Court orders exhumation of slain Sindh activist amid outcry over police-led burial

A court in Pakistan’s Sindh province has ordered the exhumation of the body of Irfan Laghari, a slain nationalist activist, amid growing public outcry over allegations that police buried him without his family’s consent under the false pretext that the body was “unclaimed”.

Laghari died at Civil Hospital Hyderabad on May 20 after sustaining critical injuries during a protest in Moro against the construction of controversial canals. The demonstration had turned violent, leaving over a dozen people -- including police personnel -- injured. Protesters also attacked the residence of Sindh Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar.

At a hearing in the district and sessions court of Naushahro Feroze, Laghari’s brother, Qurban Laghari, submitted a plea accusing police of misrepresenting a judicial order to carry out the burial without family involvement.

Presiding judge Nadeem Badr Qazi ordered the body’s immediate exhumation in the presence of the civil judge Moro. If the family requests, a post-mortem examination will be conducted before the body is reburied in the family's ancestral graveyard in Sanghar district, following all legal formalities.

Show cause notice to SSP

In a key development, the sessions judge also issued a show cause notice to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Naushahro Feroze, Bashir Ahmed Brohi, for allegedly misinterpreting and misapplying the court’s prior order.

The notice refers to a May 24, 2025, directive that instructed authorities to either hand over the body to Laghari’s legal heirs or a recognized NGO. However, the court said SSP Brohi ignored this order and falsely claimed -- both in press statements and on social media -- that the body had been declared "unclaimed".

Judge Qazi emphasized that no such declaration was ever made by the court, and that burying the body without coordination with the family amounted to a grave violation of the judicial process.

Brohi now faces charges under Sections 166, 174, and 176 of the Pakistan Penal Code, as well as Sections 155(c) and 155(d) of the Police Order 2002. He has been directed to submit a written reply and appear before the court on May 29. Non-compliance could result in disciplinary or legal action.

IG Sindh forms probe committee

Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon has formed a five-member committee to investigate the events of May 20 in Moro.

The inquiry committee is headed by DIG West Zone Karachi Irfan Ali Baloch and includes SSP Amjad Ahmed Shaikh (Anti-Vehicle Lifting Cell), SSP Shabbir Sethar (Benazirabad), DSP Iftikhar Buriro (CIA Hyderabad), and SIP Naik Mohammad (Hyderabad Range).

According to the official notification, the committee has been tasked with establishing the facts surrounding the incident, evaluating the police response, assigning responsibility, and recommending measures to prevent similar occurrences. The committee is expected to submit its findings within seven days.

Human Rights Commission demands inquiry

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has condemned the police-led burial and the sedition charges filed against protesters and their families.

In a statement posted on social media, the HRCP said, “The disproportionate use of force by the police and the criminalization of dissent is unlawful.” It called for an immediate, impartial investigation into the events in Moro.

Family rejects police-conducted funeral

The burial of Laghari -- conducted under police supervision at Mohammad Shah graveyard -- has been rejected by his family, who were not present at the funeral.

Relatives in Leghari Bijarani village, Sanghar district, have demanded the release of all detainees, the withdrawal of criminal cases, and the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) against those responsible.

They have also called for the resignations of the Sindh IGP and DIG and urged that Laghari’s body be reburied in accordance with local customs and with full family consent.