Charter of Demands of Sindhi People
Preamble:
The right to constitute the State like Pakistan was granted by the British
rulers to Muslim majority provinces after a protracted political and
constitutional struggle. The Province of Sindh, the initiator of the final
process of the latest formulation of the partition proposal on behalf of the
Muslims of India, the first province to pass through its provincial assembly
the resolution in favour of the Pakistan resolution 1940, was the main
pillar of the five foundation pillars of the state of Pakistan. Before
British rule, Sindh was an independent state. As such on the eve of the
creation of Pakistan, Sindh sacrificed its historical status of being an
independent state in view of certain concrete guarantees given by the then
Muslim League leadership. The people of Sindh believed that the question of
political autonomy and sovereignty of their homeland was fully settled by
means of political negotiations, discussions and formulations by the
founding fathers of the country, including Quid-e-Azam Muhammed Ali Jinnah.
The ultimate and concrete guarantee of this autonomy was drawn from a moral
anchor of 1940 Resolution, which lay the foundations of union between the
founding states. It was implicit that the Pakistan resolution of 1940 will
remain un-tempered and will form a single covenant between the member sates
to draw historic legitimacy of the union. It is worth mentioning that there
was no legal or constitutional obligation for any member states to form the
union under Pakistan. It was a simple matter of choice and discretion and a
volunteer act on behalf of Sindh to enter this union. Sindh reserves the
right to revisit its historic decision in light of the way it has been
treated within the union.
Establishing the legitimate basis for creation of Pakistan, the Pakistan
Resolution of 1940 says:-
"Resolved that it is the considered view of this session of the All India
Muslim League that no Constitutional plan would be workable in this country
or acceptable to the Muslims unless it is designed on the following basic
principles via that geographically contiguous units are demarcated into
regions which should be so constituted with such territorial re-adjustments
as may be necessary that the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in a
majority as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India, should be
grouped to constitute Independent states in which the constituent units
shall be autonomous and sovereign." Here the constituent units mean the
provinces, including Sindh that opted to join Pakistan.
Before the elections of December 1946, in which the fate of Pakistan was to
be decided, All India Muslim league issued a declaration in Sindhi language
pledging to the Sindhi Muslims that,
"If you want: -
- To rid yourself from the bureaucracy
- Protection of your rights
- Security of your culture and civilization
- Water for irrigating your lands
- Better roads and cheap transport
- Industries
- Services in all departments
- Free education for your children
- Land less peasants to get lands
- Free medicines and health facilities in your villages
- To be happy and prosperous in all respects and free from slavery
But immediately after the creation of Pakistan, rather than make the lives
of Sindhi people better than before, all promises made by the All India
Muslim League and leaders of Pakistan Movement were thrown over board and
Sindh was subjected to a series of unjust, hostile and anti-Sindhi steps
that opened the flood gates of exploitation of the Sindhi people and turned
Sindh virtually into a colony.
Thus idea of Pakistan became a true promise land for the people of Sindh,
which never became a reality. Immediately after creation of Pakistan, a
concept that promised a perfect union became a tool for a perfect division.
The promise land was to be no more. The true leaders of All India Muslim
League and the Pakistan Movement were plugged away one by one. Yesterday's
dream was being transformed into a nightmare for people of small provinces
and those of East Pakistan.
All laws of the new State of Pakistan were crafted to create a new class of
powerful and privileged group of people and to establish a colony within a
new multinational State. As a result Sindh and other small provinces were
systematically thrown into an economic, political and cultural abyss.
Knowing that nations can not create their economic and professional middle
class over night, Hindu-Muslim riots were engineered forcing the large and
vibrant Hindu middle Class of Sindh to migrate to India.
In order to fill this vacuum exclusively, a set of colonial laws were made
to create concentrated clusters of settlements in hand picked cities of
Sindh. These laws have not only victimized native Sindhi people but did
horrendous disservice to immigrants from India.
Massive immigration in cities created segregation in Sindh which left no
economic need or civic motivation for new Sindhis to adopt to the culture of
their native hosts. Thus a divide was created, which has arrested the path
of brotherhood and collective prosperity within Sindh. Here are some of the
examples of lawlessness, which are only found in occupation and colonization
manuals.
1. All businesses and properties of the prosperous Hindus were
arbitrarily allotted to the immigrants who did not have to provide any proof
of ownership of property of equal value in India. Only an affidavit and two
witnesses were required to validate the claim. No native Sindhi was allowed
to keep any property even if legally purchased and owned before he
partition.
