Turbat killings: Seven families of Sindh lose breadwinners

Five of the deceased belonged to village of Chonhar in Islamkot tehsil while the rest were from Badin district

HYDERABAD/ MITHI:

When Soonharo Makwano sent his son to work at Turbat’s Sohrab dam project, his family was sure that this young father of four children would come to no harm.

Hit by severe drought, Makwano knew his village in Tharparkar district offered few employment prospects. “They offered him Rs12,000 salary, besides free meals at work.

Though we knew of the perils of working in Balochistan, we were forced to choose between having a job and having none. We also assured ourselves that Baloch rebels have no problem with Sindhis and, therefore, they will not harm them,” sobbed the elderly father whose son Majeed Makwano was among the 20 labourers killed in Turbat on Saturday.

Five of the deceased labourers belonged to the village of Chonhar in Islamkot tehsil. They included two brothers, 30-year-old Sobhdar Makwano and 24-year-old Majnu Makwano, and their three cousins Nalemitho Makwano, 25, Karo Makwano, 20, besides Majeed.

Two other labourers among the 20 hailed from Badin district. Their families identified them as 40-year-old Mohammed Ayub Mangwano and 28-year-old Mohammed Aslam Mangwano. They were also brothers who lived in Suleman Mangwano village.

According to Soonharo, his son was the only brother of his six younger sisters and a father of three sons and a daughter. The whole family depended on this unskilled labourer, who used to take menial jobs in the construction of buildings and roads.

Sobhdar is survived by his widow, four sons and a daughter, Majnu by his widow and a daughter and Nalemitho by his widow and a son. Karo was unmarried. Badin’s Ayub has left his widow, a son and a daughter to mourn his death.

The bodies were airlifted to Hyderabad airport on Saturday evening before being shifted to their hometowns by ambulance. Nabi Bux Makwano, a cousin of the deceased labourers, said that Sobhdar was offered Rs25,000 salary per month as he had experience of boring wells while all the four others were paid Rs12,000 per month.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2015.