KARACHI: A protest rally organised by the Awami Tehreek on Sun­day over a host of issues rejected the federal government’s plan to conduct digital population census in the country and demanded that the provincial government impo­­se a ban on purchase of land by illegal immigrants.

The rally was attended by a large number of people including women, students, lawyers and writers.

Starting from Regal Chowk in Saddar, the rally culminated outside the Karachi Press Club where the AT leaders including Lal Jawar, Noor Ahmed Katiar, Hoorunissa Palijo, Advo­cate Sajid Husain Mahe­sar, Abdul Qadir Ranto, Subhani Dahiri, Dr Dildar Leghari, Atif Malah, Sajida Parhiyar, Advo­cate Idris Leghari, Haji Khan Samoo and others addressed the participants.

Several resolutions were also passed on the occasion.

They demanded provincial autonomy under the hist­oric 1940 Pakistan Res­ol­ution, and urged the Sin­dh government to pass legislation to impose a ban on sale/purchase of lands and plots by illegal immigrants in Sindh.

Rejecting the plan of digital census, the AT appre­hended that thro­ugh this exercise by ending the condition of the computerised natio­nal identity cards, hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants would be included in the population of Sindh that may render Sindhis into a ‘minority’ in their own province.

They also demanded that a resolution passed by the Sindh Assembly be withdrawn as it suggested giving powers to the federation to introduce legislation for investment and getting administrative powers, which was ‘equal to the One-Unit’ formula of the past’.

The AT leaders said a committee led by PPP leader Khurshid Shah for new provinces formed by the National Assembly speaker was a ‘conspiracy’ to divide Sindh and weaken the country and such a body should be immediately disbanded.

Another resolution urged the Sindh government to provide Rs5 million to each flood-hit family for construction of their homes. They asked the government to allot them plots in Karachi and Hyderabad.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2023