Sukkur, Khairpur and other towns of Upper Sindh remained partially closed on Tuesday in response to a strike call by the nationalist parties against the arrest of some Sindhi nationalists in Karachi three days ago [April 4].

Below is an article published by The News International:

Trade and business activities remained suspended and nationalist parties took out protest rallies and demonstrations against the alleged atrocities of the paramilitary forces on a ‘peaceful’ rally of nationalists in Karachi.

Meanwhile, hundreds of people of Phulpoto community, led by its tribal chief ex-MPA Sardar Imtiaz Hussain Phulpoto took out a protest rally against the lawlessness in Khairpur. The rally started from the Sardar House and terminated at the Press Club, Khairpur.

Imtiaz said that the law and order situation in Khairpur had become bad and police have become a hostage at the hands of law-breakers. He alleged that police and ruling party parliamentarians were protecting criminals and patronising crimes in Khairpur. He alleged that kidnapping, looting, robberies, mobile snatching, cattle theft and other criminal activities had created insecurity among the people, even among the business community of Khairpur. He said gambling, narcotics and drug-trafficking in Khairpur were rampant while police were protecting the peddlers.

Our Larkana correspondent adds: A violent protest demonstration and a complete shutterdown and wheel jam strike was observed here on Tuesday on the call of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), demanding the withdrawal of false cases against party workers. Activists of the JSMM toured the main roads and streets of the city time to time.

Ratodero, Naudero, Banguldero, Mahota, Dokri, Bakrani, Khair Mohammed Arija, Badeh, Gerello, Nasirabad, Wareh, Mirokhan, Qamber-Shahdadkot, Qubo Saeed Khan, Sijawal, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Naushero Feroz, Kashmor-Kandhkot, Jacobabad, Dadu and other cities and towns also observed a complete shutterdown strike.

Five blasts were also carried out at the Jinnah Bagh Chowk, Fish Market and Bunder Road while two others were carried out in Shahdadkot. However, no injury or death was reported. On the occasion, the leaders, Shahzado Lashari, Ayaz Chandio, Asif Channo and others, demanded to end cases against Sirai Qurban Khuhawar, Zulfiqar Kolachi, Imamuddin Unnar and 17 other workers of the party. The cases proved that state institutions were blocking the way of the struggle of JSMM, they claimed.

The leaders said that the party was determined expel foreigners from Sindh and added that national workers and patriots will continue their struggle until their last drop of blood. Meanwhile, JSQM Chairman Bashir Khan Qureshi said that the state was once again trying to shift the Sindhi nation from Karachi, so they were targeting the Sindhi nationalists.