KARACHI: The Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz (JSM-R) on Sunday held a demonstration outside the Sindh Assembly against alleged settlement of ‘outsiders’ in Sindh, unemployment and other issues.

JSM-R chairman Riaz Ali Chandio submitted a memorandum to the staff of assembly’s secretariat.

It urged the speaker and legislators to adopt a legislation that could stop any move to settle outsiders on Sindh’s islands.

“There must be availability of jobs for millions of jobless Sindhi people,” it added.

The protesters also called for legislation to prevent ‘outsider’ national as well as multinational companies from buying lands in the province.

They demanded an end to government and non-governmental occupation of Sindh’s forests, and called for afforestation for improvement of Sindh’s ecosystem.

The JSM-R urged the government to immediately lift the ban on student unions.

“A better educational environment should be provided to students. Occupation of hostels by security forces should be ended and all hostels should be open for students,” it said.

The party demanded immediate release of all victims of “enforced disappearance”, saying that due process was the fundamental right of everyone. This missing persons ‘scenario’ should be stopped. The lawlessness and slaughter and abduction of innocent people by the Sindh police and trend of extrajudicial killings must be curbed at once, it added.

The memorandum also pointed out that the deputy commissioner of Sujawal district had recently issued a letter stating that a survey had been conducted for the “permanent residence of Kashmiris in Sindh”.

The party reminded the speaker of the Sindh Assembly that this decision was against the interests of Sindhis.

It was suggested that the assembly should play an important role in order to prevent the settlement of these people.

MIRPURKHAS: Scores of workers and office-bearers of different nationalist and social organisations under the banner of the Sindh Progressive Committee held a demonstration in Mirpurkhas on Sunday to protest alleged conspiracy to allow outsiders to permanently reside in Sindh.

Led by Zahoor Leghari and Radha Bheel, the protesters blamed the Sindh government for allowing Burmese, Bengalis, Bihari, Afghans and other “outsiders” to get permanent residence in Sindh instead of issuing them a permit.

They said that a permit should be issued to the outsiders who came here for education and business purposes.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2021