KARACHI: Politicians, intellectuals and activists on Sunday gathered outside the Karachi Press Club to protest against a recent statement by a federal minister suggesting the federal government’s plans to take control of Sindh’s teeming capital.
In their speeches, they rejected the plan to hand over Karachi to the federation’s control, terming it “part of the old designs to divide Sindh”.
Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz chairman Sannan Qureshi, Awami National Party Sindh general secretary Younus Buneri, Noorul Huda Shah, Akash Ansari, Punhal Sario, Ghazala Shafiq and KPC President Imtiaz Faran were among those who spoke on the occasion. Abida Perveen addressed the participants on telephone.
The participants, including women, were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans condemning the plans against the unified Sindh.
“Sindh is one from Karachi to Kashmore and will remain so always,” read a placard.
Later, singers Ahmed Mughal, Waqar Mallah, Sohrab Soomro, Ali Gul Mallah and others sang songs.
On Friday, activists of different political, nationalist parties and organisations staged a demonstration outside the Hyderabad Press Club in protest against the alleged attempt by the federal authorities to bring Karachi under its control by invoking Article 149 of the Constitution.
Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) leader Dr Niaz Kalani, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) Sindh coordinator Imdad Chandio, Dr Dodo Mehri, Sindh University Teachers Association (SUTA) general secretary Dr Arfana Mallah, Amar Sindhu, Taj Joyo, Haseen Musarrat Shah, Punhal Sario and others attended the protest.
The protesters claimed that Sindh would always remain one and Sindh’s writers, students, political leaders, civil society activists and intellectuals were united for this cause.
They said that every educated and enlightened man was aware of anti-Sindh plans. They said a conspiracy was being hatched to trigger communal riots in Sindh but all such conspiracies would be foiled. They said that all those living in Sindh were Sindhis and there was no minority or majority. They said people had a spiritual attachment with Sindh and no conspiracy to divide Sindh would succeed.
They added that a particular mindset had been trying to separate Karachi from Sindh since the creation of Pakistan. They said that Sindh had been historically a separate homeland. According to them, the 1973 Constitution says that Pakistan has four federating units. Therefore, they said, no new province could be created.
They said that for creating another province, the Constitution would have to be rewritten. They said those planning to occupy Sindh must remember that Sindh was the name of people’s existence and not a territory alone.
They termed it a test case for Sindh because sometime it was Karachi Committee that was formed and sometime it was riots in Ghotki but Sindh’s conscience was intact. They observed that the Sindh government was not representing Sindh.
Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2019