HYDERABAD, Nov 5: The 10th annual session of the National Congress of the Sindh Taraqqi Pasand Party (STPP), which continued for the second day on Monday, condemned the hegemony of Punjab since the last 55 years and demanded that the national entities of Sindhi, Baloch, Pakhtoon, Punjabi and Siraiki nations should be acknowledged and all the nations should be given equal rights.
The congress adopted 22 resolutions demanding provincial autonomy as envisaged in the 1940 resolution, and distribution of financial resources on the basis of productivity and backwardness.
It rejected the illegal and undemocratic constitutional amendments and termed them an insult to the elected parliament.
It called upon the newly-elected members of parliament to reject the National Security Council and all other constitutional amendments.
It termed the proposed construction of the Kalabagh dam, other dams and projects, including the Thal canal, and termed them a conspiracy to destroy the agrarian economy of Sindh.
It warned that the people of Sindh would raise strong resistance against these projects.
It demanded that all employment in industrial units located in Sindh, including oil, gas and coal companies, should give employment to the local people and the districts concerned should be given royalty.
It further demanded that three million outsiders who had settled in Sindh illegally should be expelled from the province and people of other provinces of Pakistan should be issued work permits but they should be deprived of their right of vote and domicile.
It condemned the “government-sponsored rigging” in the general elections, especially in Balochistan, with the sole objective of keeping the nationalist leaders outside the political arena.
Strongly protesting against the “state violence” on nationalist leaders in Balochistan, the congress demanded the release of arrested leaders and re-election in the province of Balochistan.
Condemning the murder of journalist Shahid Soomro in Kandhkot, it demanded the immediate arrest of the remaining accused.
Due to an acute shortage of water in lower Sindh, the congress demanded that the growers should be exempted from payment of land revenue and other taxes, sugar mills should be directed to start the crushing season without any further delay, and the minimum price of sugarcane and rice should be fixed at Rs60 and Rs250 per maund, respectively.
The meeting condemned the closure of Sindhi medium schools in the Pak-Saudi Factory, retrenchment of Sindhi workers, appointment of Punjabi workers, and demanded that all the closed Sindhi medium schools should be reopened.
It further demanded that according to ILO Convention, 70 per cent employment should be given to the local people in the Pakistan Steel and all other industrial units.
It condemned the inhuman atrocities unleashed by the Arbabs of Tharparkar against the minorities and demanded that these excesses should be stopped forthwith.
It further demanded that the distribution of wheat in Tharparkar district should be made in a judicious manner.
The congress strongly protested against the refusal of the authorities to issue a passport to the party chairman, Dr Qadir Magsi, and demanded that it should be issued without delay.
Rejecting the Model University Ordinance, it demanded the restoration of student unions and syndicate with due representation to students and teachers.
It opposed the city government in Karachi and demanded that the district governments should be appointed in five districts of Karachi.
Expressing grave concern over the deteriorating law and order situation in Sindh, the congress demanded that the people should be provided protection against dacoits and police.
Earlier, the chairman, STPP, presented his report to the congress.