SUKKUR, May 6: The biggest ever procession of its kind with a large number
of women (Sindhiani Tahreek) activists was taken out on Saturday from the
Sukkur Bypass in protest against anti-Sindh water projects, demolition of
Sindhi localities in Karachi and other cities. The procession, which
converted into a big rally after reaching at Clock Tower, was organized by
the Anti-Thall Canal Action Committee.
PPP leaders Qaim Ali Shah, Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bux Palijo, Nisar
Khuhro and Khurshid Ahmed Shah, STPP chief Dr Qadir Magsi, SNF leader Gul
Mohammad Jakhrani, MMA leader Asadullah Bhutto and PML-N leader Saleem Zia
led the protesters. Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the Anti-Thal Canal
Action Committee rejected all dams over the Indus River.
They demanded that the government should abandon all anti-Sindh projects
forever and stop bulldozing Sindhi localities in Karachi, Hyderabad and
Sukkur.
They said that if the dispossession of Sindhis did not stop, they would
march on Islamabad and stage a sit-in there that would continue till the end
of the government. They said that thousands of people, including women and
children, have gathered in this sizzling heat to tell Gen Musharraf that the
Sindhi nation was against the construction of any dam over the Indus River.
They said that the biggest public meeting of its kind was self evident in
this particular regard. They said that the people of Sindh were being
supplied with contaminated water and Gen Musharraf was talking about
constructing more dams. Warning the general, they asked him not to test the
limits of the people of Sindh and keep in mind what happened to Gen Yahya
Khan and Gen Zia.
They said that they were trying to convince the general politically to
refrain from his negative policies but if he continued then the people of
Sindh would launch strong movement against him which would last till his
ouster. They said that Gen Musharraf had nothing to do with the hardships of
the people and he rather was interested in perpetuating his power. They said
that Gen Musharraf wanted to make the people of Punjab happy to save his
power while bringing people of Pakistan to fight each other.
Terming the MQM as a terrorist group, the leaders said that it was not a
political party but a blackmailers’ group. They said that the Muttahida had
now converted into Musharraf Qaumi Movement (MQM) and was terrorizing
Sindhis. They said that the MQM celebrated Latif Day in Khairpur and
ironically instead of inscribing poetry of Shah Latif on banners, they had
painted MQM flags here and there and even historical places had not been
spared. They said that the MQM was established and armed by Gen Zia because
Sindhis had opposed him from the year 1984 to 88.
Strongly condemning the bulldozing of Sikandar Goth in Karachi, the leaders
alleged that the MQM was behind bulldozing of old Sindhi localities in
Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur to convert Sindhis into a minority. They said
that Pakistan did not belong to the generals and it belonged to Benazir
Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. They said that Sindhis would repeat the example of
Nepal if the rulers did not step down.
Opposing all dams the leaders said that all those including the federal
minister of water and power and others were traitors of Sindh as they were
supporting the Kalabagh dam and other anti-Sindh projects. They asked all
parliamentarians of Pakistan and MPAs of all the four provincial assemblies
to fight against the Kalabagh dam and other anti-Sindh projects not only in
parliament and the Senate but also come forward and express their solidarity
with Sindhis who were against these projects. At the end of the public
meeting, several resolutions were adopted against the Kalabagh dam and other
water projects over the Indus River and against bulldozing of Sindhi
localities in Karachi, Hyderabad and Sukkur.