Nationalists vow to follow GM Syed’s politics

Several factions of JST honour late visionary on his 117th birthday

HYDERABAD:

Sindhi nationalist leaders have reiterated their vow to continue treading on the path of non-violence as taught by their late iconic nationalist leader GM Syed. The nationalist leaders were speaking at separate public meetings organised on Sunday by several factions of the Jeay Sindh Tehreek, a party founded by Syed, in Sann, a rural town along the Indus Highway in Jamshoro district. The public meetings were held to commemorate the 117th birthday of the late nationalist leader.

Sindh United Party's Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, who spoke at his party's public meeting, said that Sindh's people look towards the Pakistan Peoples Party to defend interests of the province. But, he added, the PPP always uses Sindh's people to achieve the personal narrow interests of its own leadership. He recalled that Syed had always discouraged inserting the element of violence in politics. He asked Sindh's youth to participate in the parliamentary process.

Similarly, Sindh Taraqi Pasand party Chairperson Dr Qadir Magsi said that Sindh remained the epicentre of Syed's politics, which always opposed violence. He condemned nationalist leaders who while in self-exile are provoking the province's youth to take recourse to violence. "Instead of becoming an agent of anyone, defend Sindh with the voice of your own conscience."

Magsi also encouraged participation in parliamentary politics.

Meanwhile, National Party General-Secretary Jan Muhammad Buledi said that if Syed, Bacha Khan and Wali Khan were not their role models they would have abandoned parliamentary politics long ago.

Syed Zain Shah, a leader of the Sindh United Party (SUP), recalled that Syed collaborated with the leftists during the movement against the One-Unit system imposed by former president General Ayub Khan. He said Syed should not be criticised for the actions of some recalcitrant young nationalist workers who in reality did not adhere to Syed's principals in politics.

Meanwhile, Senator Usman Khan Kakar of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, who belongs to Balochistan, said that the country is in essence being governed like a One Unit since independence. "We want a federation for the different nationalities which live in Pakistan in which the provinces have control over the resources."

Jamaat-e-Islami's leader Asadullah Bhutto observed that Syed struggled for the rights of Sindh's people. "He faced imprisonments but never resorted to violence."

The public meeting passed resolutions demanding an end to the process of subjecting nationalist workers to enforced disappearances; implementing the Supreme Court's decision against illegal occupation of land in Sindh; and cancelling the national identity cards issued to Bengalese, Burmi and Afghanis.

Speaking at the public meeting of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, the party's chairperson, Sanan Qureshi said that Syed preached love with humanity and motherland in all his written works. "He was a follower of Sufism who considered violence an anti-human behavior," he underlined. "This is why Syed considered violent politics as being tantamount to a collective suicide by the nation." Qureshi condemned the rising crimes against women and children in Sindh with special reference to the recent incident in which a minor girl was subjected to rape and murder in Pir Jo Goth, Khairpur district.

JSQM leader Amjad Mahesar remembered that Syed taught his followers to respect all religions. "He gave his political thought to the people when he witnessed that the country's rulers are denying rights of Sindh and its people." He deplored that the nationalist workers who travel to Sann to attend the annual events are stopped en route.

Jeay Sindh Mahaz leader Aslam Khairpuri observed that Syed showed Sindhis the way to liberate themselves from the clutches of slavery. "We believe in following the path of non-violence in politics." He vowed to continue struggle for all projects which are considered harmful for interests of Sindh. Khairpuri also called for putting an end to the enforced disappearances.

Sindh Qaumi Party's leader Nawaz Zaunr believed that through the nationalist political struggle they can help the people of Sindh be rid of the cruelties being meted out to them.

The renowned nationalist leader's birthday was also celebrated in many other districts of Sindh.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 19^th, 2021.