THATTA: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) Sindh secretary general Maulana Rashid Mehmood Soomro on Tuesday visited the bereaved family of Nazim Jokhio to offer his condolences over his death. Jokhio was tortured to death allegedly by henchmen of an MPA in Malir district on November 3 after he physically resisted hunting of houbara bustard by the lawmaker’s Arab guests in his Achar Salaar village.

Speaking to the media during his visit, Maulana Soomro criticised Sindh Governor Imran Ismail for defending hunting of birds in his recent statement. The governor had justified issuance of hunting permits by saying that foreign hunters’ visits to game fields in the country brought prosperity to local people.

The JUI-F leader also condemned highhandedness of feudal lords in Sindh who, he said, wielded influence due to their association with the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party. “There has been an alarming rise in incidents of brutal murders, highhandedness, coercion and other such acts involving feudal lords in the province,” he said, adding that association of such elements with the PPP was a challenge to the ruling party.

Governor criticised for defending houbara bustard hunting by foreigners

“The entire world opposes bird hunting but Pakistan’s government sticks to its illogical stand and continues to defend issuance of such permits,” the Maulana said.

Maulana Soomro urged civil society organisations to raise their voice against feudalism and join hands with the victims of brutality to ensure justice to them.

JUI-F’s Thatta district leaders Maulana Abdul Wahab Baloch, Maulana Ahmed Soomro, Maulana Saleem Atif and senior activists from Karachi’s Malir district accompanied Maulana Rashid Soomro.

Latif Palijo for end to feudalism

Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) president Ayaz Latif Palijo has strongly condemned increasing incidents of murders and inhuman excesses against ordinary people by feudal lords and their henchmen in Sindh.

Speaking at a candlelight vigil for Nazim Jokhio held at the local press club on Tuesday, Mr Palijo said that feudal system was bound to collapse and the countdown had now begun with the murder of Nazim Jokhio.

“This crumbling feudal system in Sindh is using crutches of Sindh government to survive, but it’s now bound to collapse ... the inhuman treatment meted out to Jokhio to kill him heralds an end to the system,” he remarked.

“The crusade against feudalism launched by veteran nationalist leader Saen G,M. Syed and Rasool Bux Palijo and other such leading personalities in Sindh decades ago is now set to produce results ... the anti-feudalism sentiments have gripped the entire province and this will ultimately bring about a change in socio-political scenario in Sindh,” he said.

He noted that incidents of brutalities with innocent poor people by waderas had registered an alarming rise and people had stood up against their political patrons. “These waderas have established a state within a state,” he observed, and deplored that their patrons were plundering the exchequer after coming to power with the votes of the poor.

Mr Palijo criticised the PPP government for not providing security to the bereaved family of Jokhio and not even suspending its lawmakers allegedly involved in the whole episode.

He said nationalist parties should accelerate their struggle against feudalism in order to ensure all constitutional rights of the poor haris and other citizens.

Sindh Taraqqi-Pasand Party leader Syed Jalal Shah, Porhiyat Mazahmat activist Aijaz Jakhro, Nazir Ahmed Jakhro, Iqbal Jakhro, Faqir Akram Manganhar and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2021