HYDERABAD, July 4: A Sindh national conference convened by the Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party (STPP) at Qasimabad resolved to set up a non-political forum to lead the struggle for the rights of Sindh and to prepare lists of those people who were working against the interest of Sindh. The conference, which was presided over by STPP chairman Dr Qadir Magsi was also addressed by leaders of almost all nationalist parties, educationists, intellectuals and leaders of some political parties.

Speakers said that the division of Sindh’s districts at the instance of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, issuance of NICs to foreigners and opening of the Khokhrapar-Munabao route were conspiracies against Sindh.

The declaration issued at the conclusion of the conference called upon the Sindhi people to boycott MQM and demanded that all the outsiders who had settled in Sindh after 1954, should be expelled from the province.

It further demanded that Sindhi paramilitary force should be raised in place of other security forces and the provinces should be given full provincial autonomy.

It called for the constitution of an international autonomous commission to ensure the judicious distribution of irrigation water among all provinces.

It condemned the demolition of Sindhi villages in Karachi and demanded that the status of Sindhi language should be restored as the official language of the province.

In his presidential speech, Dr Qadir Magsi said that the national congress was not an exhibition but a gathering of those people who were really concerned with the innumerable problems confronting Sindh and Sindhi people.

He said, he will visit every nook and corner of the province to persuade all the patriotic political leaders to forge a joint platform for the rights of Sindh.

He urged the people of Sindh to unite on one platform to foil all conspiracies against Sindh and appealed to those who had joined MQM to come on the national platform.

He said that if the Khokhrapar-Munabao route was opened, millions of people from Gujrat will enter Sindh and the original Sindhis will be converted into a minority.

He also lashed out at the opportunist Sindhis who were working against the interest of the motherland. He said that a list of the traitors of Sindh will be prepared and distributed among the Sindhis.

He proposed that a non-political forum comprising writers, intellectuals and technocrats should be constituted to lead the national movement for the rights of Sindh.

Noted writer and intellectual Mr Mohammad Ibrahim Joyo, said that all the political parties of Sindh will have to unite on one platform to launch a joint struggle for the rights of Sindhi people adding that by raising hallow slogans, people could not achieve their rights.

The Secretary General JUI-F, Dr Khalid Mehmood Soomro, said that fighting for ones just and genuine rights was also a kind of Jehad.

He said, those who had sold out Sindh to protect their own vested interests should be fully exposed. The Secretary General, Sindh National Front, Gul Mohammad Jakhrani, said that only one province was ruling the country and added that Sindh was being divided into pieces.

The General Secretary, Awami Tehrik, Qadir Ranto, in his speech said that almost all the nationalist parties were already united and all that was needed was to gear up the national movement.

Noted short story writer, Ali Baba said that the government had failed to control heroine but it was trying to control waters of the River Indus.

PPP leader, Moula Bux Chandio said that the Sindhi people were now united on one platform for the common cause. He, however, regretted that the children of nationalist leaders had changed their thinking.

He said the writers of Sindh, except for criticising the political parties had failed to contribute anything to the national movement.

Others who spoke on the occasion include Jeay Sindh Qaum Parast Party Chairman, Qamar Bhatti, Comrade Jam Saqi, Mansoor Khaskheli, Sindh Hari Committee president, Azhar Jatoi, PML-N leader Zain Ansari and Professor Liaquat Aziz.

RESOLUTIONS: The conference adopted many resolutions demanding the appointment of a Sindhi as Sindh Governor, withdrawal of the decision to divide districts on ethnic basis, end to the demolition of Sindhi villages in Karachi and expulsion of all those people who had settled in Sindh after 1954.

The conference further demanded that the sovereignty of the provinces on all its natural resources should be restored and a new constituent assembly should be elected which should draft a constitution ensuring equal rights to all the nations.