Bilawal calls for impartial probe into Khairpur violence

Karachi
Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has called for an impartial inquiry into the Daraz Sharif incident in Khairpur on October 31 while urging that the culprits involved be ferreted out and given strict punishments.
Bilawal was talking to Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah who had called on him on Tuesday with vice president Sherry Rehman. The chief minister briefed the PPP chairman about the Daraz Sharif incident and the results of the first phase local bodies election in eight districts of the province.
At least 11 people had died when two armed groups clashed in Daraza Sharif, district Khairpur, when polling for local government election were being held on October 31.
The chief minister informed Bilawal that an independent group and an opposition party had fielded candidates in Daraza Sharif Union Council against each other since there was no contestant from the PPP.
He said investigations into the matter had been initiated by senior and impartial police officers and the provincial government had also ordered a judicial inquiry.
Bilawal commented that such violent incident were harmful for the growth of democracy and the administration should take proper measures to avert similar incidents in future phases of local bodies election in the province.
The chief minister also briefed Bilawal and apprised him of results of the first phase of local bodies polls in Larkana, Sukkur, Kambar-Shahdadot, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Kashmore-Kandhkot and Ghotki districts.

PML-F submits resolution
Meanwhile, opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Functional submitted a resolution in the secretariat of Sindh Assembly against the October 31 incident of Daraza Sharif.
Party’s parliamentary leader Nand Kumar Goklani submitted the resolution. It states, “Due to negligence of Sindh government and failure of local administration 12 innocent people have been martyred in Daraza Sharif, Khairpur, during the local bodies election. The assembly condemns the brutal action and resolves that culprits be arrested.”
Nand Kumar said his party had submitted a request application to the ECP for military deployment before the local government elections commenced in Sindh.
Unfortunately, he added, the application was turned down and the tragic Khairpur incident occurred.
He claimed that 12 Hur supporters of the PML-F had been gunned down as part of a conspiracy, for which he held the PPP and its provincial government responsible.
Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, another PML-F legislator, also questioned the veracity of the PPP’s claims regarding the identity of the Khairpur victims.
“The PPP claims that the people killed in Khairpur were its voters and supporters. If so, then where were the PPP leaders during the victims’ funerals?”