HYDERABAD: A controversy has erupted over the police-led burial of Irfan Ali Laghari, a nationalist worker who died from gunshot wounds sustained during a May 20 clash between police and nationalist protesters in Moro, Naushero Feroze district.
Laghari passed away on May 23 in a Hyderabad hospital. His family, supported by nationalist party leaders, accused police of burying his body on May 24 at Syed Muhammad Shah graveyard in Moro without handing it over to them. The burial occurred under heavy police presence, sparking widespread anger among nationalists and legal circles, who called the police action unprecedentedly harsh.
Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon defended the police, stating multiple attempts were made to hand over the body to Laghari’s family. According to officials, the family refused to accept the body unless demands were met for action against police officers, withdrawal of FIRs, and release of arrested individuals.
The Sessions Judge of Naushero Feroze, Nadeem Badar Qazi, issued a show cause notice to SSP Bashir Ahmed Brohi, reprimanding the police for falsely claiming court authorization to bury the body without family consent. The judge emphasized that the court never allowed the police to bury Laghari’s body and ordered it must be handed over to legal heirs, either directly or via an NGO.
The judge noted no evidence was presented showing the family had refused to accept the body. Social media rumors claiming the court declared the body heirless were also dismissed.
Meanwhile, leaders of five factions of Jeay Sindh Tehreek criticized Minister Sharjeel Memon’s press conference as misleading and accused the government of orchestrating violence by targeting the home minister’s residence to justify a crackdown on peaceful protesters.
