HYDERABAD, Aug 30: Rich tribute was paid to the late Mohammad Usman Diplai, a noted writer and journalist of Sindh, for his services in the cause of Sindhi literature and journalism at the launching ceremony of his three books, ‘Sanghar’ (Urdu translation), Noor-i Tauheed and the Sindhi translation of the Holy Quran, held here on Thursday.
Speaking as chief guest, Sindh Minister for Finance and Planning Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said that time had stood still since the death of Mohammad Usman Diplai as the people of Sindh right from Keamari to Ubaro were as poor today as they were during the times of Diplai.
He said despondency and disappointment was writ large on the faces of the poor people who continued to live in abject poverty.
He said successive governments had betrayed and deceived the people. He said it felt to the lot of Usman Diplai to portray a true picture of the miseries and misfortunes of the masses.
He said there were few people in Pakistan who had published 150 books as Diplai had and added that he had also rendered yeomen services in the field of journalism.
He said for speaking out the truth loud and clearly, Diplai had suffered a lot but refused to give up the struggle in the cause of truth.
The minister pointed out that when he was appointed as the finance minister of the province, he had received bills of Rs120 billion which had not been cleared by the previous governments.
He said the Sindh province was also in debt of the State Bank of Pakistan to the tune of Rs11 billion. He said he had cleared all the outstanding bills.
The minister said the National Finance Commission would consider equal and equitable distribution of funds to the provinces on the basis of population and the income generated by them through their resources.
Renowned scholar Dr Nabi Bux Khan Baloch who presided over the function, took exception to the use of word “Mahurat” (unveiling) and said that it was a Hindi word and added that although he had no objections to this word, the correct Sindhi word was “Padhrai” (announcement - launching).
He said Usman Diplai was not only a learned person but he believed in relentless struggle to ameliorate the sufferings of the common man.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Gul Mohammad Umrani, Sindh University Vice Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, Dr Qasim Bughio, Dr Mubarak Ali, Afaq Siddiqui and, Mohammad Ali Diplai, son of the late Mohammad Usman Diplai.