RECENTLY, protesters held a sit-in and refused to bury the bodies of their dear ones who had been killed in a cattle trespassing dispute in Jani Junejo village in Sanghar district. The protesters, including wounded women, refused to bury their dead because police did not lodge an FIR against the legislator elected from the constituency, belonging to the ruling party in Sindh.

It is unfortunate that the leadership of the party concerned preferred to look the other way, allowing the feudal lord to treat the area as his fiefdom. I am unaware about the version of the accused, and an impartial investigation can establish the ground reality, but I do fail to understand the harm in having an FIR registered. If the accused had no hand in the incident, what harm would the FIR cause to him?

The legal and investigation system is tilted heavily towards the powerful and wealthy where they get away with the most heinous of crimes using their connections, positions as well as influence.

Gulsher Panhwer
Johi

Published in Dawn, February 11th, 2025