HYDERABAD: The Awami Tehreek (AT) on Thursday described handing over of Sindh’s land in the name of corporate farming and agriculture revolution to the federal government as an attack on the province’s s integrity.

A joint declaration adopted at a conference convened by the party at the local press club said that it was a process initiated to usurp lands and resources of Sindh unconstitutionally and illegally. It was the world’s first agriculture revolution from which local farmers and growers were excluded, it added.

Sindh’s 1.3m acres of land had been given for farming in Tando Mohammad Khan (1290 acres); Dadu’s Kachho area (67,651 acres); Johi (44651 acres); K N Shah (23,000 acres); Thatta (123 acres); Sujawal (13,700 acres); Jati (6,900 acres); Shah Bandar (6,800 acres); Badin (528 acres); Golarchi (2, 941 acres); Matli (299 acres); Tando Bago (224 acres); Talhar (67 acres); Tharparkar (10,000 acres). These lands fall in Hyderabad division while over 0.3m acres were given in Benazirabad, Sanghar, Khairpur, Achro Thar, Sukkur and other areas.

Initially, 52,713 acres in Sindh and thousands of acres in other provinces were handed over to the companies aligned with Green Pakistan Initiative Private Ltd and other firms. That decision was illegal, unconstitutional and immoral, the declaration said.

Some resolutions adopted in the conference called for an end to the occupation of Sindh’s lands and withdrawal of decision of handing over land for corporate farming to powerful institutions.

Earlier, AT president Lal Jarwar said Sindh needed to organise and unite itself, and warned that the occupation of land would not be accepted. He said the PPP should be held accountable for its 15-year rule.

He said the Sindh’s lands had been occupied through Bahria Town, DHA, Zulfikarabad and other schemes. Those lands should be handed over to the affected people and those responsible for it should be brought to justice, he added.

Analyst Jami Chandio said the land would be handed over to multinational companies and not to any state entity.

Prof Mushtaq Mirani believed it was all being done by the establishment to occupy Sindh and said that under Article 142(3), the federal government could not make any legislation for the land, therefore, it was illegal.

Former student leader and intellectual Masood Noorani said that as long as jagirdari remained intact, things would remain unchanged.

Awami Workers Party federal secretary Dr Bakhshal Thallu, Awami Jamhori Party president Lal Shah, AT leader Qadir Ranto, Siraikistan Qaumi Ittehad leader Ghulam Farid Korejo and others also spoke.

Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023