Larkana police arrest 13 GDA workers

KARACHI: As many as 13 workers of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) from district Badin went missing after they were allegedly picked up by Larkana police.

Of these 13 missing political workers, 11 have been booked in as many different cases of narcotics, attempt for dacoity, and being in possession of illegal arms in different districts of the province, including Naushahroferoze, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Khairpur, while two GDA workers Altaf Khowaja and his son law officer Abdul Wahid are still missing.

According to the GDA leaders, these workers were en route to meet and welcome their recently released colleagues Ghulam Muhammad Khowaja, also known as Dilbar Sindhi, and Faisal Imran Cheema, when they were picked up by the police.

For the unversed, on August 1, 2024, Ghulam Muhammad Khowaja (Dilbar Sindhi) and Faisal Imran Cheema were arrested in Tando Bago, Badin. They were later shown to be apprehended by Sujawal Junejo Police in Qambar-Shahdadkot on charges of attempting to smuggle drugs. Both the individuals were subsequently released on bail by the District and Sessions Court of Qambar-Shahdadkot on August 5, 2024.

Following their release, a group of GDA workers from Badin, including relatives and friends, traveled to Larkana to welcome Sindhi and Cheema but meanwhile, 13 workers reportedly went missing.

GDA leaders from Badin Sikandar Ali Khowaja, and Muhammad Saleem Chandio said all workers were allegedly picked up by the Larkana Police when they were going to meet and welcome their leaders Ghulam Muhmmad Khowaja alias Dilbar Sindhi and Faisal Arain who were released by the court, and then were shifted to Naushahroferoze and Tando Muhammad Khan, where out of them, 11 have been implicated in 11 different cases, while two of them are still missing.

As per details, four separate cases on charges of attempt for dacoity and being in possession of illegal weapons were registered at Police Station Kandiaro, district Naushahroferoze against three GDA workers Rizwan Memon, Irfan Laghari and Zubair Laghari, two of them were showroom owners and one was trader and Haroon Mallah, their taxi driver.

In addition, five different cases on charges of being in possession of heavy quantity of narcotics substance (Charas) and illegal arms have been registered against close relatives of Faisal Cheema who was earlier arrested from Qambar-Shahdadkot and released on bail, including his 72-year-old father Amant Cheema, former inspector of police, Shahzad Cheema, Jawad Cheema and others.

Two more cases were registered at Police Station Tando Masti Khan in district Khiarpur, including one case against Zohaib Hussain Khowaja on charges of being in possession of illegal arms and the second case against Zulfiqar Ali Khowaja for being in possession of narcotics.

The spouse of Ghulam Muhammad alias Dilbar Sindhi, along with her daughters, held a press conference against alleged fake cases, political victimisation, and arrest of 13 GDA workers.

Talking to media persons in Tando Bago, Badin district, Abida Khowaja said her husband Dilbar Sindhi was allegedly kidnapped by police and a fake FIR was lodged against him in Qambar-Shahdadkot.

She said that Dilbar Sindhi was being compelled to change his loyalties with Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and GDA and join the Pakistan People’s Party.

Former speaker of the National Assembly Dr. Fahmida Mirza told The News that the rulers in connivance with the Sindh Police forced the GDA workers to change their loyalties. She said that all the arrested persons are innocent and peaceful citizens, adding that they were illegally kidnapped from Larkana and then booked in false cases in different areas of the province. Dr. Mirza appealed to the chief justice of Sindh High Court to take notice of the situation.

This correspondent approached the Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) Tanvir Tunio, Abid Baloch, and Dr. Samiullah Soomro of Naushahroferoze, Tando Muhammad Khan, and Khairpur, waited for their response for two days but till the filing of this news story, all three avoided to respond.

The correspondent also approached the Sindh Inspector General of Police, Ghulam Nabi Memon, and his spokesman Saad Ali to comment on the issue. IGP Memon did not respond, however his spokesman said that there was no official version on the issue.