Sindh issues ex-minister, son’s detention orders

KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department has ordered keeping former Federal Minister and MNA Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and his son Sardar Khan Rind under detention for three months under the Maintenance of Public Ordinance (MPO).
Home Department sources told The News on Friday that the orders were issued after Yar Muhammad Rind, along with his armed associates, has blocked the roads of area and suspended the work of oil exploring in district Dadu and after the complaints of the Polish Oil Company, which is engaged in oil and gas exploration in area.
The Polish Oil Company—the official oil and gas company of the Polish government—has lodged a complaint with the federal government, the Sindh government and its own government against the Rind, a feudal landlord and a former federal minister of the Musharraf era, and his son for sending extortion threats to the company’s staff.
The company sources said Rind had demanded Rs40 million per year.In September last year, the head of the Polish company, Zurich Cola, in his written complaint to federal and provincial governments, had asked for protection from Rind and his associates, as the former federal minister was demanding not only money but jobs for the untrained members of his tribe as well as others.
Cola further wrote in the complaint that Rind had warned that if the company did not pay him money, the company’s employees would be kidnapped and its work brought to a halt.The Polish company has over 100 employees working there, including 27 engineers, who are busy exploring gas and oil in the Tando Raheem Union Council of Johi Taluka in Dadu after signing agreements and contracts with the petroleum ministry.
However, despite the issuing of orders no arrest has been made.Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind told The News that he never demanded any ransom from the oil company; he only demanded the rights of people of his tribe.
Mr Rind claimed that Polish company has been drilling oil and gas of billions of rupees for last many years from the lands of his people, but company is not ready to pay the compensation and jobs to them which is their rights according to settle laws.
The Polish company did not provided any civic facility to area, including roads, schools and hospitals, added Mr Rind.“I will stand by my people for their legitimate rights,” concluded Mr Rind.