2. Karachi, the vibrant capital of Sindh, which earned Rs. One
Billion (Approximately Rs.1000 Billon today) in taxes was taken over as
Federal Territory with a promise to pay compensation that was never paid.
3. Sindhi language was forcibly driven out of Karachi, delivering
a near death blow to Sindhi language and culture assimilation between
immigrant and native population of Sindh.
4. The plunder of Sindh's share of the waters of Indus and its tributaries
which started in 1859, when the first canal was constructed by united
province of Punjab without the consent of the second partner and the lower
riparian Sindh, was continued and accelerated vigorously after the
establishment of Pakistan and is continuing upto this day with the full
participation of the federal government as an accomplice and patron of the
Punjab authorities.
Some of the more blatant anti-Sindh criminal acts in this regard have been
as under:-
(a) The lower riparian status of Sindh in the waters of Indus and its
distributaries was disregarded for the first time, at the time of
establishment of Pakistan and Sindh was excluded from the Indo-Pak water
distribution talks in 1948 and the Pakistani waters were treated as the sole
property of the authorities of united Punjab to be distributed between West
and East Punjab at the time of partition as their ancestral family property.
(b) By a secret agreement at Jallander both the sides decided to set-a-foot
a world class conspiracy to defraud Sindh of its share of the common waters.
The matter was quietly withdrawn from the competent Arbitral Tribunal, flow
of water to Pakistan was stopped by prior arrangement, hue and cry was
raised, a false Indo-Pak crisis and a farce of Indo-Pak talks for its
resolution were created whereby both sides viz West and East Punjab mis
appropriated the bulk of water from the common rivers at the cost of Sindh.
The plunder goes on unabated.
(c) Three Pakistani rivers Ravi, Bias and Sutlaj whose waters were the
common property of Punjab and Sindh and others as upper and lower riparians,
were illegally and secretly sold to India for pea-nuts as a part of the
secret Jullunder agreement.
(d) Indo-Pak negotiations for settling the artificially created dispute was
illegally held behind the back of the lower riparian No.3, Sindh and others.
(e) An illegal malafide and immoral plan was prepared and illegally and
immorally approved by the federal government whereby, by false and bogus
figures, the loss of water suffered by West Punjab due to its own
authorities' illegal, unilateral and conspiratorial sale of the three common
Pakistani rivers to India, was inflated and that by Sindh was reduced, thus
illegally and wrongfully allotting Punjab almost double the quantum it
deserved to be allotted and Sindh almost none.
(f) Billions of dollars were obtained from India, World Bank and other
western countries on the account of whole of Pakistan for the construction
of works for the replacement of the above mentioned self-created losses and
further development of the whole of West Pakistan but not a penny of it was
spent on any other province / region of Pakistan except Punjab and not a
single work or project of any kind was constructed or commenced in any
province / region other than Punjab though every penny of the loan was to be
paid by all the provinces / regions of Pakistan including East Pakistan and
not by Punjab alone.
(g) Mangla dam was constructed for replacing the illegally and secretly
sold out 3 rivers. But subsequently it was mis-appropriated by the Punjab
authorities for cultivating its new lands.
(h) Instead of constructing Rohtas dam on Chenab as suggested by World Bank
the federal and Punjab governments forcibly constructed Tarbela dam on Indus
along with Chashma-Jehlum and Taunsa-Panjnad Link Canals for looting the
water of Indus.
(i) Having promised that these Link Canals would be used only for taking
surplus flood waters from the Indus for Punjab, after fully satisfying the
needs of Sindh, the federal and Punjab governments broke that agreement and
are forcibly plundering the waters of the Indus through these link canals
and thereby causing drought and water famine in Sindh and ruining its
economy.
(j) Instead of resolving the Sindh-Panjab water- dispute through neutral
judges of international repute as demanded by the circumstances of the more
than a century-old dispute, the federal government in 1992, set up a bogus
Sindh government composed of a known stooge of the agencies and imposed a
so-called accord on Sindh, alloting even more water to Punjab than it was
already plundering. But subsequently the present rulers violated even that
unjust so- called accord and stopped supply of water to lower Sindh and
turned it into a semi-desert.
4. Large chunks of lands were allotted in 1952 to civil and
military bureaucrats in the prime agricultural area of the newly built Kotri
Barrage.
5. Through deceit and coercion, Sindh was made a part of single
province, West Pakistan, effectively making Sindh an outpost of Lahore.
