Strike in many parts of Sindh against census

Jeay Sindh Mahaz says rulers conspiring to make Sindhis minority in their own province

HYDERABAD:

A shutter down strike was observed in many parts of Sindh and demonstrations were also organised on Sunday on the call of Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) in protest against the digital population census 2023.

"Today the people of Sindh reiterated disapproval of the bogus population count," said JSM Chairman Riaz Ali Chandio in Hyderabad, where a partial strike was observed.

He said the ruling elite have been constantly conspiring to reduce Sindhi into a minority in their own motherland. He blamed Pakistan Peoples Party for being hands in gloves with Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan and Jamaat-e-Islami in that exercise.

"Today the people of Sindh have sent a message to the world that the powers that be wanted to make them extinct," he alleged.

Chandio demanded that the results of the census 2023 should be cancelled; illegal immigrants from all countries staying in Sindh should be repatriated; enforcing 1991 water accord in letter and spirit; restoring millions of rain and flood affected people of 2022 catastrophe; and putting an end to the tribal terrorism.

He also sought decisive crackdown against the growing use of narcotics. He blamed Punjab for continuously violating the 1991 accord for the last 32 years.

"The people of Sindh are being made to suffer both bad economic and environmental effects because the province is being deprived of its due share of water from the Indus river."

He argued that Afghan illegal immigrants are being settled in Karachi, Hyderabad and Thatta to occupy the province's coastal belt. The JSM's chief alleged that those immigrants are involved in crimes and drug peddling.

Chandio said the dacoits have snatched the sense security from the people living in KashmoreKandhkot, Ghotki, Kambar-Shahdadkot, Larkana, Sukkur, Khairpur, Dadu, Shikarpur and Noushehro Feroze districts.

"Kidnapping has been turned into a growing industry with connivance of the government."

He said the dacoits commit crimes in the daylight and they also attack the police but the state is silently watching. He claimed that 21 workers of JSM have been arrested from Karachi, Mirpurkhas and Khairpur under allegations of trying to force the markets to close.

Chandio said his party succeeded in organizing a peaceful shutter down strike and no violent means were used to elicit support from the traders