Police arrest GDA leader, associate over ‘drug smuggling’

KARACHI: Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) leader Ghulam Mohammad Khowaja aka Dilbar Sindhi and his friend Faisal Imran Cheema, who were whisked away from Tando Bago, a small town of Badin district on Tuesday, were shown to be arrested by the Sujawal Junejo Police in Qambar-Shahdadkot district on Wednesday allegedly for trying to smuggle drugs.

Dilbar Sindhi and Cheema were allegedly handed over to the police teams from Qambar-Shahdadkot police, where officials confirmed that both were arrested by them with 11 packets of ice and other contraband in their possession.

The police team of Sujawal Junejo Police Station claimed that they had recovered 1,100 grams of ice from their possession within the limits of their police station. Zulfikar Ali Korai, the assistant sub-inspector, and complainant of the FIR claimed that both the accused were arrested during the routine checking on the Larkana-Sujawal Junejo Road when they intercepted a car. The police officials posted at Sujawal Police Station did not share more details about the whereabouts of both accused.

Meanwhile, a complete half-day shutdown was observed in Tando Bago town on the call of Irshad Ali Khowaja, a relative of Dilbar Sindhi and other traders. All shops and business centres remained closed for over three hours and a large number of the supporters of Dilbar Sindhi and Faisal Cheema staged demonstrations outside Tando Bago Press Club and Tando Bago Police Station to register their protest against the arrest of both accused.

Sikandar Ali Khowaja, Mohammad Saleem Chandio and other leaders, talking to the media persons, strongly condemned the arrest and demanded a judicial probe into the alleged kidnapping of Dilbar Sindhi and his friend. They feared for the lives of both accused and demanded their early release.

Dr Fehmida Mirza, former speaker of the National Assembly and leader of GDA, in her statement, termed the arrest of Dilbar Sindhi and Cheema as worst example of political victimization of rivals by the PPP rulers. She also demanded the immediate release of both accused. Dr Mirza added that those, who were involved in the drugs’ smuggling, were not being arrested but those raising their voice against the rulers were being targeted by rulers with the help of police officers.

This correspondent approached Kaleem Malik, Senior Superintendent of Police of Qambar-Shahdadkot district, to inquire about the arrest of Dilbar Sindhi and his associate Cheema, called his official and personal numbers and then sent him a message about the issue but till the filing of this news story, he avoided to respond.