Resulting into usurpation of Sindh's share of water by Punjab.
6. Systematically overthrowing popularly elected governments with
the help of religious extremist and parties engaged in acts of urban
terrorism. These policies have paved way for a rule by minority and
anti-people pseudo-political groups in provincial and central governments.
7. It is wrong to say that Sindhi people side with decadent feudal class.
Every time people of Sindh have been given a genuine choice they have voted
against feudal lords and jagirdars and have sent members of middle class to
assemblies. It is the military- bureaucracy that finds it convenient to deal
with this opportunist class and installs them in power. People of Sindh are
way too smart not to understand how colonial powers work. The mind of
occupier works the same way without learning the lessons from history. Why
to deal with millions of people when a colonial power can reinforce power of
a few crooks and turncoats as decorated leaders of occupied nation. IT IS IN
THE UTMOST NATIONAL INTEREST OF SINDHI PEOPLE TO HAVE TRUE DEMOCRACY AND NOT
A DICTATORSHIP OF MINORITY IN PAKISTAN. HAVING NO SIGNIFICANT REPRESENTATION
IN ARMED FORCES, BUREAUCRACY, BUSINESS AND MEDIA, TRUE DEMOCRACY AND
GOVERNMENT OF GENUINE REPRESENTATIVES IS THE ONLY LEVERAGE AVAILABLE TO
SINDH TO WIN HER DUE PLACE IN THE UNION.
8. Given a chance, people of Sindh would love to disarm these feudal lords
of their political power.
9. To ensure dumb obedience of the common man the military
estabilishment have enlisted, trained and let loose upon the peaceful people
hardes of decoits, woman's killers and abducters engineering through them a
reign of terror.
10. Massive illegal immigration across the border and from distant lands and
other provinces of Pakistan has exerted a fatal stress on the resources of
Sindh. Even the post partition immigrants have become increasingly weary
about a continuous pouring of foreigners thus depriving them of the fruits
of their hard labor. Big cities, especially Karachi have become a swamp and
ticking bomb of population explosion. Having no loyalty to the city or the
province, newly arrived illegal immigrants have become a serious threat to
economic, political, and cultural security of Sindh and Pakistan.
11. Present government has opened the flood gates of immigrants, which is a
planned ethnic cleansing of native Sindhis. Re-engineering of demographics
is not a new phenomenon. This process has always been popular with occupiers
and colonizers who want to create an imported constituency for themselves.
Since then: -
- Sindh's share of water has been doled out to Punjab.
- An ethno-linguistic terrorist and fascist organization has been handed
over, The Government of Sindh against all norms of democracy and decency and
this terrorist organization is using its place of privilege to constantly
conspire to divide Sindh on ethnic lines.
- Feudal and jagirdars who have been discarded by Sindhi people, time and
again, when ever given a fair chance, have been forcibly re-imposed on
Sindhi society by encouraging jirga system and by giving them control of
whole districts.
- The beleaguered Sindhi society has been crippled and paralyzed
strategically by rampant dacoities and abductions for ransom and the
abhorrent custom of Karo Kari.
- Large number of illegal immigrants from across the borders and from other
provinces have been systematically and strategically allowed to enter and to
settle in Sindh, taking, on one hand the scarce resources and job
opportunities away from the local people, and swelling the number of
non-resident Sindhi resident of Sindh, on the other hand, which posses
serious threat to the integrity of Sindh and demographic stability of Sindhi
people.
- Sindhis did not join Pakistan to be subjected to non-stop conspiracies to
divide their 5000 years old historic home land or become hostage to hordes
of illegal aliens bent upon converting them into a minority and to be killed
on streets of their cities and stand deprived of their language and economic
resources and be forced to live in perpetual backwardness and miserable
poverty.
Therefore we the patriotic people of Sindh demand in the name of Sindh and
its people, and in the name of democracy and fundamental human rights,
that: -
1. Permanent Interests of Sindh:
1.1 It should be recognized that Sindh is the homeland of Sindhi people
for more than the past 5000 years and shall remain so till eternity. Sindhi
people shall not countenance any plan or conspiracy to divide, or to break,
their homeland, under the garb of administrative, geo-strategic or any other
reason. All attempts to divide Sindh, under any garb, should be made an
offence against the state.
