It was careless not to have granted them their due rites and dignities
KARACHI: Many Sufi followers of Saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar died a tragic death after a bomb hit the shrine February 16. Even afterwards, the body parts of the victims killed in the attack were found lying by a nullah (drain) in Sehwan. Local residents found remains of the bombing victims at a garbage dump and informed the authorities to shift the body parts to a safer place. The authorities eventually responded by saying the body parts were not dumped there but landed there upon impact of the bomb. When the authorities did not show up, the people buried the remains at a graveyard. Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah took “serious notice” of the matter and directed Commissioner Hyderabad Pervez Shahid to submit a report within 24 hours.
This is totally a shocking move made by the careless authorities of the department concerned, which has sparked grief and anger amongst the people. The parts should have been buried instead of dumping in the litter. They were unfortunate, innocent people who were busy performing religious rituals and died a painful death. Even after losing their lives, their remains were treated with brutality and were thrown in the garbage dump. The country has never experienced a barbaric act as this. They should have buried these body parts immediately for the sake of humanity. It is very sad and heartbreaking to witness such inhumane acts in our country. The inefficient administration should be ashamed of leaving the casualties’ body parts like this and the government should immediately take action against such careless workers and inflict a heavy punishment on them. Regardless of how the remains landed there, it was careless not to have granted them their due rites and dignities.
Sana Ali Bhutto
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2017.
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