Minorities' voices: Arrest of culprits behind Umerkot tragedy demanded

Ali is part of the committee negotiating with the government on the issue.


Our Correspondent September 24, 2014

KARACHI:


The police should immediately arrest the culprits behind the murder of the two Hindu brothers in Umerkot, demanded activists at Karachi Press Club on Wednesday.


Addressing a press conference, activist and chief executive of Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (Piler) Karamat Ali said that it was unfortunate that the murderers have not been arrested as yet.

Ali is part of the committee negotiating with the government on the issue. This committee, along with the Hindu community, met the chief minister on Monday to discuss the plight of the Hindu minority.

"Our first demand is that the murderers should be traced," he said, referring to the promise that the new investigation team headed by Abdul Khaliq Sheikh will locate the culprits in five days.

Ali said that the former investigation report by DIG Sanaullah Abbasi did not mention anything about the killings. He said that the minorities were living in intimidating conditions in Thar, and were bearing the brunt of kidnapping, forced conversions and attacks on their temples.

Zulfiqar Shah of the Pakistan Dalit Solidarity Network said about the report that the police officer had himself admitted the inefficiency of the police. The speakers said that they had nominated Sheikh to investigate the case. They called for a fair and unbiased investigation into the matter.

Chela Ram of the Pakistan Hindu Council said that the closed-circuit television cameras should be installed in sensitive areas to help arrest criminals who provoke hatred against the community. The speakers demanded that the report of initial police investigation committee be made public.

They added that the police officers absent from their duties at the time of the murder should be suspended as Shah had pointed out that the SSP was not present.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2014.

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