1.2 Sindhi people are the inheritors of their homeland, Sindh. It is their
inalienable right to remain a stable majority in their homeland, and by the
rule of internationally recognized principles of democracy, no cultural
minority can be countenanced to aspire to become a majority. People of Sindh
demand that the Government of Pakistan should pass such legislation as to
assure stable majority of Sindhis and their right to rule over their
homeland, forever.
1.3 In the spirit of 1940 covenant, the State of Pakistan must become the
guarantor and shall mitigate the grievances instead of party to a process
that is designed to dilute Sindh's sovereignty and right to self-governance.
1.4 State of Pakistan must stop and reverse all acts of ethnic cleansing and
demographic re-engineering of Sindh, which is designed to convert native
population into a minority through massive importation of immigrants from
all over the world. Pakistani immigration department should be overhauled to
clean it from corrupt and foreign born officers, which have no allegiance
with Sindh or Pakistan. Unchecked immigration is a clear and present threat
to the national security.
1.5 The sales, toll, and excise taxes are the provincial revenues. These
taxes should be collected and allocated by the province of Sindh and center
shall not have any right or claim to it.
1.6 The natural resources obtaining in Sindh right fully belong to Sindhi
people and should be utilized for the benefit and betterment of the
ingenious people of Sindh only. Sindhi people demand that such legislation
be passed that ensures the benefits of employment and of the wealth of
Sindh's natural resources, including gas, coal and petrol to accrue mainly
to the indigenous people of Sindh only.
1.7 Sindh is the lower riparian of river Indus and all its tributaries. The
constitution of Pakistan and international law confers inalienable rights to
the lower riparian. It is the demand of the people of Sindh that no further
cut should be made to divert, and no dam be built to store, waters of river
Indus and its tributaries without the concurrence of Sindhi people.
Construction of illegal Greater Thal Canal should be stopped immediately,
all mega projects of big dams including Kalabagh Dam should be shelved
forever and the worth less Sehwan Barrage and dangerous Reni canal project
must be stopped at once.
1.8 Sindhi language is the mother tongue of Sindhi people since ages and
shall remain so till eternity. It is a fully developed language, rich in all
forms of literature, poetry and prose. The people of Sindh demand that all
efforts should be made by the Government to further develop and enrich this
ancient and beautiful language by according it the status of Pakistan's
national language and by ensuring that T.V and radio stations air Sindhi
programs for a certain period of time every day.
2. Ethnic Cleansing Demographic re-engineering
2.1 To stop the persistent influx into Sindh of migrants from other
provinces and other countries, a strict immigration and naturalization
process be put in the place. No one shall be able to work without seeking a
work permit or a permanent resident status. Pakistani citizenship shall only
be awarded to immigrants of good moral character and those who have played
by the rules and have no criminal record during their at least 6 years of
lawful permanent status in the country. Each province must share the burden
of family sponsored immigrants. The business and investment visas shall only
be given for economically depressed areas and not the big cities. Provincial
and central government shall build database where every citizen and legal
resident is accounted for. All undocumented residents or those who have
manufactured fraudulent documents should be deported to their countries of
origin. These laws are enforced even in societies, which are claimed to be
the beacons of freedom and human rights. It is not a human right to secure
economic immigration. It is only a privilege at the discretion of host
country. The constitution should be so amended that for employment and self
employment purposes a citizen of Pakistan should obtain a work permit if he
is to work in a province other than his province of permanent residence, and
such work permit be issued only when the host province has zero
un-employment percentage.
2.2 To maintain sanctity of democratic institutions, only born or
naturalized citizens shall have a right to vote in local or national
elections. Anyone found guilty of acquiring voting right through fraudulent
means shall be sentenced to imprisonment and be subjected to automatic
deportation after release.
2.3 Both the government and private sector be subjected to Equal Employment
Opportunity laws. These laws shall prohibit hiring practices based upon
family ties, community membership, or other non-merit considerations. To
offset for social and economic in-equalities, fair employment practices
should be introduced to fill the gap between un-proportional representations
of various ethnic and professional groups in the society. A total ban shall
be imposed upon distributing key positions and highly paid jobs to retired
members of armed forces.
2.4 NFC award shall not be based only on population but other weighted
indices as well. Consideration must be given to net contribution of each
province, economic backward index, infrastructure deficit indices, previous
performance of producing desirable results, cost of living, skills
development and skills inventory, emerging local and international economic
opportunities and positioning and preparedness of each state, human rights
record, performance of uplifting disadvantaged classes and groups of the
society including women, children and handicapped.
