13 graves of Mallah community relocated over caste issue

One of the grandsons of the idolised Sindhi nationalist leader late GM Syed has been blamed for desecrating decades old graves of Mallah community by disinterring the bodies and shifting them for mass burial over caste issue.

The incident reportedly happened over two weeks ago in Sann, a rural town in Jamshoro district which was put on the map by Syed who hailed from this town.

The bodies of 13 men, women and children were dug out from Shah Haider Sanai graveyard, named after ancestors of Syed, allegedly on the orders of Syed Zafar Shah one of the grandsons of GM Syed. The bodies were later buried together in another place in the same graveyard. The reported reason for shifting the graves is said to be their proximity to GM Syed's grave. The employees of the town committee were allegedly tasked to undertake the work.

Jamshoro district Capt (retd) Fariduddin Mustafa told The Express Tribune that he has taken notice of the incident and that the police have been directed to investigate and "to lodge FIR against people who influenced, directed or are involved in shifting of the graves."

He apprised that his office is also conducting a probe. "The law doesn't even permit the relatives to shift or open a grave without the court's order," he underlined.

The Sindh United Party's leader Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who is also a grandson of Syed, has condemned the incident. In a statement he said he considered Syed and Mallahs as equal citizens. "Desecration of graves is extremism and ignorance," he stated. "This act has saddened the soul of Syed."

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Shah believed that the act was an attempt to sully name of Syed who championed the rights of all people of Sindh regardless of their caste and colour. He feared that some elements are also trying to sabotage his political stature as well. Syed Zafar Shah, who is said to be associated with Pakistan Peoples Party, is being blamed for the act.

Haji Khan Mallah, a resident of the town, told the local media that some persons from his community were called by Zafar who asked them to shift the graves. On the community's refusal he allegedly threatened them that he would himself relocate the buried persons.

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz party's leader Dr Niaz Kalani and Rawadari Tehreek's leader Punhal Sario at a press conference in Sehwan, Jamshoro, condemned the act. They, however, asserted that the decision of relocation of graves was taken by an individual and not the whole Syed family.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2021.