THATTA: A new nationalist political party by the name of ‘Jiye Sindh Qaumi Party’ was launched after merging Jiye Sindh Liberal Front (JSLF) and Qaumparast Jhadojhad Committee at a convention of the two outfits held here on Monday.

Nawaz Khan Zaur, head of former JSLF who was made chairman of the newly created JSQP, told Dawn that the merger of the two parties was necessary to wage a strong struggle for Sindh’s interests in the face of step-motherly attitude of the federal government towards smaller federating units, particularly Sindh.

He said that central bodies would serve for two years and strategize the struggle with consensus for the restoration of legitimate rights of Sindh. Besides him as chairman, Mohammad Ali Khushik, Turab Jatoi, Farid Rater, Aashiq Odhano, Dodo Siyal, Hajan Shar and Abdullah Merani were elected senior vice chairman, vice chairmen, general secretary, deputy secretary and joint secretary, respectively, and others elected to central body, he said.

He said the convention rejected all proposed water projects on the Indus river and termed them as anti-Sindh. Bhasha dam, Sindh Canal, Sindh barrage and Thal Canal Phase II and III were against the interests of Sindh as they would turn fertile lands barren, he said.

He said the convention observed that building of new “controversial” water projects on the Indus would ultimately ruin entire Sindh.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2020