ISLAMABAD:
Having come from the southern most part of the country, their message was loud and clear-- they would resist any conspiracy to divide their province.
To express their love for Sindh, hundreds of people, men and women, from across the province, arrived in the capital and held a rally at the Jinnah Avenue on Saturday. The participants of the Mohabbat-e-Sindh rally were eventually stopped at D-Chowk, where they held a demonstration.
The rally was organised by Awami Party of Pakistan, Awami Tehreek and Labour Party of Pakistan to press for repealing of the local bodies ordinance applicable in Sindh, which they said was a disguised attempt to divide the province.
Awami Tehreek President Ayaz Latif Palijo threatened to observe a complete shutter-down strike on September 13 in Sindh if the local bodies ordinance was not repealed. “Over our dead bodies; we will never let this happen,” he said while addressing the demonstration. “The people of Sindh will hold protest rallies and hunger strikes across the province against the local government system,” Palijo added.
He also said that if their demands are not fullfilled, they will block roads of five important cities of Sindh from September 21 to 24.
“If there is a single system of governance in all the other provinces why not in Sindh?” questioned an Awami Tehreek worker, Dost Ali Khan from Nawabshah district. He added that after the restoration of the local bodies system in Karachi, there would be parallel systems running in the province as the commissionarate system is still in place in rural Sindh.
“Due to this clash, under-developed areas of Sindh will remain deprived and people will suffer,” said Murtaza Jokhio, another participant from Nawabshah district. He questioned the need for creating Zulfiqarabad. Jokhio said the people of Sindh would resist any attempt to divide the province with their lives.
“Zulfiqarabad is a clear indication that some elements in the Sindh government were planning the province’s division,” Jokhio added. He alleged that the coalition government of Pakistan Peoples Party and Mutahida Qaumi Movement was involved in the conspiracy.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (9)
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@kagzi.irshad:
How Ayaz Latif Palijo is the voice of Sindh when he doesn't have the people's mandate? Both PPP & MQM represent more then 85% people in Sindh, they are the voice of Sindh not any XYZ.
awami tahreek held big relly in capital city. several thousands workers including women, men & children. Girls present traditional songs, dance & slogans. AT leader Ayaz Latif Palijo is a voice of sindh. His strugle against fuedles.
The current boundaries of Sindh is very recent.
Why didn't they protested when the 'Quota System' was enforced by Z A Bhutto in Sindh? Didn't it created a division & discrimination in the province?
"Girls from Sindh present a traditional dance"
I like this kind of protest in Pakistan
ppp is the winner of almost all the seats in sindh. so it can decide what is best for sindh. if sindh nationalists can win that much seats , then they can surely change the law. its call democracy. before spreading hatred they should first realize their support in people.
Conspiracies Conspiracies Conspiracies
The division of any province should be for the convenience of governance and also for the benefit of the people. no other doctrine be applied for carving out for anew province.
Also there must not be a resistance of such people friendly decisions, based on the ethnicity and provincialism. Are the persons living in the proposed carved out area are not Sindhis or Pakistani ? politicians invoking the sentiments can not be termed patriotic in true sense .