Mohajir suba: An old champion comes forward to demand a new province
Dr Saleem Haider claimed that the demand for a Mohajir sooba was the loudest cry in urban centres of Sindh.
KARACHI:
After some clandestine group campaigned for weeks with pamphlets, posters and corner meetings for the creation of a Mohajir sooba or province in Sindh, another group, the Mohajir Ittehad Tehrik came out openly on Monday to demand one for Urdu-speaking immigrants.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Mohajir Ittehad Tehrik chairman Dr Saleem Haider claimed that the demand for a Mohajir sooba was the loudest cry in urban centres of Sindh.
“All the five commissioners in Sindh are Sindhis. Out of 27 deputy commissioners, 25 are Sindhis. About 90 per cent of police in Karachi is Sindhi and Mohajirs are not getting their due share in public sectors. This discrimination has compelled Mohajirs to demand a separate province for them,” said Saleem Haider, who was one of the founding members of All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation.
“We did not come here as guests. Mohajirs migrated to Pakistan according to an international agreement. About 45 per cent of Hindus moved to India and Mohajirs came to Sindh.”
When asked that Muttahida Qaumi Movement has not openly supported the demand, Saleem Haider, said, “The MQM will support it. It is a public demand. I appeal to Altaf Hussain to move a resolution,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2012.
After some clandestine group campaigned for weeks with pamphlets, posters and corner meetings for the creation of a Mohajir sooba or province in Sindh, another group, the Mohajir Ittehad Tehrik came out openly on Monday to demand one for Urdu-speaking immigrants.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday, Mohajir Ittehad Tehrik chairman Dr Saleem Haider claimed that the demand for a Mohajir sooba was the loudest cry in urban centres of Sindh.
“All the five commissioners in Sindh are Sindhis. Out of 27 deputy commissioners, 25 are Sindhis. About 90 per cent of police in Karachi is Sindhi and Mohajirs are not getting their due share in public sectors. This discrimination has compelled Mohajirs to demand a separate province for them,” said Saleem Haider, who was one of the founding members of All Pakistan Mohajir Students Organisation.
“We did not come here as guests. Mohajirs migrated to Pakistan according to an international agreement. About 45 per cent of Hindus moved to India and Mohajirs came to Sindh.”
When asked that Muttahida Qaumi Movement has not openly supported the demand, Saleem Haider, said, “The MQM will support it. It is a public demand. I appeal to Altaf Hussain to move a resolution,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 8th, 2012.