By: Waheed Phulpoto
Shikarpur is a district of Sindh that was famous for education since British era as out of the total 77 graduates across Sindh 70 were only from this district during 1930s. Shikarpur was famous for its best drainage system in the province. There was peace and tolerance. But now, Shikarpur has lost its glory and its recognition too as “Paris of Sindh”, owing to deadly tribal feuds.
Hundreds of innocent people, including passers-by and women, have been killed while scores including of women, children and pedestrians suffered serious bullet injuries rendering many of them disabled for life during the exchange of fire between feuding clans.
Many communities are living under the shadow of weapons while bloodshed has been continuing for long, disturbing the education process as many schools have been closed in disputed areas of Ghari Yasin, Khanpur and Lakhi Ghulam Shah due to fear and insecurity among teachers, students and their parents. Hence, children are not getting proper education in conflicted areas. In addition, Shikarpur has been centre of wheat and rice production throughout Sindh but owing to bad blood between the tribes, no one agrees to cultivate wheat and rice crop in disputed areas, given that socio-economic condition has also been destroyed for a long time. Therefore, cultivation of crops has also decreased and unemployment has soared in Shikarpur.
Similarly, people of the disputed areas are unable to get proper health facilities, especially the pregnant women, and in cases of emergency, children and old people of the conflict areas cannot easily move to Rural Health Units [RHUs] for obtaining proper healthcare due to fear and insecurity prevalent in their areas. They are forced to go through the pain at their homes because health facilities are not reachable. Thus, in many conflict-hit areas people have been displaced, as they had to leave their native homes and migrate to safer places.
As per details, In Garhi Yasin Taluka, the ongoing deadly dispute between Kharoos and Odha, in which 15 have been killed and 15 suffered bullet injuries, Sadhayo dispute with Dahani, in which at least 34 including 3 passers-by have lost their precious lives and 15 suffered bullet injuries in deadly disputes between two communities, Marfani, resident of Shikarpur, dispute with Khosa of Jacobabad district, in which total 4 people have been shot dead and 5 suffered injuries, Lolai dispute with Dahani, in which 3 person have lost their lives and 2 received injuries of both the rival parties, Umrani dispute with Kanbhar, in which 6 including three other community persons have been killed while no one injured was reported to both the rival parties; Panhwar of Panhwar Palija village and Brohi dispute killed 6 while no one injured was reported; Jatoi tribesmen are fighting with each other, in which 6 persons have been killed in deadly disputes; Juneja are fighting with each other, in which 14 persons have been killed, Manghneja and Kalhora deadly dispute claimed 10 lives of innocent persons; Shar tribesmen are fighting with each other and 12 persons have been killed from both sides; while a deadly dispute among Brohi, Marfani, Tunia, Kakepota, Qambrani and Sundrani clan with one another, in which 9 Brohi, 8 Kakepota, 7 Marfani, 11 Tunia, 8 Sundrani and 1 Qambrani have lost their lives while dozens were left injured in deadly feuds. Jagirani and Brohi have taken three lives and left several injured; Magsi, Qambrani and Jamali dispute have claimed 22 lives and left 20 injured in Ghari Yasin taluka of Shikarpur.
In Khanpur, Taluka of district Shikarpur, Kehar dispute with Shar, in which 26 persons including one passer-by have been gunned down while scores sustained injuries in deadly dispute, Jagirani dispute with Burira, in which 3 persons have been killed and 4 others sustained bullet injuries; Bijarani dispute with Teghani left 22 dead and 19 others sustained grave wounds.
At least 14 persons of Jatoi community were shot dead in a single day on 3rd July of 2017 and next day death toll rose to 16 when two other injured succumbed to injuries in the hospital during treatment. The deadly dispute took place at Katcha area of Khanpur between Saad Khanani Jatoi and Badani Jatoi, two groups of Jatoi tribes. When police tried to enter the area to control the situation, armed assailants attacked with Rocket Launcher on Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) chain due to which police have not succeeded in entering the area in the limits of Faizo Police Station. That bloody dispute claimed 27 persons including 3 road-passers; two women and a baby girl were among the killed, and dozens from both the rival groups were left injured.
Later, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal took notice of the deadly dispute and transferred the-then SSP Shikarpur. Later, the deadly dispute was settled over police pressure and both the communities were jointly fined Rs33 million rupees.
Besides, many groups of Jatoi tribesmen are fighting with each other in Katcha area of Khanpur, Jatoi and Shar feud claimed four lives and a few injured from both the sides. Two Mirani and one Jaffari tribesmen have lost their lives in deadly disputes. Jatois’ deadly dispute with Arain community claimed 9 lives including three passers-by – one Syed, one Rajput and one Baloch tribesmen. The fued later settled down.
In Lakhi Ghulam Shah, Jatoi and Jagirani dispute claimed 13 precious lives and was later settled while the deadliest feud between Mahars and Jatois has been settled in Lakhi Ghulam Shah.
In Shikarpur, the deadly conflict between Brohi and Shaikh community is ongoing and has claimed one youth of Brohi community and one Malano by caste has lost his life. The feud between Sanjrani and Deeya tribesmen claimed three lives and left two injured in Shikarpur taluka.
The apple of discord behind the tribal clashes is mostly witnessed over ownership of agricultural land, honour killing (Karo-Kari), theft, sharing spy information with police, and trivial issues between communities.
Most of the bloody feuds have been going on since 2010. The tribal feuds have also impacted the culture badly as Kalashnikov prevails over the local culture of peace and harmony. Easy access to weapons has also made the feuds deadlier.
The tribal feuds have destroyed the economy of the people, as theft of personal property, livestock, killings and all kinds of crime have increased in Shikarpur.
