HYDERABAD, March 28: Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi has reiterated his party’s opposition to the opening of the Khokhrapar-Munabao border and described it as a conspiracy to settle outsiders in the province. He asked Sindhis to prepare themselves for a struggle for salvation of the province because, he alleged, there were plans to divide the province.

He was speaking at a gathering at the Mehran ground in Qasimabad to mark the 15th “motherland day” on Sunday.

Dr Magsi said Sindh was passing through a critical phase of its history and conspiracies were afoot to divide the province.

He said the STPP had opposed division of Hyderabad which had been the centre of Sindh’s politics for past eight years.

He criticised people who had organized an MQM gathering at the Nasim Nagar chowk to ”get jobs of watchmen and peons in the district government.”

He maintained that due to small representation of Sindhis in assemblies and the Senate, bills were being tabled for issuing NICs to illegal immigrants. He regretted that outsiders were thriving on resources of Sindh while the same were not available to indigenous people.

“We do not need a type of development which is not for us,” he said.

The STPP chief said the opening of the Khokhrapar route would lead to influx of Indians into Sindh.

He urged Sindhis to be ready for sacrifices because it was direly needed, adding that sacrifices given after the time was lost were of no use. “Once we lose our land we will not be able to get it back and sacrifices by our men and women will be useless,” Dr Magsi said and took a pledge from the audience that they would fight for Sindh, for its salvation, and the battle would be staged in the streets of Karachi.

He called upon political parties to pledge to people that they would not accept the role of army and intelligence agencies in politics and that party defectors would not be taken back.

He said people’s problems could be resolved only when provincial autonomy was ensured.

Alliance for Restoration of Democracy’s Sindh chapter president Zain Ansari observed that democracy had not flourished in the country because of successive military regimes.

He said that three provinces had opposed the Kalabagh dam project yet the president was insisting on construction of dams, including Kalabagh. He accused the government of taking the country to a precipice.

Awami National Party leader Shahi Syed alleged that the oppressed nations had been subjected to excesses.

He urged people to raise their voice for their rights, otherwise they would not be treated as equal citizens.

Sindh National Front secretary-general Gul Mohammad Jakhrani said the 1940 resolution called for sovereignty of states but it had not happened. As a result the country had been witnessing successive martial laws.

He said that today, conditions were worse than in 1970 and people were being subjected to excesses for demanding their rights. He called for unity among pro-Sindh forces.

Pakistan People’s Party leader Maula Bux Chandio said conspiracies had increased over the last several years against Sindh and the River Indus and added that a joint struggle by political and nationalist parties was needed. He said the ongoing struggle had forced the government to retreat on the Kalabagh dam issue.

He said Karachi was being made a no-go area for the people of interior of Sindh who were not able to get jobs in the city.

Seraikistan Qaumi Movement leader Hameed Asghar Shaheen criticised MQM chief Altaf Hussain for talking only against feudal lords and not against army generals who, he claimed, supported the feudal system. He alleged that Mr Hussain was working against the interest of Sindhi and Seraiki people.

Seraiki National Party chief Abdul Majeed Kanjo called upon people to fight for rights of the oppressed nations.

Madar-i-Watan awards were presented to former director of Sindh Museum, Zafar Kazmi (culture), former health services director general Dr Sajjan Memon (health) and Ustad Abdul Ghafoor (music).

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