KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar commemorating politician Allah Bakhsh Soomro’s 73rd death anniversary on Saturday discussed federal system, provincial autonomy, water distribution controversies and fiscal plight of smaller provinces, Sindh in particular.

He was Sindh’s most popular politician in the twilight of the British Raj, who renounced British honours protesting against Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s accusations against Indian politicians that eventually cost him the highest seat in the province and his own life a few months later.

“Unlike today when rich inheritance is the key to prosper in politics, Soomro was a politician who reached the highest echelon for his ability; he hadn’t made money because of politics as many here now do and he paid a price by sacrificing his life to a cause now people hardly find,” said Madad Ali Sindhi, an intellectual of high calibre, in his keynote speech at the seminar organised by the Sindhu Sabhita Sath (Friends of Indus Civilisation) at the Arts Council of Pakistan.

He endorsed the speakers’ observations that fewer politicians in the subcontinent had manifested an instant charisma to attain the zenith in one’s field and vanish abruptly by leaving a lasting impact, which still reverberated and inspired generations — Allah Bakhsh Soomro was one of them.

“Unfortunately, his tenure remained short both of times when he became Sindh’s premier, but he did a lot of better things for his people,” said Mr Sindhi.

The speakers said the press once asked Allah Bakhsh Soomro whether he wanted to extend the hand of friendship to the Nazis and Fascists, he had replied: “I believe in two things — to defeat British imperialism and fight against Nazism and Fascism at the same time. It is my birthright to fight against both evils.”

They said on October 10, Governor Sir Hugh Dow sent a letter to the premier intimating him that he had lost confidence and thus was dismissed from office. The governor had such powers under the Government of India Act 1935.

“He was too naïve a politician. He did not protest against his sacking and promptly headed to Shikarpur to resume a low-key living for the next seven months before he had been assassinated,” said Barrister Umer Soomro, his grandson.

Barrister Soomro said despite facing instability in his ministry and violent events during his tenure Allah Bakhsh Soomro kept his family intact and, to a larger extent, inspired generations.

Speakers said Soomro was the greatest statesman this region had ever produced and for nationalists as great as the late G. M. Syed, Soomro was the greatest nationalist of them all.

Barrister Soomro said he was just 43 when he had been assassinated on a horse-drawn carriage in a village of Shikarpur in a violent attack. He spent just six years of active politics that earned him the first leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly and made him twice premier of the province before he had been sacked by the British governor.

Prof K. S. Nagpal said in the time of distrust and doubt, Sindh needed a leader like late Soomro.

The audience was informed about late Syed’s words that he had uttered once saying, “Today he (Soomro) is sleeping in his grave in the Panjpir graveyard. We can’t say whether he would be laughing at our condition or weeping”.

Khadim Hussain Soomro, head of the Sindhu Sabhita Sath, said late Soomro presaged the future that he pronounced in 1940 conference of nationalist Muslims in Delhi and later to late Syed privately when the latter invited him to join the Muslim League. He met Mohammed Ali Jinnah many times, but never deviated from his stance a bit.

“He remained stick to his own version of politics, which based on secularism and provincial autonomy. He was neither a leaguer nor a congressman,” he said.

Poet Adal Soomro also spoke.

Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2016