2.5 The Constitution should be so amended that citizens should have right to
vote only in the places and provinces of their permanent residence and no
one should have a right to vote unless he/she is the resident of a place and
province for no less than 15 years.
2.6 A quota of 80% be fixed and implemented for the purpose of employment of
indigenous people in all private business and industry including
multinational corporations.
2.7 An Anti-discriminatory Board should be established with required legal
powers having indigenous people as members, to monitor fair application of
the rule that indigenous people get 80% quota in all private industry and
multinational corporations.
2.8 The 1990 census should be accepted an the remaining unfinished part of
that census be completed other wise census should be conducted de-facto, by
clamping curfew in the whole country and counting heads where ever they are
on that particular day. This will eliminate duplicate counting and the
anomaly of awarding NFC funds to one province while its people are
immigrants in another.
2.9 Fair employment practices should be introduced to fill the gap between
un-proportional representations of various ethnic groups in the society and
Sindhis should be given equal share of jobs and opportunities in Ministries,
Foreign Services, Technocracy, Secretarial Positions, Higher And Subordinate
Judiciary, Police Services, District Management, Customs, Port Authorities,
WAPDA, PTV, PTCL, Sui Gas, Railways, PIA and Income Tax departments.
2.10 Approximately three million illegal immigrants from India, Bangladesh,
Afghanistan central Asia and other parts of world live in Karachi, quite a
few which are not only involved in various heinous crimes like narcotics,
drug and women trafficking, terrorism and black marketing but they also pose
threat to the peaceful democratic life and integrity of Sindh and Sindhi
people. They must be identified and repatriated to their respective
countries mean while they should be given any political rights.
3. Provincial Autonomy / 1940 Resolution:
3.1 In order to retain member states into a union, the country must reflect
the original image of Muhammad Ali Jinnah's Pakistan. Pakistan must become a
truly federal state with empowering senate with equal representation from
all states and over riding powers over national assembly. All appointments
to federal courts, Supreme Court, Chief Election Commissioner, members and
chairman of Federal Public Service Commission, Ambassadors, heads of
autonomous bodies, and Chief of Army, navy and air force staffs, should be
made after the scrutiny and approval of the senate. The provincial governors
shall directly be elected by the people. The elected governors must have
veto power over every decision of the provincial assembly unless overturn by
2/3rd majority of the house.
3.2 Making Pakistan a truly representative and structurally balanced federal
state and making the senate all-powerful would make it conform to the vision
of its founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah. The members of the senate should be
directly elected and passage of budget and money bills and all federal
appointments like judges of Supreme Court, Chief Election Commissioner,
members and chairman of Federal Public Service Commission, Ambassadors,
heads of autonomous bodies, Governors, and Chief of Army, navy and air force
staffs, should be made after the scrutiny and approval of the senate.
3.3 Pakistan can be a federal state in true sense when all fiscal resources
(duties and taxes) are assigned to the respective provinces. The expenditure
incurred on running federal structure be contributed by the provinces in
accordance with their proportion in population.
3.4 Strict adherence to quota of Sindhi officers be maintained in all
federal government ministries and autonomous bodies and Sindhis should also
be taken on the Boards of Governors of all Autonomous bodies like PIA,
National Shipping Corporation, Civil Aviation, State Bank, PIC, PIDC, etc.
3.5 Concurrent list must be abolished, which was a promise of then federal
government in 1973 to the smaller provinces.
3.6 The fifth NFC award should be decided on following basis:
- Index of infrastructure in the province
- Human development index of backwardness in the province.
- Ratio of poverty in the province
- Level of per capita income in comparison to the other provinces
- Revenue generation capacity
- Burden of legal and illegal immigrants
4. Neutrality of Armed Forces through equal representation of all the
provinces:
4.1 Armed forces have continuously subverted provincial autonomy under the
pretext of National Integrity, partly because the Pakistan Army remains to
be a regional army without attaining a national and inclusive character.
Jawans and officers cadre belongs to only two provinces of Pakistan. In
order to promote partnership in the well-being and integrity of Pakistan, a
national conscription must be introduced at once.
4.2 In order to invest the armed forces with a truly federal Character, the
people of Sindh demand that provincial quota for the indigenous people of
Sindh, applicable in the case of other Federal Services should be made
applicable to armed forces as well and till such time as the indigenous
people of the province of Sindh have attained representation at lower and
officer cadre commensurate with their population, no recruitment should be
made from such province as have already excess representation.
4.3 The Center should be given charge of only 3 subjects viz Defense,
Currency and Foreign affairs.
