HYDERABAD: Parti-cipants of the ‘Sindh Bahali March’ — launched by the Sindh United Party (SUP) — stopped over in Hyderabad city on Tuesday before embarking on a journey for its ultimate destination, Karachi.

After marching on some of the main arteries of the city, they reached Hyder Chowk where the march leaders delivered speeches.

Leaders and activists of the Pakistan Muslim League-Functional (PML-F) and Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) welcomed and garlanded SUP leaders at the city gate hotel point wherefrom they passed through Hirabad, Tilak incline, Lajpat road and via Risala road reached Hyder Chowk.

SUP’s president Syed Zain Shah was admitted to hospital as he was facing serious health issues when he reached Sakrand from Sukkur. He was admitted in Nawasbhah first and then shifted to Karachi where his condition was stated to be stable now.

SUP chairman Syed Jalal Shah was also facing health issues, according to party leader Roshan Burrio.

Addressing the protesters, Roshan Buriro accused the ‘Zardari League’ of destroying Sindh economically. People of Sindh were now well aware of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), he said. Those rulers had drowned Sindh for the second time, he said, adding that over 20 million people remained displaced in floods while poverty and unemployment rendered people psychologically unstable.

He said the rulers were moving around the world with a begging bowl. Those who contested polls against PPP leaders were implicated in false cases. It was done to terrorise and intimidate people. A conspiracy was being hatched to convert Sindhi into minority through digital census, he said and termed it a fraud with people.

He alleged that new parliamentary committees were formed to divide Sindh and legislation was done in Sindh Assembly to hand over resources to the federation. The PPP wanted to sell Sindh, he said and asked the Peoples Party to remember that the ‘marchers’ were their real saviour of Sindh.

He said people needed clean drinking water, jobs health facilities and people know that Sindh’s rulers were looting the province after getting NRO.

SUP vice president Jagdesh Ahuja said Sindh wanted people-friendly politics. He said the PPP did not represent Sindh and the PDM thought that Sindh was in the pocket of Zardari.

SUP leader Ameer Azad Panhwar said the rulers must understand that people had started saying ‘no’ to them. He said the masses were fed up with the rulers who could not keep people on false hopes and the promises like money thorough the Benazir Income Support Programme and subsidised ‘flour bags’ now no longer attracted them.

Youths were picked up and their whereabouts remained unknown, he said, observing that Sindh’s geography and resources were insecure.

PML-F Sindh vice president Syed Ismail Shah Rashdi said that price hike had become unending. He held the PPP responsible for what had been done with Sindh in last 15 years.

Accusing the PPP government of stomaching funds for flood affected people, he said the province was still drowning. The rulers were holding census while people were unable to have two square meals a day. SUP secretary general Ameer Ali Thebo said that in fact the ‘Zardari League’ in the garb of the PPP was occupying Sindh for last 15 years.

GDA secretary general Dr Safdar Abbasi said Syed Zain Shah had caused ripples in political circles by launching that long march.

PML-F general secretary Sindh Sardar Rahim claimed that the long march would be accorded a warm welcome in Karachi. He said the SUP had already joined the GDA.

JSQM-B leader Dr Niaz Kalani said the Urdu speaking community must understand that Afghanis were a threat not only to Sindhis, but also to them (Urdu speakers); therefore, the latter should also raise voice for their expulsion from the province.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2023