THIS is apropos the letter ‘Karachi and Sindh’ (Sept 1) by Qazi Akhtar Sindhi. The author takes umbrage at an article in Dawn’s Metro South (Aug 12) where the expression ‘Karachi and Sindh’ was used.

He says: “this expression misrepresents the historical sanctity of Sindh; it amounts to injustice to the Constitution; it violates provincial autonomy and the rule of law; it is misleading and unforgivable. The geography of Sindh is thousands of years old and the expression disunites Sindh in particular and the nation as a whole.”

The Indus valley civilisation, no doubt, has been populated and ruled for thousands of years, but it was the British who established the borders of present-day Sindh in 1937 and made Karachi its capital. It remained so for 10 years, up to 1947.

In 1947, the Quaid-i-Azam made Karachi a separate entity and designated it as the capital of Pakistan. He felt Karachi could hold our diverse provinces together. He was not disappointed.

Karachi was always represented and owned by all the provinces in Pakistan and the near vicinity. Every religion and creed was preached and practised here. All its residents were glued together by the work ethic and merit – nothing else.

After the Quaid-i-Azam, despotic leaders, both military and civilian, took the helm; the Quaid-i-Azam was overruled. The capital was moved from Karachi and the people of Sindh were divided.

Sindh Assembly is the only one in Pakistan with two languages. Sindh is the only province in Pakistan where a separate provincial job quota is imposed for rural Sindhis and urban Sindhis. Merit stands discarded. Sindh is divided.

Remove these anomalies and no one will ever say ‘Karachi and Sindh’.

S. Afaq Rizvi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2018