The Sindh province’s Kashmore-Kandhkot district is grappling with a grave law and order situation, with more and more cases of kidnappings, extortion, inter-tribal clashes, and targeted killings. The deteriorating security situation has fueled fear among the locals and resulted in mass demonstrations demanding that the government act quickly.
The district witnessed a sharp rise in criminal activities in the recent months. Particularly, the total strike was declared in Kandhkot on May 20, 2025, Ali Murad Oghai was killed by robbers, and the breakdown of public order, in general. Protesters alleged that dacoits were operating freely, performing kidnappings, killings, and robberies in daylight, and the efforts of law enforcement agencies were insufficient to prevent such crimes. All main business centres and bazars, including Shahi Bazar, Wadesha market, Tower and Shujrah chock and small markets remained close throughout the day. Separately, All parties Movement and Shehri Ithad held a march at kandhkot demanding restoration of peace. They said that dacoits kidnapped, murdered, and snatched goods from innocent citizens in day light and managed to escape easily and freely.
The Hindu community complained that the Kashmore district has become a hub of kidnapping for ransom, dacoity, and murder. Protesters occupied the main road running through Kandhkot city, where they staged a sit-in, terming the going-ons as lawless and calling for peace. Activists such as Zuriat Bijrani, Ghulam Mustafa Mirani, Hazoor Bux Mughal, Adv Abdul Ghani bijrani,Hafiz Nasrullah , among others, addressed the crowd. They asserted that citizens had repeatedly made appeals to the authorities to restore peace and arrest anti-social elements, but the appeals were futile.
The area has also been plagued by intentional killings and tribal feuds. On March 29, 2025, a violent clash between the Bhutto and Bangwar tribes in the village of Badani resulted in the killing of five people and injuring twelve others. These events demonstrate the tenuous state of the security situation and the urgent need for successful conflict resolution mechanisms.
As a result of the rising incidents of violence, political and social activists and members of the public have organized protests calling on the government authorities to act swiftly. The All Parties Movement organized a sit-in protest on April 23, 2025, in Kandhkot, criticizing the failure of the police to maintain law and order and calling for the dismissal of the current Senior Superintendent of Police. Several innocent people were killed within a few days but police failed to arrest even one suspect involved in murders, sparking protests by heirs of victims in front of SSP office and highways they said. They told that at present the main problem of the people was security, alleging that the government utterly failed to provide security to the people which was first and foremost duty of the rulers. The citizens further complained that murdering, kidnappings, robberies, dacoties, street crime and mainly extortion demands had been rampant throughout district. The news of Kidnapping spread like wildfire fire and parents had seen reluctant to send their children to school due to security threats and poor arrangements at schools posing threats due to child security and may result of Kidnapping which may aggravate the law and order situation and affecting the education of children.
The overall mood of insecurity has widely impacted the schools and the civil society. A dedicated teacher, Allah Rakhiyo Nandwani, was killed by bandits while on his way to his school within a “no-go” area on March 18, 2024. His passion for teaching children in risk zones evoked a lot of respect, and his murder infuriated the public and prompted demands for justice. He had only just become well-known and fairly respected through his internet videos on social media in which he reiterated his dedication to continued defiance of bandit rule by traveling to the “no-go” area on a regular basis in order to teach children.
A video that went viral on social media showed the late teacher, who was armed with a double-barrel gun, leading his young students to school. He was heard in the video explaining that he had bought the gun for self-protection and was going to the school despite risking his life immensely. The video attracted thousands of social media followers, who were impressed by his determination and criticized the criminal negligence of the local police in securing lives of ordinary people, especially teachers. The manner in which the outlaws shot straight at the chest of the teacher indicated that they targeted him to make him an example for others who may dare oppose their authority and terminate their fear.
The law and order situation in Kashmore-Kandhkot has come to a boiling point with criminal forces eroding public security and delegitimizing law enforcement institutions. Provincial and federal governments must step in promptly and effectively to re-establish peace, secure the citizens, and strengthen the rule of law in the district.
