United we stand: Nationalists vow to promote ethnic harmony in Sindh

HYDERABAD:

Sindhi nationalist leaders have vowed never to allow ethnic differences in Sindh to evolve into riots. Speaking at the 'Sindh unity conference', organised by the Save Sindh Committee in Mirpurkhas on Saturday, they reiterated their resolve to promote ethnic harmony in the province.

"The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have landed in the fray with these provocative and divisive slogans in view of the elections," said Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, a former speaker of the Sindh Assembly who heads the Sindh United Party. "They have shared power for the last seven to eight years but whenever elections are around the corner, they stir strong ethnic sentiments."



Shah, who is also the convener of the Save Sindh Committee, found it strange to find a sudden gust of nationalism in the PPP leadership. "They have sent Bilawal to raise the marsoon marsoon slogan and in contrast, the MQM is calling for Sindh's division."

He accused the two parties of playing dirty politics and misleading people by spreading ethnic hatred.

The Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz's vice-chairperson, Dr Niaz Kalani, said that Sindh's boundaries have existed naturally for ages. The Sindhi culture, he added, has also evolved over many centuries.

Another nationalist leader, Karam Wassan, said that the Urdu-speaking community was represented in all the political and religious parties. He disputed the MQM's claim of being the sole representation of the community.

"We welcomed the Urdu-speaking community after 1947 and helped them set themselves up in Sindh. But soon after, conspiracies began to divide the people on ethnic lines," said Aslam Khairpuri, the vice-chairperson of JSQM (Arisar).

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2014.