Shikarpur is a district of Sindh that was famous for education since British era as out of the total 77 graduates across Sindh 70 were only from this district during 1930s. Shikarpur was famous for its best drainage system in the province. There was peace and tolerance. But now, Shikarpur has lost its glory and its recognition too as “Paris of Sindh”, owing to deadly tribal feuds.
Hundreds of innocent people, including passers-by and women, have been killed while scores including of women, children and pedestrians suffered serious bullet injuries rendering many of them disabled for life during the exchange of fire between feuding clans.Many communities are living under the shadow of weapons while bloodshed has been continuing for long, disturbing the education process as many schools have been closed in disputed areas of Ghari Yasin, Khanpur and Lakhi Ghulam Shah due to fear and insecurity among teachers, students and their parents. Hence, children are not getting proper education in conflicted areas. In addition, Shikarpur has been centre of wheat and rice production throughout Sindh but owing to bad blood between the tribes, no one agrees to cultivate wheat and rice crop in disputed areas, given that socio-economic condition has also been destroyed for a long time. Therefore, cultivation of crops has also decreased and unemployment has soared in Shikarpur.
Similarly, people of the disputed areas are unable to get proper health facilities, especially the pregnant women, and in cases of emergency, children and old people of the conflict areas cannot easily move to Rural Health Units [RHUs] for obtaining proper healthcare due to fear and insecurity prevalent in their areas. They are forced to go through the pain at their homes because health facilities are not reachable. Thus, in many conflict-hit areas people have been displaced, as they had to leave their native homes and migrate to safer places.
As per details, In Garhi Yasin Taluka, the ongoing deadly dispute between Kharoos and Odha, in which 15 have been killed and 15 suffered bullet injuries, Sadhayo dispute with Dahani, in which at least 34 including 3 passers-by have lost their precious lives and 15 suffered bullet injuries in deadly disputes between two communities, Marfani, resident of Shikarpur, dispute with Khosa of Jacobabad district, in which total 4 people have been shot dead and 5 suffered injuries, Lolai dispute with Dahani, in which 3 person have lost their lives and 2 received injuries of both the rival parties, Umrani dispute with Kanbhar, in which 6 including three other community persons have been killed while no one injured was reported to both the rival parties; Panhwar of Panhwar Palija village and Brohi dispute killed 6 while no one injured was reported; Jatoi tribesmen are fighting with each other, in which 6 persons have been killed in deadly disputes; Juneja are fighting with each other, in which 14 persons have been killed, Manghneja and Kalhora deadly dispute claimed 10 lives of innocent persons; Shar tribesmen are fighting with each other and 12 persons have been killed from both sides; while a deadly dispute among Brohi, Marfani, Tunia, Kakepota, Qambrani and Sundrani clan with one another, in which 9 Brohi, 8 Kakepota, 7 Marfani, 11 Tunia, 8 Sundrani and 1 Qambrani have lost their lives while dozens were left injured in deadly feuds. Jagirani and Brohi have taken three lives and left several injured; Magsi, Qambrani and Jamali dispute have claimed 22 lives and left 20 injured in Ghari Yasin taluka of Shikarpur.In Khanpur, Taluka of district Shikarpur, Kehar dispute with Shar, in which 26 persons including one passer-by have been gunned down while scores sustained injuries in deadly dispute, Jagirani dispute with Burira, in which 3 persons have been killed and 4 others sustained bullet injuries; Bijarani dispute with Teghani left 22 dead and 19 others sustained grave wounds.
At least 14 persons of Jatoi community were shot dead in a single day on 3rd July of 2017 and next day death toll rose to 16 when two other injured succumbed to injuries in the hospital during treatment. The deadly dispute took place at Katcha area of Khanpur between Saad Khanani Jatoi and Badani Jatoi, two groups of Jatoi tribes. When police tried to enter the area to control the situation, armed assailants attacked with Rocket Launcher on Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) chain due to which police have not succeeded in entering the area in the limits of Faizo Police Station. That bloody dispute claimed 27 persons including 3 road-passers; two women and a baby girl were among the killed, and dozens from both the rival groups were left injured.
Later, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, and Home Minister Suhail Anwar Siyal took notice of the deadly dispute and transferred the-then SSP Shikarpur. Later, the deadly dispute was settled over police pressure and both the communities were jointly fined Rs33 million rupees.
Besides, many groups of Jatoi tribesmen are fighting with each other in Katcha area of Khanpur, Jatoi and Shar feud claimed four lives and a few injured from both the sides. Two Mirani and one Jaffari tribesmen have lost their lives in deadly disputes. Jatois’ deadly dispute with Arain community claimed 9 lives including three passers-by – one Syed, one Rajput and one Baloch tribesmen. The fued later settled down.
In Lakhi Ghulam Shah, Jatoi and Jagirani dispute claimed 13 precious lives and was later settled while the deadliest feud between Mahars and Jatois has been settled in Lakhi Ghulam Shah.
In Shikarpur, the deadly conflict between Brohi and Shaikh community is ongoing and has claimed one youth of Brohi community and one Malano by caste has lost his life. The feud between Sanjrani and Deeya tribesmen claimed three lives and left two injured in Shikarpur taluka.
The apple of discord behind the tribal clashes is mostly witnessed over ownership of agricultural land, honour killing (Karo-Kari), theft, sharing spy information with police, and trivial issues between communities.Most of the bloody feuds have been going on since 2010. The tribal feuds have also impacted the culture badly as Kalashnikov prevails over the local culture of peace and harmony. Easy access to weapons has also made the feuds deadlier.
The tribal feuds have destroyed the economy of the people, as theft of personal property, livestock, killings and all kinds of crime have increased in Shikarpur.