4.4 Pakistan's defense budget is not transparently made and spent. Like wise
Pakistan's defense policy is a complete failure, the reason behind is that
it does not represent all four provinces, therefore it must put before
discussion in all four provincial assemblies and national assembly an
decisions must be made in the light of resolutions by the joint session of
parliament.
5. Water Issues and Compensation Packages:
5.1 The Federal Government on account of the forcible usurpation of the
capital of Sindh, Karachi, during the years 1948-70, must give a
compensation of Rs. 100 billion to the province of Sindh. The said amount be
utilized for educational and developmental uplift of indigenous people of
Sindh who were adversely affected by the usurpation of their historic port
city, and the nerve center of their entire commercial, economic and cultural
life, and the greatest generator of jobs in their province.
5.2 A compensation of Rs. 200 billions be paid by the Federal Government to
the Sindhi people, for giving away the urban property and business to the
immigrants under confiscatory settlement laws enacted by the immigrant
bureaucracy, there by closing all avenues for indigenous people to urbanize
and to enter into business and industry.
5.3 Rs.200 billion be paid to the indigenous people of Sindh by the Federal
Government as compensation for the agricultural lands given away to
non-locals in Kotri and Guddu Barrage command, that right fully belonged to
the indigenous people of Sindh.
5.4 A panel of judges of world repute, belonging to SARC, OIC and World
Court be appointed, finally to settle the1853-2005 Sindh-Punjab water
dispute.
5.5 In the meantime, the violations of the undertakings regarding
Chashma-Jehlum and Taunsa_Panjnad Link Canals be stopped forthwith and the
illegal canals be closed for ever.
5.6 All other thefts and plunders of Indus waters be stopped.
5.7 Construction of Greater Thal Canal be stopped.
5.8 Project of further dams on Indus be finally given up.
6. Governance & justice :
6.1 The district government system in the name of so-called devolution of
power introduced by the establishment should be abolished, as it is
unworkable and has become a cause of great confusion and misery for the
common man and also as a source of conflict between provincial and local
governments.
6.2 Division of District Hyderabad should be annulled immediately and in
future delimitation of districts or talukas should be subjected to
legislation through Sindh Assembly after debating the subject fully.
6.3 All cases against terrorists that were dropped by current and previous
Sindh Governments should be re-opened and pursued and all terrorists and
murderers must be punished according to the fair legal procedures and
requirements. Persons responsible for this criminal practice of causing such
heinous injustice be punished sternly.
6.4 Civil Servants and all kinds of government employees should be given
protection of law by strict adherence to lay down procedures and by
strengthening service Tribunals.
6.5 Barbaric treatment of prisoners should be stopped and jail manuals be
brought up to international standards.
6.6 Murders under karo Kari should be treated as crimes against the state
and Hadd laws should be excluded from karo Kari murders and Hudood laws be
repealed.
6.7 Honest and credible senior sindhi speaking police officers be posted in
all the districts of Sindh where the law and order situation has been
sensitized due to the unholy alliance of agencies, dacoits and feudal.
7. Development of Sindh:
7.1 For fast industrialization of Sindh, coal reserves at Thar should be
utilized to create cheap electric power and industrialists all around
Pakistan and abroad should be encouraged to set up industries with the
condition that such industries shall employ 80% local work force.
7.2 Through a crash program, all form to market roads in Sindh should be
built and connected with taluka and district headquarters to create a vast
network of roads interconnecting whole of Sindh.
7.3 Three bridges should be built over Indus in Sindh joining Kandh kot with
Ghotki, Khairpur with Larkana and Sakrand with Manjhand. These bridges will
join Sindh into a vibrant whole.
7.4 The Government of Sindh should help establish industries in rural Sindh,
based on agriculture produce and indigenous raw material, by providing
infrastructure and incentives to indigenous entrepreneurs of training; soft
loans and setting up tax free zones.
7.5 Goth Abad Act-1987 should be made effective in letter and spirit to
ensure that people living in villages get ownership rights enabling them to
have privileges of obtaining house building loans and other facilities. A
Board consisting of indigenous people as members must monitor this process.
7.6 Agriculture markets (Mandis) like those of Karachi and Hyderabad be
established in all cities and towns of Sindh, reserving 50% shops to Haris
and abadgars (growers).
7.7 People of Sindh demand that a crash program be launched to provide the
basic human right of clean and germ free drinking water to the inhabitants
of all large and small cities, settlements and villages of Sindh.
