Badin — A group of daily-wage laborers who collect recyclable metal and plastic in the rural areas around Nindo and Khoski have staged a press conference at the National Press Club Badin, accusing three local police personnel of repeatedly stopping them, demanding money and harassing them for more than a year.

The workers — who travel from surrounding villages on motorcycles to buy and transport scrap — say the alleged extortion and intimidation by police officers has become so severe that some families have stopped coming to work for days out of fear. They also claim one man, identified as Shabbir Khaskheli, was briefly detained and allegedly beaten, and later released only after an extortion payment of Rs 10,000 was made.

At the press conference, representatives of the laborers recounted a pattern of roadside stops and monetary demands. They named three police personnel they say are responsible: Mustafa Malah Manshi, ASI Sharif Khaskheli, and Hanif Bhut. According to the workers, these officers regularly obstruct their passage toward Nindo, demand money, and in some cases threaten arrest on theft charges — despite the workers insisting they have no criminal connection to recent thefts reported in nearby villages.

“We are simple daily wage earners,” one spokesman told reporters. “We collect scrap to feed our families. For the last year, these police officers stop us on the road and ask for money. They threatened to arrest us in connection with recent thieves who were caught near Nindo, even though none of us know them. Some days we stay home out of fear; our children go hungry.” The workers said the intimidation forced several families to skip work for up to three days at a time.

They urged provincial and federal police leadership to intervene. “We appeal to the Inspector General of Sindh, DIG Hyderabad, and SSP Badin to register our complaints and take action,” the group said. They demanded legal action against the officers they named and asked for personal protection while investigations proceed.

One worker described the alleged detention of Shabbir Khaskheli: he was taken into custody, beaten, and released only after a payment of Rs 10,000 was handed over, the group said. The workers said they have no formal record of the incident beyond their testimony and are seeking an official inquiry and compensation.

Economic Vulnerability and the Risks of Informal Work

The allegations highlight the precarious economic position of informal sector workers in many rural parts of Sindh. Scrap collectors — who buy metal, plastic and other recyclable waste from villages and transport it to small urban recycling yards — operate with minimal formal protections. Their incomes are irregular, dependent on volumes collected and middlemen who purchase their loads. In such circumstances, any sudden loss of earnings or forced payments can push households into food insecurity.

Workers told the press they frequently travel in small groups by motorcycle across rural tracks to find material, and that their routes often traverse areas with limited police presence. That visibility, combined with their lack of formal identification or receipts, can make them vulnerable to opportunistic harassment by corrupt elements.

Human-rights and legal experts say the pattern described — roadside stops, threats of arrest, and demands for cash in exchange for release — is a classic form of petty corruption that disproportionately affects low-income, informal workers.

Calls for Transparency, Investigation and Support

At the press conference, the laborers appealed for immediate and transparent action. They requested:

• A prompt, independent investigation into the allegations against the named police officers.
• Registration of FIRs where appropriate and disciplinary action if wrongdoing is confirmed.
• Protection for the workers who have complained, so they can resume livelihoods without fear.
• Medical and financial assistance for victims of alleged abuse.
• An assurance that local police checkpoints will operate only under lawful procedures, and that any seizures or arrests will be recorded and justified.

Local civil-society activists who attended the briefing urged authorities to set up a fact-finding committee comprising members of the district administration, police oversight bodies and representatives of the affected workers to ensure impartiality.

Police Accountability and Next Steps

As of publication, a spokesperson from Sukkur Range and Badin Police had not issued an official response to the allegations. In similar cases across Pakistan, prompt intervention by senior police leadership — including issuance of orders to suspend implicated personnel pending inquiry — has been a standard remedy to restore public confidence.

Legal advocates suggest that the workers should file written complaints at their local police station and with the district magistrate, and register a formal petition with the provincial human rights commission if available. They also recommend that independent media and community groups monitor the investigation to deter any retaliation.

A Community on Edge

The workers’ testimony underscores the human toll of alleged petty extortion: interrupted earnings, children going hungry, and the psychological burden of living under constant threat. While the allegations remain to be independently verified, the public appeal to senior provincial police and government officials signals both desperation and a hope that higher authorities will act to ensure justice and restore the right of these citizens to pursue their livelihoods without fear.

The National Press Club press conference has put the issue in the public eye. Residents and activists in Badin will now be watching whether the provincial police leadership responds swiftly with an impartial probe or whether the matter fades without redress — a test of institutions meant to protect, not prey upon, the most vulnerable.