The bloody feud that has raged since 1988–89 shows no sign of ending. Verdicts were delivered, jirgas convened, oaths taken — yet all of it proved paper-thin. Periods of relative calm have been interrupted by sudden explosions of violence over seemingly small triggers, reducing human bodies to lifeless stones. In this protracted conflict, roughly six hundred people have been killed, hundreds more wounded, and countless families left destitute and shattered.
Over the past three days, two fresh murders — one from the Kliri community and one from the Ajnan community — have once again set the area ablaze. But what has enraged residents even more than the killings is the police’s inconsistent response. The case of Masood Kliri was registered without delay, while the killing of Rustam Ajnan remained unregistered for two days. Same town, same clash, two homicides — yet the law behaved differently: swift action for one side, delay and silence for the other. This double standard is not merely shameful for the two clans involved; it raises a grave question for the whole society: are all bloods equal before the law? Does justice move swiftly for some and stall for others?
People know the Ajnan community elder Mian Ali Dino to be a Sufi devotee and a proponent of peace. Still, the police surrounded Mian’s otaq (meeting place), restricted access to his dargha Chaniyo Faqir, and put pressure on his gathering — actions that bred further anger and distrust instead of calm. The duty of law enforcement is to act with complete impartiality toward both parties; to oppress one side while favoring the other is not justice.
Immediate, equal measures are essential: detain armed individuals from both sides, enforce a total ban on weapons, appoint independent inquiry commissions, and conduct a transparent review of police conduct to ensure no political or personal influence shaped their response. Local landlords, tribal chiefs, political leaders and religious figures also bear heavy responsibility. Their role must go beyond speeches — they should engage in practical mediation and form a permanent “peace committee” to tackle the roots of the conflict.
There is some cause for cautious hope: the majority in both communities want peace. Ajnan and Kliri residents alike have staged demonstrations for calm; this shows that apart from a few troublemakers and external armed elements, most people prefer peace. But when tribal disputes are run as calculated campaigns of planned destruction and resource-grab, the province’s land, education, towns and fields face real risk. We must identify the true enemies — those who benefit from division — and focus on them.
Lives must be protected from the cruelty of tribal vendettas. Sindh must unite, organize, and act consciously if it is to save its land and people. As Sufi poet Shah Abdul Latif and others have warned, the stubbornness of caste and clan has produced countless tragedies: families broken, heads bowed, entire lineages wiped out. These truths remind us: humanity must come first. Shooting innocent people, tearing children from mothers, and destroying innocent lives cannot be justified in the name of any religion, tradition or social custom.
Khairpur district, in particular, has become a landscape of recurring tribal conflicts, and serious questions have been raised about the police’s role. Instead of harassing innocent citizens, the police should uncover the real perpetrators among militant elements and act against them. We demand that the real culprits be arrested immediately and punished under the law — those responsible for the murders of Masood Kliri and Rustam Ajnan must be brought to justice. Any cases filed against innocent people should be withdrawn, and legal action must follow merit, not bias. Without impartial justice, peace remains a mirage.
Beyond immediate law-and-order measures, we must investigate whether state, political or economic interests lie behind these feuds. Are there forces aiming to seize Sindh’s land, resources or population? Such possibilities must be probed thoroughly. SSP Khairpur and relevant authorities must take urgent notice: human lives are at stake. People already face joblessness, hunger, closed schools, abandoned agricultural lands, and the dread of destitution. If we fail to act, entire communities will slide further into poverty and despair.
Now is the time for political parties — particularly the Pakistan Peoples Party and other influential groups — to step up with concrete action rather than rhetoric. They should push for independent inquiries, restoration of the rule of law, and long-term reconciliation mechanisms. Community elders, civil society and youth must be engaged in rebuilding trust. The administration should immediately implement disarmament drives, quick and fair trials, and victim support programs that include medical help, compensation and resettlement where needed.
The lesson is stark: justice delayed or denied breeds revenge; unequal application of law corrodes social trust and invites perpetual violence. To save Sindh’s future, we must choose equality before the law, courageous governance, and an inclusive, sustained effort toward reconciliation. Only then can the cycle of bloodshed be broken and the region begin to heal.
