HYDERABAD, April 25: Leaders of the Social Welfare Organization Alliance of Sindh have demanded that first right of indigenous people over resources be recognized in the country as per the UN charter. They called upon political parties and social welfare organizations to include this point in manifestoes.

They were speaking at the district convention of the Sindh NGOs Federation (Singof) here on Sunday.

Singof chairman Dr Akash Ansari said social welfare organizations of the province should rise above the petty issues of cleanliness of gutters and drains and unite on one platform to struggle for national rights.

The secretary of Pakistan NGOs Forum, Mr Noor Mohammad Bujeer, said different organizations of the civil society would have to make a new beginning by evolving a joint strategy to understand and resolve the problems confronting Sindh.

He said Singof should reorganize itself and take a firm stand on loot and plunder of natural resources of the province.

Prof Mushtaq Mirani said Sindh would have to be protected from the outsiders otherwise nothing would be left for the Sindhis.

Irrigation expert Nazeer Memon said Sindh had abundance of water and mineral resources yet it was confronting innumerable social and economic problems.

He said Sindh had been rendered bankrupt due to the loot and plunder of its resources and occupation of its land by the outsiders.

Ilyas Khokhar quoted figures of oil, gas, coal, mineral and service resources of Sindh and said wealth of the province was being looted by the outsiders and the Sindhis even could not make both ends meet.

Dr Najeeb called upon the political parties to make sure that their manifestos were changed clearly mentioning that the resources of the provinces would remain under their own control.

The convention adopted several resolutions, calling upon the political parties, social welfare organizations and the civil society to join hands in protecting lands and resources of local people.

The convention demanded that the allotment of Sindh’s lands to multinational companies and federal organizations should be stopped forthwith and the breach of agreement by a British petroleum company with the people of Badin should be investigated.

Another resolution demanded that the contract system for catching fish should be abolished and all the rights of fishing should be reserved for fishermen.

The convention condemned the demolition of villages of Sindhis in Karachi.
Residents of Goth Meehon Khan Bhand, Dadu district, have appealed to the Sindh chief minister and provincial police officer to order return of 300 bags of wheat which were taken away by SHO Javed Iqbal and other persons on April 18.

Speaking at a news conference at the press club here on Monday, Inayat Bhand, Abbas Bhand and Liaquat Bhand said SHO Javed Iqbal, ASI Asghar Panhwar, Hameed Memon, Yasir Memon, Ali Nawaz Solangi and Akbar Solangi had taken away 300 bags of wheat valued at Rs300,000 by force on April 18.

Giving the background, they said they had purchased 135 acre land in 2002 from Abdul Hameed Memon.

They said according to the agreement, they had paid Rs2 million to Abdul Hameed Memon and only Rs200,000 remained in balance.