Priya Kumari protesters booked under ATA

HYDERABAD:

An FIR has been registered against activists of the Priya Kumari Action Committee, including its leader Sohni Paras, a day after they were arrested during a sit-in protest on the National Highway at Babarlo in Khairpur district.

The development came to light on Friday as lawyers across Sindh boycotted court proceedings, while political parties and civil society activists staged protests against the police action.

Those nominated in the FIR include Gul Hassan Khoso, Zubair Kunharo, Sardar Solangi, Shamsuddin Solangi, Abdul Jabbar Shaikh, Shahnaz Shaikh, Mithal Khuhro, Punhal Sario, Imtiaz Gopang, Rizwan Mallah, Khalilur Rehman Jhanglani and Niaz Mugheri. The police have also cited around 150 unidentified persons.

The FIR alleges that the protesters desecrated the national flag, raised anti-state slogans, blocked both carriageways of the National Highway at Babarlo for nearly nine hours, damaged vehicles by pelting stones and attacked police personnel with the intention of killing them.

Sohni Paras has been named the principal accused. However, senior activist Liaquat Jalbani has not been nominated in the case.