HYDERABAD: The Sindh Hari Committee, representing farmers, peasants and tillers, organised a ‘grand conference’ here on Monday to mark the 79th death anniversary of peasant leader Mai Bakhtawar.
Mai Bakhtawar Lashari was a peasant who, despite facing challenges of poverty, courageously stood up against the injustices by local landlords. She was ultimately killed, and, since then, is seen as a symbol of defiance against oppression.
President of the committee Samar Hyder Jatoi and leaders of various other organisations paid homage to her and eulogised her sustained struggle for the rights of the farming community.
The conference was attended by many prominent political, social, and literary figures, who offered a ‘red salute’ to her.
‘Grand conference’ held to remember Mai Bakhtawar; moot demands annulment of 26th, 27th amendments and Peca
In his address, Samar Hyder Jatoi stated that peasants and labourers in Sindh continued to face systemic oppression. Despite promises, the Hari Card was yet to be issued to peasants. He recalled how Mai Bakhtawar followed in the footsteps of Comrade Hyder Bakhsh Jatoi, sacrificing her life for the rights of farmers.
He said that despite hard work of farmers, they were not receiving fair prices for their crops, leaving them in poverty and unable to afford basic needs like education and healthcare.
He urged federal and provincial governments to announce special relief packages for farmers. He condemned use of Peca to silence journalists and demanded freedom of press.
Other speakers included Hameeda Ghanghro, Nazeer Qureshi, Iris Das, Idrees Jatoi, Dr Badar Channa and Ahmed Nawaz Inqilabi.
They paid rich tributes to Mai Bakhtawar and termed her ‘a symbol of courage’ and a ‘beacon for peasant revolution’ in Sindh.
They emphasised the need for a unified struggle to secure rights of labourers and peasants.
Resolutions
The conference adopted several resolutions, vowing to resist encroachment of Sindh’s coastline, resources, sovereignty, geographical boundaries, treasury and Indus water “through the proposed 28th constitutional amendment”.
It condemned worst-ever water shortage in Sindh, stating that opening of the Punjab link canals has deprived the province of its fair share. It resolved that the “conspiracy” to give Karachi under federal control would be foiled. People of Sindh would launch a province-wide protest against any such move, it said.
The conference rejected the Sindh budget 2026-27, labeling it as “anti-people and anti-poor”, as it “drops an atomic bomb of inflation, unemployment and taxes on the public”.
The conference demanded an end to karo-kari (honor killings) and feudal-capitalist system, as well as withdrawal of the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments and the Prevention of Electronic Crime Act (Peca).
It said that the Sindh Public Service Commission (SPSC) has become a ‘mafia market’ and rejected the recent appointment of its chairman.
It also demanded cancellation of the CCE-2024 results declared by the SPSC and called for the appointment of an honest person from the judiciary as its chairman.
It deplored that despite producing thousands of megawatts of electricity and 75pc of the country’s gas, Sindh suffers from over 18 hours a day electric and gas loadshedding. It condemned this injustice on the part of the federal government.
The conference alleged that the current government at the Centre was involved in corruption worth Rs25tr, and demanded an investigation by NAB into the centralisation of provincial financial powers.
The resolution also called for curbing rising extremism, granting ownership rights to residents of katchi abadis (informal settlements), and ensuring water release downstream Kotri Barrage to save mangroves and agricultural lands.
It decided to launch a province-wide tree plantation drive for planting indigenous trees along roads and canals and in the rural areas.
Published in Dawn, June 23rd, 2026