THATTA: Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) chairman Riaz Chandio said on Thursday that complete responsibility for the large number of deaths of children in drought-hit Thar rested with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and he, therefore, was liable to be prosecuted for such a criminal negligence.

A judiciary in paralysis, arbitrary Jirga system being run by landlords, massive corruption, extortion and civilian dictatorship in the garb of democracy had virtually put the province and its inhabitants on the path to disaster, he said.

He was addressing the party’s district congress and workers convention held at Makli here on Thursday.

Mr Chandio said that under canons of law and ethical values Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah was solely responsible for the loss of human lives in Thar.

He asked the audience whether they thought the chief minister should be prosecuted for such a criminal negligence and the people raised their hands in affirmation and thereby unanimously passed a resolution demanding registration of an FIR against the chief minister over deaths of children in Thar.

Mr Chandio said that thanks to bad governance Sindh had become a virtual shelter for Bangalis, Biharis, Burmis, Afghanis and a number of other aliens who had over the years strengthened their position in poultry farming, transport, shrimp and fish farming, construction and other trades at the expense of the indigenous population.

He said the survival of Sindh was at stake by the mushroom growth of madressahs being run by extremist clerics, sectarianism, Jirgas, police and civilian dictatorship of Zardari which was destroying the very existence of Sindh.

He advised people not to get carried away by meaningless slogans of civilian dictators including Mian Nawaz Sharif, Zardari and even Qadri and Imran Khan. He said that all these leaders had already failed to deliver and people should better not pin any hopes on them.

The daylong congress concluded with a number of resolutions passed unanimously including the one demanding registration of FIR against the chief minister.

The congress was largely attended by party activists, members of civil society and people of almost all walks of life. Besides party chief, vice chairman Nawaz Shah Bhadai, district president of the party Imran Khushik, divisional head Zahid Khushik and others also addressed the gathering.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2014