7.8 A crash program be launched to treat sewage drain water and to use it to
irrigate lands. In case of discharge of sewage into canals and waterways, it
should be ensured to have been treated to the required level. In case of
violation of this principle major penalty be imposed on concerned officials.
7.9 Top priority should be given to education, especially to female
children, and all children should be given stipend of Rs. 100 per month,
uniforms, books, shoes and free whole some lunch at government expense till
matriculation.
7.10 School and University teachers should all have free medical facilities
and urban and rural teachers should have uniform allowance including house
rent.
7.11 A nation wide yearly Scholarship examination must be initiated to help
such meritorious school and university students who cannot afford higher
education.
7.12 Fishermen should be given basic and equal opportunities, small loans
and access to all natural lakes and deep waters.
7.13 People of Sindh demand that a Bank of Small Loans be established by
Sindh Government that should lend up to Rs.20, 000/ on personal guarantee to
poor people so that they do not fall in the clutches of money lenders who
charge 120% interest per annum.
8. New legislation and Haris (Peasants) and Laborers:
8.1 Haris and small khatedars (growers) must be given the status of
Agricultural Labor and should be given the protection of medical facilities
through social security, old age pension and adjudication of their
complaints through Hari courts, much as for industrial labor now.
8.2 Haris should be provided plots on government lands for houses so that
whenever they no more work for the zamindar, they should still have a place
to live.
8.3 All land records should be computerized in such a way that revenue
officials are unable to alter the same through bribery and corruption.
8.4 People of Sindh demand that thekadari system be abolished immediately in
hiring labor for industries and the laborers should be placed under the
umbrella of social security, old age pension and education of their
children.
9. Cultural Rights:
9.1 Sindhi language must be given the status of one of the national
languages including Punjabi, Balochi, Pushto, Siraiki and other indigenous
languages.
9.2 Sindhi artists and people of letters must be encouraged extensively by
providing them a protective umbrella of old age allowance and medical care
and marketing of their art in the shape of exposure on electronic media or
printing of books.
9.3 The people of Sindh demand that the Sindhi Press be considered as
National Press and Government and multinational companies give advertisement
revenue to Sindhi Newspapers, Satellite Channels and electronic media
commensurate with the population of Sindhi speaking people, as the
Government of Pakistan gets 70% revenue from Sindh and the multinationals
earn huge profits from selling their products to Sindhi people.
9.4 Sindhi writers and artists should be incorporated in all national
delegations to abroad.
9.5 Sindhi language should be given its due share and status in all public
sector TV and radio programs.
9.6 Sindhi language public sector literary institutions should be given due
financial support and executives should be appointed purely on merit through
transparent mechanisms.
Presented and Approved at 'Sindh National conference' held at Bhitshah on
21st May 2005.
This Charter has been Drafted, Proposed and Approved by more than sixty
thousand Haree & mazdoor activists, students and by the office bearers and
representatives of political parties, men and women from all walks of life
including following leaders of the Sindh Consultative Forum, Awami Tahreek,
Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, Sindh National Front, Sindh Culture and
