KARACHI: Govt urged to recognize rights of provinces
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, March 23: Speakers at a seminar here on Thursday stressed the need of recognizing the sovereign rights of provinces and people’s right of self-determination to save the country from the current crisis. The speakers were of the view that Pakistan being a multi-nation state, comprising people with diverse culture, language and historical background came into existence as a result of an accord among sovereign units.
They said the 1940 Resolution or its amended resolution of 1946 had clearly recognized Pakistan as a federation, comprising autonomous units which shall be sovereign.
The speakers argued that though the original concept of the state structure was confederal one, it was distorted later on and an idea of federation was introduced and promoted. It was then followed by concept of a strong centre paving the way of autocracy and military rules.
They accused the successive rulers of the country of trampling all constitutions and depriving the provinces of their basic national right which led to the dismemberment of the country in 1971.
Entitled “1940 Resolution and Sovereign Sindh”, the seminar was organized by Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) at PMA House. JSM chairman Abdul Khalique Junejo chaired the meeting which was addressed by columnist M B Naqvi, writer Muslim Shamim, Rochi Ram, Secretary-General of National Workers Party Yusuf Mustikhan, Noorudin Sarki and others.
Opening the seminar, JSM chief Abdul Khalique Junejo briefed the audience about the historical background of the 1940 resolution or of 1946 and slammed the rulers for bypassing these resolutions and giving a new interpretation and initiating a debate on use of term “states” or state, thereby killing its real spirit.
However, the JSM leader pointed out from documents that the idea of “autonomous units” being sovereign had been inserted in both the resolutions.
He said the rulers had not only killed the spirit of 1940 Resolution, they had also trampled all constitutions, including 1956 and 1973 constitutions, despite the fact these did not guarantee adequate autonomy to provinces.
Junejo argued that Pakistan was the creation of sovereign units who joined the federation by mutual consent and it could only survive if rulers accept the provinces’ rights to self-determination.
M B Naqvi said no federation could run without democracy, saying in a democratic order, it is people who exercise sovereignty. He was of the view that people have their right to promote culture and language.
He said the idea of strong centre was the brain-child of civil bureaucracy which was later adopted by military rulers.
Mr Naqvi maintained that both the civil and military bureaucracy introduced the idea of Muslim nationhood to perpetuate their rule and thus undermining the growth of democracy.
Secretary-General of National Workers Party Yusuf Mustikhan called for a new social contract among the people of federating units as the existing state system failed to deliver the goods.
He traced the political history of Pakistan and accused the rulers of not fulfilling pledges made to the people of federating units, including Balochistan.
He criticized the role of the Musharaf government, and claimed that it was serving the interests of the US imperialism in the region.
The seminar was also addressed by Muslim Shamim, Rochi Ram and Noorudin Sarki. They stressed the need for recognizing the rights of provinces, saying without guaranteeing rights to provinces, the federation could not run.
