THE people of Sindh have welcomed the recent understanding achieved between the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the main faction of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM-P) to live together and collectively work for the people of the province regardless of the urban-rural divide.

Even though this is not the first time the two parties have arrived at such an understanding, people are hoping that the two parties will strictly adhere to the spirit of the understanding and work for the betterment of the province.

As things stand, Sindh is seriously suffering from overpopulation which is the root cause of many ills that are afflicting life across the province. This over-population is the result of internal migration from the other provinces as well as millions of refugees who cross the border into Pakistan from various directions and then move straight to urban centres in Sindh in search of livelihood.

This livelihood to both internal and external migrants comes at the cost of the local inhabitants who stand deprived of employment opportunities. Federal government departments and autonomous organisations discriminate on the basis of domicile-based quota system, while the larger corporate sector and private-sector industries have no preference for the local talent.

As a result, from the lowest rung to the highest level of employment, one finds non-locals snatching away livelihood from those who logically have the first right to such opportunities.

Of course, Article 25 of the Constitution guarantees unhindered movement from one province to another, but there is also Article 9 which prohibits movement at such a massive scale that may adversely affect the security of the people of that province.

When the right to livelihood is snatched, it naturally affects the right to life, which, in turn, is a threat to the security of the people of Sindh. The provincial resources are under intense pressure and that is affecting the right to life as guaranteed under Articles 4 and 9 of the Constitution.

The recent understanding reached between the PPP and the MQM-P should encourage the two major parties repre-senting the people of the province across the divide, to carve out a plan to ensure security and livelihood for the people of Sindh so that they may not become minority in any manner in their own province.

Mansoor ul Haque Solangi
Karachi

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2022