HYDERABAD, Feb 8: The National Finance Commission award should be based on revenue generation, poverty and backwardness and not on population. This was demanded by the Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party at a meeting held here on Saturday.

Rejecting a recent proposal of the distribution of divisible pool between the federation and the federating units, the meeting demanded that the provinces should be given 60 per cent share. It opposed the opening of Khokhrapar border, arguing that it would prove harmful for Sindh under the prevailing circumstances.

The meeting, presided over by Dr Qadir Magsi, demanded that before the opening of the route, 3.5 million illegal immigrants should be sent to their respective countries and steps should be taken to stop influx of outsiders into Sindh.

The central committee meeting observed that 3.5 million illegal immigrants, including Afghans, Bangladeshis, Burmis and others, were living in Sindh and continuous influx of people from other provinces had all but converted the indigenous population into a minority.

Under these circumstances, the meeting noted, the opening of Khokhrapar route would be tantamount to opening the flood gate for outsiders. The participants were of the view that the proposal to open the Khokhrapar route was a conspiracy against Sindh.

They demanded that the natural right of Sindhis to rule over themselves should be restored, immigration laws should be strictly implemented, the 1940 resolution should be enforced in letter and spirit and no outsider should be allowed to cast vote in any election.

The meeting condemned the inordinate delay in the announcement of the National Finance Commission award and termed the non-acceptance of the formula presented by Sindh, Balochitan and the NWFP as a conspiracy against the smaller provinces.

It appealed to the Sindhi people to participate in the protest rally against Greater Thal Canal and Kalabagh dam scheduled to be held in Karachi on Feb 10 under the banner of Anti-Greater Thal Canal committee.