Literature Development Committee, Sindhiani Tahreek, Sindhi Association of
North America, Muslim League (Nawaz) Sindh Chapter, WSC, Sindh Intellectual
Forum, Sindhi Adabi Sangat, Jamiat Ulmai Islam, Pakistan Labour Party,
Balochistan National Movement, Sindh Research Council, Center for Peace and
Human Development, Peoples Party, Friends of the River Indus, National
Workers Party, Sindh Graduate Association:
Iqbal Tareen (USA), Professor Mushtaq Mirani, Rasool Bux Palijo, Dr. Azeem
Almani, Senator Abdul Majeed Qazi, Shafiq Moosvi, Ali Nawaz Memon (USA),
Haidar Shahani, Agha Shahabudin, Ishaq Tunio (USA), Yousuf Nasqandi, Aijaz
Hakro Advocate, Makhdoom Shahnawaz, Ayaz Latif Palijo Advocate, Professor
Umar Chand (New Zealand), MPA Sassui Palijo, G N Mughal, Nazeer Memon,
Mairaj Muhammad Khan, Sarwech Sujawali, Rehana Channar, Professor Siraj
Siyal, Wishnoo Mal, Sany H Panhawar (USA), Zahida Shaikh, A G Chandio,
Abdul Majid Nizamani, Abrar Kazi, Maheen Hisbani, Aftab Bhutto Advocate,
Mariam Majeedi, Zain Ansari, Afzal Gujjar, Alam Shah, Khalid Hashmani (USA),
Ghulam Nabi Mughal, Sanam Marui, Mion Ali Muhammad Walhari, Altaf Khaskheli,
Amar Guriro, Professor Ameer Ali Qadri, Aziz Gopang, Dodo Chandio, Dr Mumtaz
Bhutto, Ghulam Mustafa Soomro, Dr Shams Siddiqui, Ghafar Malik, Ghulam Nabi
Morai, Ghulam Rasool Chandio, Gul Muhammad Jakhrani, Ahmed Makhdoom
(Singapore), Hafeez Kunbhar, Humera Noor Bajeer, Imtiaz Chandio, Iqbal
Mallah, Ishaq Samejo, MPA Makhdoom Jamil-u-Zaman, Usman Baloch, Molana Azam
Jahangeeri, Mansoor Dahri, Maqsood Memon, Muhammad Ali Legahri, Muhammad
Khan Bhurgri, Sabeen Baloch, Mushtaq Rajpar, Muzafar Sadiq Bhatti, Hameero
Mal, Nazeer Qureshi, Jami Chandio, Nazir Naz, Jiee Zareena Baloch, Abdul
Qadir Ranto, Aslam Baloch, Dr. Qamar Wahid, Mir Hasan Areesar, Dr. Qasim
Bughio, Professor Najma Shaikh, Rashid Rajar, Rafik Mangi, Rahmatullah
Hisbani, Dr. Nazia Yaqoob Memon (Thailand), Roshan Sunder Chandio, Sohail
Kalhoro (UK), Noor Nabi Rahoojo, Professor Saeeda Bashir Chandio, Kamal
Chang, Ayoob Sarhandi, Sardar Shah, Sobho Gianchand, Waqar Nathan Shahi, Ali
Haidar Shah, Dr. Gulzar Jumani, Sarfraz Vistaro, Tahira Pirah Baloch, Asee
Zameeni, Shahab Mughal, Hafeeza Talpur (UK), Zulfiqar Halepoto, Deedar
Baloch Advocate, Inam Shaikh, Gul Mallah (UAE), Wahab Munshi, Dr Agha Taj,
Zafar Leghari Advocate, Sattar Morio, Allah Bux Bukhari, Tanweer Junejo,
Saifullah Nizamani (USA), Yasir Kachelo, Shams Ursani, Durgawati Rajput, Zeb
Nizamani, Aziz Buriro, Hasan Wasan, Saleem Channa, Mutafa Karim Patoli,
Inayat Baloch, Zubeda Birwani, Akhtar Baloch, Hadi Bhatt Advocate, Ilyas
Khokhar, Nazeer Leghari, Dr. Zulfiqar Rahoojo, Atta Rajar, Ameer Bukhari,
Muzafar Kalhoro, Ayoob Shar, Ramzan Chandio, Ayoob Gul, Mitho Maheri, Sodho
Jogi, Farheen Mughal, Wasand Tharee, Hanif Sarang, Gul Hasan Keerano, Lal
Jarwar, Maghan Lal, Ali Muhammad Parvez, Ibrahim Sarang, Shabeer Shar
Advocate, Aziz Solangi, Jalal Kori, Sarwech Sario, Mohsan Abbasi, Arif
Junejo, Muhammad Maroo Khushk, Professor Nadeem Malik, Ibrahim Kunbhar, Adal
Soomro, Shafiq Kandhro, Ghaffar Bhutto, Hissam Memon, Muhammad Ali Deeplai,
Khalil Mustafa, Qazi Manzar Hayat, Sarwar Bari, Imdad Husaini, Malik Dino
Shaikh (USA), Ali Nawaz Dahri, Professor Abdul Rehman Sial, Shaukat Jogi
(Australia), Ghulam Hussain Chang, Sarwar Nawaz Bughio, Professor Tahmeena
Mufti, Ghansham Prakash, Khalid Maroo, Mahitab Mahboob, Noor Muhammad
Bajeer, Muhammad Siddique Otho, Ghulam Hussain Malookani, Sarmad Palijo,
Jabbar Habibani, Ehsan Leghari, Qamardin Khoso, Ashfaque Soomro, Zarar
Peerzado, Irshad Leghari, Rashid Daoodpoto, Adeel Mahar and thousands of
others.
Fwd by Ayaz Latif Palijo Advocate
Coordinator Sindh Consultative Forum
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