KARACHI: A shutterdown strike was observed in Hyderabad, Matiari, Larkana, Thatta, Shaheed Benazirabad and several other districts on a call given by the Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz (JSM-R) on Sunday against “flawed” digital census, alleged enforced disappearances and outsiders’ influx into Sindh province. A mixed response was given by people in different towns of the districts.

HYDERABAD: Except for the main city, a complete strike was observed in Qasimabad and rural parts of this taluka. The shutterdown remained effective in Tando Mohammad Khan, Tando Allahyar and Matiari districts as well.

The main shopping centre in Qasimabad remained completely shut while shops in Hyderabad’s rural taluka did not open.

In Tando Allahyar some miscreants forced shopkeepers to pull down the shutter but no violent incident took place. Many areas in Shaheed Benazirabad district, like Sakrand Road, Gol Chakra, Liaquat Market and Kapra Market, remained completely closed. Speaking at a news conference at his residence in the evening, JSM-R chief Riaz Chandio thanked people of Sindh for responding positively to his party’s strike call.

A call for the protest was given by JSM-R against ‘bogus’ digital census, settling of outsiders in the province and denial of its due share in resources

He noted that besides observing the strike, people held protest demonstrations and rallies in many towns in the province.

Mr Chandio said that JSM-R rejected digital census process and results, and reiterated his party’s stance that it was a conspiracy to convert Sindhis into a minority within their own homeland.

He accused Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of facilitating this “bogus” census, and described the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) and Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) as “the hypocrites that believe in terrorism and intend to spread hatred”.

He said that all immigrants should be repatriated to their home countries and Punjab’s usurpation of Sindh’s share in water must be brought to an end. He said Sindh should be provided its due share in water as per the 1991 Water Accord.

LARKANA: Responding to the JSM-R call, a complete shutterdown strike was observed in Larkana and it adjoining areas.

Police were deployed at all sensitive points while JSM-R activists and supporters took out a procession raising slogans against the current census and PPP’s policies on different issues. They held a demonstration in front of the Jinnahbag gate.

Talking to Dawn, Riaz Chandio said the masses supported his party’s stance that the digital census was bogus and the 1991 Water Accord was being violated to deprive Sindh of its due share

He pointed out that the law and order situation in Larkana and Sukkur divisions was constantly deteriorating due to murders, kidnapping for ransom and other heinous crimes being committed by dacoit gangs.

Mr Chandio said that people, by observing the strike, also endorsed his party’s view that the Sindh government was deliberately pushing people into the quagmire of poverty and skyrocketing inflation. He condemned that Sindh’s natural resources were being looted and its lands were being doled out to influential figures at throwaway prices. He claimed that the shutterdown was observed throughout the province.

THATTA: Several hundred activists and supporters of JSM-R took out a rally here on Sunday and held a sit-in at the nearby section of the National Highway amid a complete shutterdown in Thatta and Sujawal districts.

All business, trade and commercial activities remained suspended. Shopping areas wore a deserted look and no shops and stalls in streets and on roads were seen open in cities and towns including Thatta, Sujawal, Mirpur Sakro, Gharo, Gujjo, Garho and Makli.

The rally was led by JSM-R vice chairman Syed Nawaz Shah Bhadai along with Amjad Shoro and Alam Palijo, the party’s Thatta and Sujawal district heads, respectively.

The rally participants proceeded to the Gujjo section of the highway where they held a sit-in for two hours and raised slogans against digital census, influx of outsiders into Sindh, ruling PPP’s “failed” policies and denial of Sindh’s share in water, besides allotment of vast lands to certain builders for housing projects and settlement of outsiders in the province.

Movement of vehicular traffic on the highway remained suspended during the course of the sit-in.

Addressing the protesters, Nawaz Bhadai and Amjad Shoro deplored that under a conspiracy hatched in connivance with Sindh government, indigenous Sindhis’ population within their own province was being shown as much below than its actual number. The aim was to deprive the province of its due share in national as well as its own resources, they said.

They alleged that Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah was staging drama by expressing his government’s reservations over the census, NFC Award and other issues. In fact, they claimed, the CM was facilitating the “bogus” census and conspirators.

Published in Dawn, May 29th, 2023