PEOPLE OF SINDH WANT THEIR RIGHTS WITH IN THE GEOGRAPHY OF PAKISTAN – ALTAF HUSSAIN
London
2 September 2001.
MQM Leader Mr Altaf Hussain stated that the people
of Sindh do not desire with the Punjabi establishment. But
they want to attain their rights within the boundaries of
Pakistan. However, if their fundamental rights are not honoured,
people of Sindh will be forced to demand self-determination in
accordance with the United Nation Charter. Mr Hussain was
addressing a large gathering of Sindhi journalists, writers,
intellectuals and political activists at Mehar (Dist. Daddu)
press club.
Highlighting the areas of discrimination Mr. Hussain pointed out that a province of Sindh has been suffering for the last 54 years under the colonial yoke of Punjabi establishment. Sindh used to be the province of optimum resources but it has been turned into the most paupers of the provinces in Pakistan. Even today Sindh provides over 70% to the national exchequer and is in debt up to its eyes because it receives only 19.9 % in NFC award. Sindh supplies 63 % of oil and 48 % gas to the nation but receives only 6 % in return from the federal government. In the Highway authority budget Sindh has been allocated only 11.5% and even that is not honoured, and the people of Sindh province receive only 5% share of jobs.
In the federal civil services Sindhis participation
is negligible. Out of 112 developments programmes in the country
only two are taking place in Sindh. Out of nine new development
schemes under the Vision 2025 nothing is allocated for in Sindh.
Sindh is deprived of water. In the past 20 years 11-2%
agricultural land has turned barren. But despite such desperate
situation schemes like Kala Bagh Dam and Thal Canal projects are
being promulgated that would further deteriorate the water
shortage.
The per capita income in Sindh is less than other provinces. According to the Asian Development Bank report the poverty level in Pakistan is 36% whereas in Sindh villages it is 60% and rises to 90% in Kohistan and Kachay areas. In Dadu district oil and gas has been discovered. Workers are brought from Punjab to work in these industries although the educated people of the area are jobless. In Mehar there is ample supply of raw material to make cardboard and chip board. But board-making factories are commissioned in Punjab.
In Dadu Gorakh Hill can be turned into a holiday
resort but no attention is being paid to this and no investment
is made in Dadu. Furthermore, even Dadu sugar mill, which is the
biggest in Sindh, was shutdown 2 ½ years ago without any
compensation to those who lost their jobs. Whereas workers in
similar positions in Punjab and NWFP are properly compensated. Mr
Hussain asked the authorities to compensate all the workers of
Dadu sugar mills and look into the feasibility of restarting this
huge factory. In a scathing criticism of feudalism Mr Hussain
said that over one hundred schools in interior Sindh have been
illegally converted into personal property of feudal lords and no
one dares to question them.
He
pointed out that small farmers do not receive loans from banks,
whereas feudal landowners have access to all the funds. The
feudal, then lend this money to the poor farmers at over 100%
interest rates. So the farmers stay in debt for life. No one
listens to their plight. Anyone who raises his voice against the
corrupt feudal system is murdered in cold blood and his land and
chattel are taken over by the feudal lord.
There is no law and no justice for the people of Sindh. They are put behind bar at will and wish of Punjabi establishment and feudal. Sindhi Prime Minister was sent to the gallows based as circumstantial evidence but a convicted prime minister from Punjab was allowed to go abroad with all his wealth and relatives intact.
During the MRD Movement rural Sindh was bombarded
mercilessly, killing thousands, whereas on 19 June 1992 a
Military Operation was launched against Mohajirs and the MQM.
During this operation which is still going on, more than 15,000 (fifteen
thousands) Mohajirs have been killed extra judicially including
my elder brother and my 28 year old nephew. During 1997
movement of Nizam-e-Mustafa, hundreds of people in Sindh were
massacred but the same army refused to fire in Lahore saying that
they will not kill their own kith and kins.
Mr. Hussain asked the audience as to what the
political parties for whom the people sacrificed their lives for
did for them when they attained power? They did nothing for
the common man. Murtaza Bhutto was mercilessly murdered
during the prime minister ship of his sister. But Benazir
Bhutto is not prepared even to name his killers. Is she
concerned that she will not gain power if she pin points the real
killers, because they are the ones who control power game in
Pakistan.
He reiterated that revolution is not brought about by rich and feudal. Only the poor and middle classes bring about the change in any society. The people of Sindh must not look to feudal lords for any change in the prevailing system. They would continue to suck the blood of common man. The elite of both Sindhi speaking as well as Urdu speaking are pawns in the hands of Punjabi establishment. The middle class Sindhi should unite and bring forward young students, intellectuals and writers to struggle for the rights of Sindh. No one will grant you the rights, you will have to take it from the usurpers, he declared.
He
made an impassioned appeal to the audience in the name of saint
Shah Latif Bhittai to get united under one banner and trust him.
He said, “I will be prepared to work with any middle class
leader of your choice as a worker, provided he is honest in his
struggle for the rights of Sindh”. He went on to say
that we all live and die in Sindh and do not send our earnings
out side Sindh. It is my mission to get Sindh free from all
injustices and solve the problems of the people of Sindh. For
this I shall approach the United Nations, United States, India
and other democratic countries. We are with the people of
Kashmir but people of Sindh have been deprived of their
fundamental rights in their own country. We seek the rights
of the people of Sindh, Balochistan and other smaller provinces
in accordance with the sprit of 1940 Lahore Resolution. We
are not against the ordinary people of Punjab, only opposed to
the tyranny of Punjabi establishment.
The
land of Shah Latif has always been liberal and has always
accommodated on its soil different religion. We (Mohajirs)
were deceived in the name of Islam and sacrifice over 20 millions
lives for the creation of Pakistan. People of Bengal and
Sindh also voted in favour of Pakistan. But after creation
of Pakistan, people of Bengal were termed as traitors. Similarly
those who did not even support the struggle for Pakistan also
branded Mohajirs and Sindhis as traitors. In Punjab
unionist party continued to rule till the creation of Pakistan.
Punjab is doling out certificates of treachery to those who were
the lynch pin of the Pakistan movement. Punjabi
establishment regard Mohajirs, Sindhis and Baloch as high
security risk when considering for key government positions.
If we are such high security risk then why the Punjabi
establishment do not separate us, he asked? This injustice will
not do, he warned. Finally Mr. Altaf Hussain appealed to
all the people of Sindh to get united under the banner of MQM.
