Luari Sharif shrine dispute echoes in Badin

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HYDERABAD:

A group of men, allegedly associated with one of the contested custodians of the Luari Sharif shrine in Badin district, reportedly assaulted journalists by attacking Badin Press Club on Monday.

The club's president stated that armed men forcefully entered the club at a time when some people belonging to an opposing group of the custodians were addressing a press conference. The armed men wanted to stop the press conference.

He said that the armed men climbed the club's walls to enter the place. He, however, felt relieved that the attackers could not get close to Mir Tariq Talpur and others who were speaking at the press conference.

Talpur's group is said to be at loggerheads with Pir Muhammad Sadiq Qureshi's group. Memon lamented that though the police promptly reached the club on their complaint, they stood as spectators instead of trying to control the situation.

Separately, a meeting of journalists at the club denounced the attack and demanded immediate action against the attackers by arresting them and charging them in an FIR under provisions of the Anti Terrorism Act.

Though the incident's FIR could not be registered by the evening, police detained at least seven people who have been blamed for the assault.