HYDERABAD, Jan 11: Expressing concern over the open letter of MQM chief Altaf Hussain to Sindhis appearing in newspapers on Jan 7, the Sindh Democratic Forum said on Friday that the contents would be used by the “enemies of Sindh” to further polarise the province and would be considered as an attempt to divide Sindh.

In a rejoinder to Mr Hussain in the shape of an open letter, the Sindh Democratic Forum, which represents intellectuals, writers and concerned citizens of the province, pointed out that while the entire country, especially Sindh, was in mourning over the death of Ms Benazir Bhutto, and while there was widespread anguish among the democratic and progressive people of Pakistan about the role of the military establishment, Mr Hussain’s letter had raised more doubts and apprehensions.The convener and the secretary of SDF, Abrar Kazi and Zulfiqar Halepoto respectively, said that the people of Sindh had reacted on an unprecedented scale over Ms Bhutto’s assassination irrespective of ethnicity and language, but Altaf Hussain’s letter had kicked up “petty matters” which were bound to be used by the enemies of Sindh to widen the gulf between the people.

The SDF leaders, however, agreed with the MQM chief that there were forces at work which wanted the people of Sindh to fight among themselves on linguistic and ethnic lines so that their attention was diverted from the “robbery of Sindh’s resources by the federation”.

They agreed with Mr Hussain that the people of Sindh should work hard to defeat such conspiracies by bridging the gap between different linguistic groups.

They, however, said that it would have been in the fitness of things that instead of putting questions to Sindhi people, Mr Hussain should have questioned the government as to where were the police, the Rangers and other law enforcement agencies for three days while Sindh was burning.

They further said that Mr Hussain should have also asked as to where were the governor, the chief secretary, the home secretary, the IGP, Rangers DG and the corps commander and the district governments.

“Should the Sindhi people think that you (Altaf Hussain) refuse to hold these people and agencies responsible because they are part of the Musharraf government in which the MQM has a major share”, the SDF leaders said.

For the same reason, they added, Mr Hussain would not question President Pervez Musharraf or hold him responsible, although he (the president) was the “master of everything in Pakistan”.

They said that the very least President Musharraf could do was to resign.

In reply to other points raised by Mr Hussain, the SDF leaders said that “old Sindhis” had always given the Urdu-speaking community a place in their hearts.

They said that although the killing of Ms Bhutto had given a deadly blow to Sindhis and to Pakistan, it had also strengthened the Sindhis’ resolve not only to protect and preserve their motherland, but also the entire Indus Valley.

The SDF leaders urged Mr Hussain to support them in ridding Sindh of want and to usher in peace, prosperity and happiness.

“It is also your test as a Sindhi before other sons of the soils,” they told the MQM chief.