KARACHI: Workers of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz-Arisar (JSQM-A) and rights activists culminated their march outside the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, which began 19 days ago from Bhit Shah to protest against ‘enforced disappearances’ and various other issues.

Titled ‘Sindh March’, JSQM-A workers had marched a long way on their feet since Feb 14. They reached near Gora Qabristan from where they walked to the KPC where a public meeting was held which was also joined by representatives of various political and rights groups.

The participants chanted slogans in favour of their demands on top of which was the call for the release of all ‘missing Sindhi national political workers’ or their production in court of law.

They demanded the government take measures to stop further influx of illegal immigrants and expulsion of those “who came in Sindh after 1954”.

They rejected the 1991 water accord, saying it was against the interests of Sindh and said the allocation of Indus river water should be made on the basis of 1945 Sindh-Punjab agreement.

The gathering called for shunning religious extremism and special measures for protecting people of minority faiths, Hindu community in particular.

“All mineral and revenue resources of Sindh shall be owned by Sindh,” they declared, calling upon the government to accept Sindhi as a national language that should be implemented across Sindh’s ministries, judiciary and educational institutions run by public and private sectors.

The JSQM-A leaders said they believed in the activities which fell within the ambit of law of the land, hence they marched for their demands and in between their cadres observed hunger strikes as well, said Mr Marri.

Published in Dawn, March 5th, 2018