DADU: Sindh United Party (SUP) and many other Sindhi nationalist groups held separate gatherings in Sann town on Monday to observe 118th birth anniversary of veteran nationalist leader G.M. Syed.

The main programme was held at the residence of SUP chief Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, the grandson of G.M. Syed, which was attended by several hundred followers of the late leader and activists of different parties and groups.

Speaking to the participants, Mr Shah paid homage to G.M. Syed and highlighted his political thoughts as well as nationalist views and said they were still valid and provided a solution to all issues being faced by the country for long.

SUP, nationalist groups hold separate events in Sann

Mr Shah recalled that Saen Syed had presented a resolution on provincial autonomy in the Sindh Assembly in 1943 which was adopted. However, he regretted, successive government did not make any attempt to implement the resolution. On the contrary, he said, ‘One Unit’ was imposed and this caused an unending unrest among most federating units.

He claimed that it was the heightening unrest that eventually resulted in dismemberment of the country.

The SUP chief observed that even the 18th Constitutional Amendment envisaging provincial autonomy to some extent did not work as it fell short of full autonomy.

He said the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had emerged with a vision and programme and was seen as a ray of hope because it had resolved to eliminate corruption and ensure dispensation of justice to all segments of society. However, he added, the PTI government seemed to have failed in its mission and was now left with no option but to pursue the policies of “oppressive” governments of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan Peoples Party by maintaining a status quo on the subject of provincial autonomy.

Jalal Shah noted that corrupt bureaucrats, ministers, lawmakers and government functionaries all had escaped accountability.

Corruption and bad governance reigned supreme everywhere in Sindh and destroyed the province. He claimed that law and order was turning from bad to worse because posting of officers right from the IGP to SHO level was being made on political grounds. Police officers remained busy all the time providing protocol to ruling party’s ministers and lawmakers, he observed.

He blamed the artificial crises of wheat, flour, sugar and fertiliser on Sindh government and said profiteers, hoarders and blackmarkeers were at work but the provincial government was taking no action against them.

Jalal Shah also criticised the federal government for curtailing gas supply to Sindh. He argued that the province was producing 70pc of the country’s gas still it was facing an acute shortage. CNG stations in the province were lying shut, he lamented.

He said Sindh government had utterly failed to ensure provision of basic amenities and education and health facilities as well as proper civic infrastructure despite ruling over the province for many years.

Through the several resolutions adopted at the programme, the participants demanded cancellation of CNICs issued to Afghan, Bangladeshi, Burmese and other citizens and their immediate repatriation. They called for legislation disallowing illegal immigrants to buy properties in Sindh.

Leaders of Istiqlal Party, Qaumi Mahaz-i-Azadi, Mazdoor Kisaan Party, Awami Tehreek, Balochistan National Party and Sindh Sagar Party, besides senior activists of the SUP and its lawyers wing, Sindh United Lawyers Front, also spoke.

A cake was cut to celebrate G.M. Syed’s 118th birth anniversary.

On Sunday night, SUP activists took out a torch-bearing rally in Sann which was led by Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah and Syed Zain Shah.

Later, Lal Musical Band from Lahore presented a mystic music performance.

Several nationalist groups hold gatherings

Separate programmes were held by various nationalist groups, following G.M. Syed’s political and nationalist ideologies, close to the grave of the late leader in Sann.

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) chairman Sanan Qureshi, in his speech, demanded immediate release of all nationalist activists and an end to “victimisation”. He vowed to continue the struggle for autonomy of Sindh until all non-Sindhi “outsiders” were made to leave the province. Amjad Mahisar and Dr Niaz Kalani also spoke to the participants.

At the programme organised by JSQM’s Arisar group, Aslam Khairpuri told the audience that Sindh was being denied its share in water which was affecting its economy. He said the province was also hit by poverty and increasing crime. The only way to provide relief to the masses was to practically adopt G.M. Syed’s ideology, he added.

Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Riaz leader Riaz Chandio told his supporters at another gathering that his group would continue its struggle until all illegal immigrants were repatriated from Sindh to their country of origin. He also demanded cancellation of all housing schemes in Karachi and other parts of Sindh being executed with the aim of reducing Sindhis’ to a minority within their own province.

Jeay Sindh Qaumi Party leader Nawaz Khan Zounr paid homage to G.M. Syed while speaking to his followers at a separate gathering.

General secretary of a Jeay Sindh Tehreek (JST) faction Zafar Ahmed Korejo along with other office-bearers cut a cake at Dadu Press Club to observe the birth anniversary. He eulogised the late leader’s services and his struggle for the fights of Sindhi people.

JSM-R chief, many activists rounded up

Some two dozen nationalist activists, including JSM-R leader Riaz Chandio, were rounded up in a crackdown that followed end of different gatherings in Sann, it was learnt.

The vehicle carrying Mr Chandio was intercepted by personnel of police and another law enforcement agency at Petaro toll plaza while he was returning from his group’s programme. A search of the vehicle was carried out and Mr Chandio was taken away, JSM-R sources said.

Other sources said that police teams led by the Jamshoro SSP and escorted by Rangers personnel picked up over two dozen activists on their way back home after attending the events.

Published in Dawn, January 18th, 2022