12 September 2004	Sunday	26 Rajab 1425

HYDERABAD, Sept 11: The Sindh Tarraqi Pasand Party has condemned a Sindh Assembly resolution calling for issuing Computrized National Identity Cards to the immigrants, terming it a conspiracy to convert the indigenous population into a minority.

A meeting of the party's central committee held here on Friday observed that five million Biharis and Bengalis and people from other countries were living in Karachi and if they were issued identity cards, their numerical strength would far exceed Sindhis.

It criticized the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal for supporting the resolution, saying notwithstanding political differences between the two parties, they were united on racial and ethnic issues. The MQM's claim that it was a friend of Sindh was a hoax, it observed.

The meeting said the Sindhi nation would not forgive MPAs who had voted for the resolution.

It resolved to hold a seminar in Karachi on Sept 25 on the issue of settlement of outsiders in Sindh.

It also criticized frequent statements of President Gen Pervez Musharraf on the Kalabagh dam issue and said people of Sindh would not allow construction of dams on the River Indus.

The STPP warned that if the construction of the Kalabagh dam was started, the rulers would be responsible for ensuing consequences.

It maintained that Sindh alone had a right over its natural resources and condemned alleged usurpation of these resources by Punjab, the Centre and multinational companies. It demanded that income generated from natural resources of Sindh should be spent on development of the province.

Condemning the army operation in Balochistan, it demanded that the operation should be stopped forthwith, cases against nationalist leaders of the province be withdrawn and arrested leaders and political activists be released.