SITUATION IN SINDH COULD ALSO FLARE UP ON THE PATTERN OF BALOCHISTAN IF TOTAL PROVINCIAL AUTONOMY IS NOT GRANTED-DR IMRAN FAROOQ

London-24 January 2006

A delegation of students from Sindh province studying overseas, including those studying in the United Kingdom met Dr Imran Farooq, Convenor of the Central Co-ordination Committee of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) at the MQM International Secretariat in London yesterday. The students raised the question of denial of rights to Sindh and prevailing restiveness over denial of political, economic and social rights including right to govern. They sought ways and means of resolution or removal of these sense of sustained deprivation ingrained in the minds and hearts of the people of Sindh at the grass root levels.

Dr Imran Farooq responding to their questions said that Pakistan came into existence in accordance with the Lahore Resolution of 1940, as a result of unparalleled sacrifices of the Muslims of the minority provinces of undivided India. Amongst the Muslim majority provinces, province of Bengal voted 100 per cent in favour of the creation of Pakistan while a Resolution was passed in favour of Pakistan in Sindh Assembly. He further added that according to the spirit and essence of Lahore Resolution which was later termed as Pakistan Resolution, all the provinces were to be granted total provincial autonomy but sadly after the creation of Pakistan, the provinces particularly former East Pakistan and the smaller provinces were totally denied the provincial autonomy. This resulted restiveness amongst the people of the former East Pakistan and brute power to oppress them was used instead of granting total provincial autonomy and providing due rights resultantly former East Pakistan separated itself and Pakistan was dismembered.

Dr Imran Farooq said that whatever is happening in Balochistan today is the carbon copy of what took place in the former East Pakistan and one of the fundamental reasons were that the people of Balochistan are also denied their rights, including the right to govern their province. He further added that to save Pakistan it is now crucial to provide total provincial autonomy to all the provinces. He emphasised that he sincerely advise the people at the helm of affairs to provide total provincial autonomy to Sindh on urgent basis or else the prevailing restiveness amongst the people of Sindh could convert into the flames of independence and similar situation could develop in Sindh that exist in the province of Balochistan.

Dr Imran Farooq said that as a patriotic Pakistani, he appeals to the people at the helm of affairs to provide total provincial autonomy to all the provinces to save Pakistan because this is the only route left to save the Federation of Pakistan.