MIRPURKHAS, Oct 17: A rally was taken out by the South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP) in collaboration with a local NGO Sami Samaj Sujag Sangat on Wednesday, demanding amendments to the Sindh Tenancy Act (STA), provision of basic facilities, pesticides and seeds to peasants at lower rates.

Participants led by Comrade Taju Bheel, Ishaque Sand, Khalid Mangrio, and Rashida Sand carried banners and placards demanding amendments in the Tenancy Act and provision of basic facilities to haris.

Taju Bheel said the feudalism came to an end in the middle of 19th century but the time-barred system still exists in Sindh with all its evils thus trapping peasants into it. He said it was high time the STA was amended and implemented.

He said this was the way Haris could get basic rights and opportunity to play their role in socio-economic development of Sindh.

Ishaque Sand Nasreen Qambrani, Khalid and Pardeep also spoke on the occasion.

Our Khairpur correspondent adds: A rally organised by the South Asia Partnership Pakistan and Peoples Organisation for Welfare and Awareness was taken out from the Court Building here on Wednesday demanding land reforms and attainment of peasants rights.

The rally was attended by representatives of social organisations, labour leaders and a large number of peasants who later gathered outside the press club.

Hari leader Amjad Lashari said that there were a few peasants who can read newspaper and keep themselves aware of their rights hence any strategy formulated to attain their rights should incorporate this element also.

He added the majority of peasants were unaware of such information for being uneducated. He said agricultural lands were not distributed among peasants but landlords were engaging peasants as labour on daily wages.

Labour leader Shahbaz Dino Phulpoto said the problems of labour and haris could only be solved if the present system was changed. The speakers demanded representation of haris in the elected houses.

Manzoor Larik, Zarina Jalbani, Fayaz Abbasi, Abdullah Langah and others also spoke on the occasion.