ENCIRCLED WITH ETHNICITY, SINDH NEEDS NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT
[POINTS OF Dr. DUR MUHAMMAD PATHAN’S LECTURE DELIVERED ON 20thOF APRIL, ORGANIZED BY IRTQA, KARACHI]
1. IS THIS OUR SINDH?
i) Targeted and sectariankillings.
ii) Daily acts of terrorism.
iii) Deterioration in law & order situation.
iv) Rapidly spreading anarchy
v) Indifference,
vi) Ruination of economy
vii) Unemployment and
viii) Unending illegalmigration.
ix) Polarized and divided province on parochial,
x) Ethnic considerations and affiliations.
xi) Absence of writ of the government/state).
2. LET US PEEP INTO HER PAST
i) Land of Sufis &Saints, Love & Peace
ii) Never attacked any country).
3. PRE-PARTITION SINDH
A) It was ethnically pureregion
B) Its cities were peaceful, though differences were in the fields of politics and religion, but never witnessed riots and violence.
C) Provided educational facilities to all-Example: Mir Ayub & Nawab Akbar Bugti got education)
D) Provided job opportunities to Punjabis -First principal of Sindh Madressah was Moulvi Umaruddin Punjabi-and Urdu speaking people -Most of ministers of Khairpur state were Urdu speaking- Poet of National Anthum- Hafiz Jalandhi was once court poet atKhairpur.
E) Never denied shelter to Punjabis, Pathans and Urdu speaking people,6.provided conducive conditions for promotion of Arabic, Persian, Urdu and other languages since centuries)
4. TODAY, THE GROUND REALITY IS THAT PEOPLE OFSINDH HAVE BEEN MADE PRISONERS OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ETHNICITY AND LANGUAGEAFFILIATION, RESULTING URBAN AREAS ARE LOOKING FORWARD FOR PEACE AND RULERAREAS ARE WAITING FOR PROGRESS. SINDH IS POLARIZED AND DIVIDED AND THROWNBEFORE WOLVES. THIS SITUATION IS NOT CREATED BY COMMON MEN, BUT UPPERCLASS.THEY EXPLOITED RELIGION, IDEOLOGY, CULTURE,LANGUAGE AND DIVIDED HEARTS& MINDS OF PEOPLE FOR THEIR VESTED INTERESTS. ‘DIVIDE & RULE; WASTHEORY AND POLICY OF THE BRITISH RULERS, BUT IT WAS TRANSLATED AND IMPLEMENTEDBY OUR UPPER/FEUDAL CLASS.
5. STRATEGY OF UPPER CLASS
i) Unplanned rehabilitation of Mohajreen: with intention to impose ethnicity on Sindh and convert Sindh is in minority. By Ghulam Muhammad and Muhammad Ali played key role in this regard,
ii) Punjab’s refusal ,not to accept more non- Punjabi Mohajreen, Sindh Government is dismissed on the plea that it is creating trouble in migration problem.
iii) Enlarging vote bank by Liaquat Ali Khan and later on the same policy is followed by others,
iv) Selection of Karachi as the capital,
v) Acquisition of Karachi,
vi) Over-representation in army and administration,
vii) subjective attitude of governments in power,
viii) Lack of democratic approach and spirit inearly political leadership,
ix) Usage of ethnic card for political motives.
x) Barrage lands used for converting Sindh is in minorties.
xi) Bills adopted and passed by Sindh Assembly challenged in streets,
xii) Actions against people in the name of ethnic and national movements,
xiii) Movements for division of Sindh.)
6. WHY OUT:
a) Reincarnation of Morrio to kill Manger Machh is needed,
b) New Social Contract for Sindh is to be redesigned by the people, for the people and by the people,
c) Concepts are to be cleared about ‘Class’ and ‘Ethnicity’,
d) More illegal migration is to be discouraged,
e) Discouraging of non-assimilating approaches and attitudes in various language or so-called ethnic groups
f) by virtue of drafting code of ethics,
g) Restoration of Sindh’s historical, constitutional, cultural, political and geographical rights and status.
