LG ordinance: Another activist shot dead as nationalists continue to protest

HYDERABAD: Abdul Malik Noohani, the district leader of Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party in Mirpurkhas, was killed as he protested against the Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance of 2012, outside Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Mir Hayat Talpur’s house on Wednesday.

Party workers claim that the police opened fire at the protesters in Digri town. Noohani is the second nationalist to be killed in protests related to the local government ordinance. Ali Raza Khaskheli of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz was killed at a rally in Shaheed Benazirabad on October 1.

As word about his death spread, protests in Badin, Thar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari, Sanghar and Umerkot became more intense. A complete shutter-down strike was observed in most areas. The business centres and bazaars which had opened after a two-day break were forced to shut down again. Two police officers were injured in similar protests held on Tuesday in Shaheed Benazirabad.

More than a hundred nationalists across Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas have been booked in vandalism and anti-terrorism cases. In Shaheed Benazirabad, nearly 70 were nominated with their names and 500 were unidentified in four FIRs registered at different police stations.

Many nationalist leaders, including STPP’s chairperson Dr Qadir Magsi, said that Noohani would be remembered as a martyr. He appealed to the Supreme Court to take notice of what the police was doing. The party has announced a seven-day mourning and strike in Mirpurkhas starting Thursday (today). “The Sindhis will continue to protest and show their disapproval of the ordinance,” said Magsi. “They want to divide Sindh. We will not let this happen.”

Awami Tehreek’s Ayaz Palijo said that the FIR in Noohani’s case should be registered aginst MPA Talpur.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 4^th, 2012.