KARACHI, Jan 31: Speakers at a function held to mark the 103rd birth anniversary of the founder of Jeay Sindh Movement, late GM Syed, have called for a new social contract among the federating units of the country. The late Syed had devoted his life to the cause of oppressed nationalities and rights of Sindh, they said.

They accused successive rulers of the country of trampling the rule of constitution, democracy and subjugating the smaller units, which they argued once enjoyed sovereign status.

They maintained that since rulers had violated all constitutional accords including the 1940 Resolution and the 1973 constitution, the federating units had now a right to demand a fresh mandate to decide their future.

The event was organized by the Jeay Sindh Mahaz in Lyari Town, which was presided over by its chairman, Abdul Khalique Junejo. Those who spoke included the Secretary General of National Workers Party, Yusuf Mustikhan, JSM’s Secretary General Hashim Khoso, Amanuallah Sheikh, Jamiat-i-Ulema Sindh’s Maulana Obaidullah Bhutto, Mumtaz Meher, comrade Roachiram and others.

The speakers paid great tributes to the veteran Sindhi nationalist leader and described him as a great political thinker who had fought all his life for the emancipation of the Sindhi people.

They said he was a symbol of all the finest qualities attributed to the land of Sindh and its culture, peace, freedom and humanism.

Highlighting Syed’s role in Sindh’s politics, they said he had never comprised on principles and valiantly fought against despotic regimes in the country to achieve Sindh’s rights.

They pointed out that the late Syed had a clear vision that Sindh could not achieve its national rights under the present state system based on the hegemony of Punjab through military establishment.

Most of the speakers also slammed the ongoing military operation in Balochistan and termed it an attempt on the part of the military establishment to capture resources including oil and gas in the province.

They vehemently condemned the rulers for pursuing the global agenda of US imperialism of controlling smaller nations so that their natural resources could be exploited in the name of development.

Yusuf Mustikhan said the best way to pay tributes to Mr Syed was to continue struggle against tyranny by uniting all democratic and nationalist forces on a single forum.

The NWP leader vehemently condemned the Musharraf government for behaving as an imperial ruler and using force against its people.

He said the ongoing military operation in Balochistan was being carried out at the behest of the US government.

Amanullah Sheikh, a founder of the Jeay Sindh Movement and a close associate of the GM Syed advocated a new social contract among the federating units, saying that Pakistan’s rulers had crushed all constitutional accords and were ruling the country with brute.

Mr Sheikh was of the view that this system could no longer work as the geo-political changes in South Asia were taking place very quickly and it was now evident that no nation could be enslaved by force.

He said rulers must now recognize the sovereign rights of nationalities by entering a new social contract.

The JUI leader, Obaidullah Bhutto, condemned the feudal leadership of Sindh for betraying the Sindhi people. He called upon the democratic and progressive forces of the country to raise their voices against the injustice being done with women folk in Sindh in the name of karo-kari.

In his concluding speech, JSM Chief Abdul Khalique Junejo paid tributes to the late GM Syed for his revolutionary thinking and vision.

He stressed the need for changing the repressive character of the state, which he said was based on the hegemony of Punjab and exploitation of smaller nation units.

He said: “This system will not be acceptable to Sindhi, Baloch, Pakhtoons and Seraikis as it is based on the exploitation of their resources.”

The JSM leader further said it had been proved that the army was the sole custodian of power and Punjab is the main beneficiary.

A number of resolutions were also adopted in the meeting demanding for recognizing Pakistan as a multi-nations state, scrapping Kalabagh and Greater Thal canal projects, opposing military operation in Balochistan and recognizing the rights of Sindhis over their water sources.