Palijo condemns politics of dividing people

The Qaumi Awami Tehreek President Ayaz Latif Palijo has denounced the political efforts of fomenting disharmony among Sindhis and Urdu speaking people of Sindh.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Palijo said Sindhis and Urdu-speaking people are patriotic Pakistanis, close companions, and brothers and sisters.

“We reject all attempts of fanning racism from anyone from either of the two sides,” Palijo stated. “We have to live and die together.”

He asserted that whole Sindh including Karachi and Hyderabad belonged to both ethnic groups. “One shouldn’t spread the seeds of long-term hatred for their short-term gains.”

Palijo asked the people to be cautious of the political elements which promote politics of hatred for their electoral gains. “These elements are not friends of anyone rather they are enemies of humanity.”

He believed that it is akin to enmity with Sindh if the people belonging to Sindhi, Pubjabi, Seraiki, Pakhtun, Urdu speaking, and other ethnic groups are made to fight with each other. “Those who talk about dividing Sindh actually want to see dismemberment of Pakistan. They indeed serve the interests of the global powers and not the local communities.”

Palijo contended that development cannot be attained by means of dividing the people, giving reference to the ethnic, religious, and sectarian diversities in China, the US, and other developed countries. “The secret of development is not in division but in unity.”

He lamented that corruption and nepotism in the country have destroyed the institutions, alleging that anti-human mafias hold the reigns of politics in Pakistan. He asked the rulers to stop playing second fiddle to the global powers and to put an end to the politics of point-scoring.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2021.