Punish Ghadars of Sindh

Punish Ghadars of Sindh
In order to ensure long term and sustainable revival of Sindh, Sindhis have to get their rights in Pakistan. Email writing and talking has to be translated into action—legal and democratic action.

The long-term decision makers are Islamabad. However, the next step has to be taken in Sindh itself. Own house has to be put in order. Millions of Sindhis have to do this together. They have to use stick and carrot. Stick has to be used against those Sindhis who have sold Sindh for their own personal gain. This applies to every corrupt government official from policeman to IG, from tapedar to Chief Secretary, and from beldar to Chief engineer. The bosses in Islamabad tolerate them and allow them to enrich themselves as they facilitate transfer of resources from Sindh.

I know Sindhis secretaries and politicians who are loved by Islamabad because they gave thousands of acres of urban Sindhi for peanuts for defense housing societies. These people released billions of rupees of Sindh budget in a moment for gaining personal favor. While the same people found hundred reasons for not releasing approved budget funds for schools and universities in Sindh. They have deprived Sindhis of billions in resources for small personal gains. They must be reminded about what they have done.

This also applies to every politician from union council member to Nazim, to MPA, MNA, minister, Chief minister and higher up. So many of our former corrupt civil servants, ministers and chief ministers end up with huge properties abroad and live happily thereafter, because Islamabad allows them to get away.

Overseas Sindhis have an obligation to inform law enforcement authorities in USA and other countries and help in getting them caught. This is the only way that other potential ghadars will know that they cannot swallow their ill-gotten wealth.

The nation has Ihtisab bureau in Islamabad. But it conducts ihtisab for benefit of Islamabad. Sindhi people have to conduct own ihtisab for protection of their legitimate rights. I am told that nearly every Sindhi official and politician is corrupt. Common people have no control over them. But I also know that the corrupt are notoriously weak hearted and cowards. For their own protection, they will do anything. Accordingly, if they realized that Sindhi people are serious about their ihtisab, their pants will get wet and will drop quickly. But for that to happen, Sindhis have to conduct serious ihtisab of at least some of the rotten. If people conduct ihtisab of ten rotten officials and politicians, the others will hide like rats and will come to their senses. If they realize that swallowing rights of others will not go unpunished, they will come to straight path quickly. MQM has proven that this solution can work. One will not find many muhajirs who will sell out other muhajirs. Altaf Bhai learnt this fact early in the game. Many other communities in the world have learnt and practice this lesson. Sindhis have to learn it too.

I repeat, the ihtisab or accountability has to be100% legal. If illegal means are used, it will fail. It can take form of exposure. Let Sindhis publish their own lists of ghadar and corrupt. Each one of you can write a list of ten corrupt ghadars that you know about—from clerk to chief minister. Make twenty photocopies and hand out in bazaar. Mao had used this technique during the cultural revolution in China. You can also send hundreds of applications to anti-corruption department. I know that the anti-corruption department is the most corrupt one. But still the corrupt officials do not like to see so many applications against themselves on file. Also, write names of the corrupt walls in your town at night. Let the ghadar and corrupt know that you know about them.

I believe that this ihtisab has to take place in every village, every town and city of Sindh. Once this starts happening, I am sure that media will pick it up and report it. The newspapers are hungry for news. First only Sindhi papers will pick up the news. Eventually, every one will pick up the news. Sindhis will find many supporters of this peaceful exposure movement. The Ghadars will get the message that Sindhis will not tolerate their sale out. In the process, Sindh may get some of the stolen wealth back. But at least, the ghadars will become scared.

The ihtisab can also be in the form of social boycott. Sindhis have a habit of honoring “important people”, no matter how dirty they are. Even in USA, when these corrupt and ghadar people come to SANA or WSI meetings, we give them respect. We also invite them for dinners and lunches. We overseas Sindhis in USA, UK and other countries have to set an example. We do not need anything from these corrupt ghadars. Why do we have to honor them? We have to shame them when they come here.


Sindhis have to learn to use carrot also. Sindhis have to recognize and stand by good people-- public servants and politicians. We have to honor, respect and defend the good people. We have to vote for them too so that they will come forward and make our revival possible. God willing, more and more good people will come to the forefront.

If Sindhis cannot use such stick and carrot in legal and democratic way, we better stop bitching and complaining.What more can we do for our revival? We have many trump cards which we can play in a democratic and peaceful way for our revival. But we have to take the first step.

Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.

Ali Nawaz MemonSindh Development Institute7204 Antares DriveGaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/sindhhouse@hotmail.com