprising members of REAT Network Pakistan, Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network (PSDN), Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), Pakistan Peace Coalition (PPC), Sindh Rural Partners Organization (SRPO), Active Citizens in Pakistan (ACP), Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF), District Development Association Tharparkar (DDAT) visited the victim families on Saturday to offer condolences and express solidarity with family at this very difficult time.
Mr. Kirshan Sharma Chairman REAT Pakistan, Shujauddin Qureshi, PILER, Zahida Detho, PPC, SRPO, Naghma Iqtidar, Active Citizens in Pakistan, Network for Women Rights, Altaf Chandio advocate, Ishaq Mangirio, Jan Khaskheli senior journalists, Abdullah Khoso and others were of the views in their statement the incident is quite horrible. Peaceful minority community have been targeted putting the peaceful area of Umerkot at risk of lawlessness.
The delegation members further said that they do not want to be judgmental at this initial point and would look forward to an impartial investigation by a team of honest police officers on the motives of this murder incident.
They said that the killing of two brothers Ashok Kumar Malhi and Heralal Malhi in the city centre of Umerkot shows clear failure of police in the area and demanded an administrative action against officials responsible, who could not find a clue after passing of three days.
The delegation demanded an inquiry into the incidence by a judge of Sindh High Court and immediate arrest of those involved in this murder case.
They said that the civil society would stand by with victims and supports to the demands of victim community, including removal of police officials who have failed to provide protection to the public.
They have also demanded Rs ten million compensation for each family with concrete measures to protect people of Hindu community in Umerkot and elsewhere.