HYDERABAD: Calling for giving rights to all the “oppressed nations”, speakers said the masses would eventually emerge victorious in the long struggle made by Comrade Jam Saqi.

Left-wing leaders, lawyers, poets and writers paid rich tributes to the comrade at his third death anniversary organised here at the local press club by his family members. A book Fateh aakhir awam ji theendi was also launched at the programme on Friday.

Describing him as a courageous and brave leader, they said the politics of Saqi purely revolved around the masses and one needed to understand conditions of the era when the comrade launched his struggle.

Former student leader and lawyer Yousuf Laghari said the struggle and philosophy of Jam Saqi would continue because he had left behind so many followers. There was a ban on the freedom of expression when he was part of students’ struggle and he used to write slogans on the walls of villages to convey his message.

Laghari said he along with Saqi launched a struggle for Sindh at a time when it used to be considered a crime. He said Jam Saqi was a leader of international stature as far as the communist movement was concerned.

He said that those betraying workers and haris of Sindh should be exposed.

Former student leader Imdad Chandio said that Saqi and his friends played an important role for ethnic harmony in Sindh.

Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former student leader Gul Mohammad Jakhrani said the comrade represented workers, labourers and haris of entire Sindh and faced a trial in Shahi Qila Lahore. But he survived the torture, he said, adding that Comrade Saqi’s book would give clear understanding of the present situation.

Awami Workers Party Sindh president Dr Bakhshal Thalho said that comrade’s book must be read as a political document. The comrade always troubled rulers, he added.

Writer and poet Taj Joyo said Saqi’s book was quite relevant about the cases of torture of political activists in those days.

Barrister Zameer Ghumro said that every high-profile individual in the world faced criticism and Saqi was one of them. He said the comrade advocated the right to vote and devoted his life for people.

Sindh Hari Committee leader comrade Samar Jatoi said that philosophy of comrade Saqi and Hyder Bux Jatoi would remain alive.

Senior journalists Khalid Khokhar and Iqbal Mallah, writer Noor Ahmed Jhanjhi, comrade Nazeer Burhani, daughter-in-law of Saqi Ms Humera and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2021