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SINDH IS FEEDING THE WHOLE COUNTRY BUT IS STARVING – ALTAF HUSSAIN

Thatta – 2 July 2003
Sindh is running the entire country but it is deprived of its rights.  Sindh is feeding the whole country but the province remains starved.  It is need of the time that true sons of Sindh must ponder why Sindh is deprived of its rights?  Mr Altaf Hussain, MQM Founder & Leader, expressed these thoughts at the meeting of MQM workers in Thatta, which was attended by a large number of workers from nearby areas as well.

During his address Mr Hussain said that MQM is not a party of jaagirdars and vaderas but it is the only representative political party of poor and middle class, which is striving for elimination of medieval feudal system from the country.  It is for this reason that the MQM has to face hostility of vaderas, jaagirdars, rich and the Establishment.  He said that the path of Movement is not rosy but very thorny and walking on such a path results in bleeding feet and this sacrifice of blood gives birth to revolution.  Only those people can struggle and succeed for solution to the problems who themselves are the victims of poverty, starvation, diseases and destitution because they could be feel these hardships.  The poor peasants, farmers and middle class people of Sindh are today facing various problems including poverty, unemployment and education, which the big vaderas, jaagirdars and privileged class could never feel or identify with because they have never faced such problems.

Addressing the injustices upon Sindh Mr Hussain said that the province of Sindh is running the entire country but for 55 years the rights of Sindh province have been usurped.  Sindh is not awarded its due share in NFC Award.  The land of Sindh is being distributed amongst military and other high-ranking civil officials.  Sindh contributes 70 per cent towards the national exchequer but remains deprived of its rights.  The people of Sindh are deprived of education and employment.  Sindh longs for water.  Sindh is like the mother who is feeding the entire country but she remains starved.  The whole country must be grateful to Sindh for the nuclear capability because it wouldn’t have been possible without the 70 per cent contribution of Sindh in the national exchequer.  Every individual in Sindh must ponder why the province remained deprived of its rights despite the fact that most of the country’s prime minister belonged to Sindh?  Peoples Party came to power three times and the majority not only voted for it but also faced oppression, lashes and bullets and even sent to the gallows but what did the Peoples Party do for the people of Sindh and towards the resolution of most important issues?  In 1991, when MQM was part of the coalition government, it attained the due share of water for Sindh Province in the Water Accord.  But in 1994, during the rule of Peoples Party, this Accord was amended and Sindh was deprived of even its due share of water.  Before becoming a part of the government, we peacefully protested against the construction of Thal Canal and the work was halted at that time.  However, when work again commenced on this Project, without the consent of the people of Sindh, then we twice passed resolutions against this Project in the Sindh Assembly and along with JSQM peacefully protested on this issue.  At this juncture Mr Hussain demanded for a round table conference of all political and nationalist leaders to discuss and debate on the Thal Canal Issue. 

Mr Hussain said that MQM has not only raised the slogan of poor and middle class leadership but it has also awarded party tickets to the poor and middle class in the cities and particularly in the interior areas of Sindh and not to the vaderas and jaagirdars.  MQM has sent representative to the provincial cabinet from the poor and middle class in the form of ministers and advisors, whereas it was totally unthinkable before the emergence of the MQM.

Mr Hussain extended his felicitations to the office bearers and member of MQM Thatta Zone.  He also paid tributes to the workers of MQM Thatta Zone for remaining determined, steadfast and continuing the righteous struggle despite the highhandedness and oppression of the vaderas and jaagirdars.  He advised them to spread the message in every nook and corner, which is the prerequisite to revolution.  He assured that if we continue to work with determination and steadfastness then one day we will be successful.

Photographic glimpses of MQM's workers gathering in Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan