London
– 2 October 2002
It is vital for the sustenance of Pakistan that full provincial autonomy
is provided to all the provinces including Sindh and Balochistan and the public
is given the right to govern their provinces.
MQM Founder & Leader Mr Altaf Hussain stated this while addressing a
huge election rally in Qasimabad, Hyderabad.
Large number of participants including womenfolk came from neighbouring
villages and towns.
For the past 55 years, under the divide and rule policy, the Establishment pitched the Urdu and Sindhi speaking people against each other by creating rift between with a view that Sindh Province remains the colony of the Federation. Bu grave of God everyone in Sindh is now aware of such conspiracies and today the Urdu and Sindhi speaking sons of Sindh are united to struggle for the rights of Sindh Province. As a result, the Sindhi speaking people of Qasimabad participate in the Muttahida public gatherings in Hyderabad and Lateefabad and similarly the Urdu Speaking people of Hyderabad and Lateefabad blend with the people of Qasimabad. Despite the conspiracies of the Establishment the Urdu and Sindhi speaking people are determined that no one could separate them and they would not confront each other. He prayed to Almighty Allah that with the blessings of the prayers of Shah LateefRH and the struggle of Sain G M Syed, our unity would never break. The participants enthusiastically chanted the slogans of “Sindhi, Mohajir – Bhai, Bhai” (Sindhi and Mohajirs are brothers).
Mr Hussain said that Sindh contributes 70 percent to the federal exchequer. Pakistan’s sustenance depends on Sindh, however, the Sindh Province is deprived of its basic rights. On the one hand water is scarce in Sindh, corps are ruining, industries shutting down, unemployment is on the rise, entire families committing suicides exasperated with the unemployment and starvation, people of Sindh are homeless, whereas, on the other hand, land in Sindh is being distributed amongst the Army Generals. Sindh is not even provided its due share in the National Finance Commission Award. He warned that if in reply to the peaceful struggle of the people of Sindh against oppression, the Establishment launches another army operation then the people of Sindh would accelerate their peaceful struggle. Mr Hussain affirmed that it is vital for the sustenance of Pakistan to provide full provincial autonomy to all the provinces including Sindh and Balochistan and the public be provided the right to govern their provinces respectively.
Highlighting the problems and grievances of Qasimabad, Mr Hussain said that for 55 years, the so-called protagonists of Sindh’s rights became prime ministers and chief ministers but similar to other cities of Sindh, they paid no attention to the problems faced by the people of Qasimabad. He said that now the poor peasants and educated people of the middle-class have fully recognised those who used the Sindh Card to hoodwink the public and continue to accumulate their wealth and properties. He assured the people of Qasimabad that if Muttahida forms the Government in Sindh then it would not disregard the grievances of Qasimabad and would resolve the problems faced by the people of Qasimabad. He appealed to the traders of Hyderabad and Lateefabad to open their businesses in Qasimabad so as to provide employment to the people of Qasimabad. He said that the provision of employment and development of underdeveloped areas are included in our priorities. He asked the participants to spread the message of Muttahida in the villages and towns and maintain the unity. He paid tributes to the MQM workers for organising the election rally.