KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has observed that proxies have been activated in recent days as part of conspiracies against Pakistan.

He was commenting on the May 20 violent incidents in Moro town of Naushahro Feroze district where two protesters were killed and many others, including police officers, were injured. Home Minister Ziaul HassanLanjar`s residence and two heavy vehicles were also torched.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Sharjeel Memon said that the callfor the protest at Moro Bypass was given by Shafi Burfat, who is the head of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, a proscribed organisation.

Burfat has been living abroad for a long time and has claimed responsibility for several terrorist attacks in Sindh, the minister pointed out. He said that during the May 20 sit-in, police made every effort to peacefully disperse the protest but masked individuals armed with sticks were among the participants who threw stones at the police and opened fire injuring eight police officers and two protesters. Some protesters were seen carrying explosive materials on their backs in the nearby settlements, he said.

The minister said that these miscreants used the explosives and chemicals to torch an oil tanker and residence of Sindh HomeMinister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar. Among them were some people who were not speaking Sindhi or Saraiki, but some `unidentified` language, he added.

The protesters were armed with modern weapons which gave the impression that they were not locals, but foreigners.

Sharjeel Memon also rejected allegation that police had forcibly taken away the violence victims` bodies.

`Police requested the protesters to hand over the bodies to their heirs,but the protesters refused . despite repeated appeals from the police to collect the bodies, the heirs continued to refuse ... even leaders of nationalist parties urged them to proceed with the burials, but they did not comply, the minister said.

Later, the same protesters approached a court accusing police of having hidden the bodies.

`After completing all legal procedures, the court ruled that if the legal heirs refuse to claim the bodies, then SSP Naushahro Feroze is authorised to arrange the burials through a social welfare organisation to avoid further complications,` the minister said, adding that police carried out the burial through social arrangements.