Mukhtiarkars whisked away from offices

Both officials return home a day after being ‘kidnapped’ by henchmen of a local politician

HYDERABAD: Two mukhtiarkars of the Ghotki district who were whisked away from their offices on Friday, allegedly by henchmen of an influential politician, returned to their homes on Saturday.

However, it is unclear whether Ghulam Haider Kalhoro and Ghulam Yaseen Shaikh will lodge an FIR of kidnapping against the politician whose men took them away from their offices.

Armed men entered the office of Kalhoro in Mirpur Mathelo taluka and took the official away in front of the staff. Similarly, they later whisked away Shaikh from his office in Khangarh.

Three more whisked away from Jamshoro, Hyderabad

Both of them were taken away in a double cabin vehicle reportedly bearing a government number plate.  Bashir Naich, Irfan Pitafi and other office staff who protested outside the deputy commissioner's office alleged that both the officials were being pressurised by a politician, over some land issue. "Kalhoro didn't attend office for many days in fear," said Naich.

The protesters had warned of boycotting the offices as well as by-election duties if the two mukhtiarkars were not recovered. DC Khalid Saleem confirmed the kidnapping while speaking to the media on Friday. "First they took away the mukhtiarkar of Mirpur Mathelo and later of Khangarh." He said the district administration and the police are trying to recover the officials. "Whoever is behind this, we will expose them," the DC said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 30^th, 2019.