THATTA: A large number of women, children, old and young, farmers and laborers from across Sindh gathered in Mangher Khan Palijo village near Jungshahi on Saturday to pay their respects at the gravesite of veteran leftist leader Rasul Bux Palijo.

They had arrived to attend the 7th death anniversary of their leader and founder of Awami Tehreek, which used the occasion to serve as a public rally against corporate farming projects, controversial canals and alleged occupation of mineral resources.

Speakers at the rally declared corporate farming as an assault on the resources of the oppressed nations. A resolution was passed unanimously demanding the abolition of the Special Investment Facilitation Council.

Awami Tehreek’s central president Advocate Wasand Thari rejected corporate farming projects and vowed to “bury” new dams and canals on Indus River, like they did with Kalabagh Dam.

He labeled proponents of new dams as “enemies of Quaid-i-Azam’s Pakistan” and accused the establishment of distorting Pakistan’s identity and sacrificing national integrity for foreign aid.

He condemned the UN’s silence on American war mongering in the Middle East.

He accused Pakistan Peoples Party of establishing a “police state” in Sindh, claiming the party had sold away Sindh for political gains.

Thari highlighted serious human rights violations in Sindh, including alleged forced conversion of Hindu girls.

He condemned prevalent “dacoit rule” in the province which operated as a “state within a state” and expressed disappointment over judiciary’s silence.

The gathering passed a number of resolutions demanding an end to corporate farming and land allocation to foreign companies, urging land distribution to local farmers.

They called for the repeal of the Irsa Act Amendment Ordinance, cancellation of new dams and canals on Indus River and resignation of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah over digital census.

The party demanded ensuring release of water downstream Kotri Barrage, strict action against dacoits, repatriation of illegal immigrants, rejection of “bogus” census, and laws preventing non-locals from property ownership.

They demanded repealing the 26th Amendment, abolishing unconstitutional federal ministries, enforcing Article 6 against violators, revising the NFC Award, and empowering the Senate.

The party pressed for ending IMF influence, investigating corruption, recovering ‘occupied’ lands, protecting natural resources, rejecting the Maritime Zones Bill, increasing education/health budgets, and combating corruption in the SPSC, forced conversions, and violence against women, particularly against Sindhi Hindus.

Advocate Akhtar Hussain, central president of Awami Workers Party; Farooq Tariq, chairman of Huqooq-i-Khalq Party, and Shahina Ramzan, central vice president of National Party, Umra Samoon (Sindhyani Tehreek), Noor Ahmed Katiar, Sajid Hussain Mahesar (Awami Jamhoori Party), Dr Rasul Bakhsh Khaskheli, Lal Jarwar, Mah Noor Mallah (Awami Tehreek) also spoke at the gathering.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2025