• Attendees at celebrations in Karachi, other parts of Sindh, vow to protect Indus River at all cost

KARACHI: Sindhi Culture Day was on Sunday celebrated in the metropolis and all other districts and smaller towns of the province with traditional fervour amid strict security.

This year, participants of the cultural event were politically charged as they vowed to resist the federal government’s controversial plan to dig six additional canals on the River Indus.

Setting aside their political differences for a day, the participants unanimously pledged to protect the Indus River at any cost.

In Karachi, a very large number of people, including women and children, thronged the Karachi Press Club (KPC) Chowk and adjoining streets from different parts of the city to join annual celebrations.

The main event held in front of the KPC was organised by different Sindhi language TV channels. Wearing Ajrak and Sindhi topi, a large number of people arrived there in the form of small rallies.

Jubilant youth were seen dancing to the tunes of the iconic Jiye Sindh jiye Sindh wara jiyan Sindhi topi Ajrak wara jiyan song and others.

A cultural show was also held in front of the KPC in which famous artists including Deeba Saher, Tufail Sanjrani, Ahmed Mughal, Taj Mastani, Arshad Mehmood, Asif Siyal and others performed.

Speakers reject six-canal project

The organisers of the annual event said that this year’s theme was against proposed construction of canals on the Indus by the federal government.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah said that Pakistan Peoples Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari had taken a clear stand about construction of canals on the Indus.

He declared that the PPP would resist any such move by the federal government.

He said that the culture department would also organise and support similar cultural events in educational institutions in every district of the province.

The minister also shared the government’s plan to digitalise poetry of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai and other poets.

Sindh Taraqi-pasand Party (STP) leader Gulzar Soomro said on the occasion that the Sindhi culture was closely linked with the Indus River. He said that there would be no Sindhi culture if the river was deprived of water.

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) leader Illahi Bux Bikak alleged that Sindh had already been deprived of its own natural resources, like gas and oil, and now the Centre was trying to snatch the province’s water. He declared that the people of Sindh would resist any such scheme.

Bakshan Mehranvi, Imtiaz Leghari, Zafar Jiskani, Irfan Shaikh, Aslam Hyder Solangi, Saqib Abro, Mushtaq Sarki and others also spoke.

They said that although it was a day of Sindhi culture celebration, it was also a day to make a promise that “we will protect the Indus”.

Police celebrate Culture Day

In addition to the main programme, the Sindhi Culture Day was also celebrated in many city localities and government offices.

The Sindh police organised a programme at the Central Police Office to mark the day.

Speaking on the occasion, Inspector General of Police Ghulam Nabi Memon said that ‘peace, tolerance and hospitality’ were the cultural identities of Sindh.

He said Sindh had not only provided shelter to the people from all other provinces but other countries as well.

The IGP said that efforts were underway to bring considerable improvement in the overall thana culture.

However, he opined that without education, it was not possible to accomplish any good deed.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2024