Sindh Development Institute

Sindh's Place Under the Sun

2007-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2007

Dear Friends

I was just listening to a lecture about Korea and its place under the sun. As we all know, there are two Koreas. One of them is South Korea which is a very developed and further developing country. Its technology and standard of living matches that of many parts of europe. Another part of Korea is in a much worse shape. But it may begin to change too.

It made me think about our Sindh and its place under the sun. Again, there are two Sindhs. Karachi is capital of Sindh. It has many problems but is far ahead of the second Sindh which is rural Sindh.

Let us go back a step. "Under the sun", we have USA and Europe who are not only developed but are further developing in every conceivable area of science, technology, living standard etc. Then we have Russia who is coming back in every possible way principally thanks to high prices and income from oil and gas. Then we have Japan, China, Korea, Singapore who are doing well for their people. Even places like Brazil, Mexico, Turkey are moving foward.

Getting closer to Sindh under the sun, we begin to see a different world. We have India which still has a lot of poverty and human misery but it is developing fast with a lot of hope in future. We have oil rich arabs who are enjoying all comforts of the developed world but are faced with enormous unstability and potential wars and disaster.

Coming down from the sun, as we approach Pakistan, we see pockets of significant development such as Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad. But the country also faces huge unstability and potential civil and international wars. The future is less than bright.

As we approach rural Sindh, we see 20% people having a reasonable living. But 80% are drowned in misery. Is there a future for this place? "NO" if the current trends in terms of political and economic discrimination, ethnic war, lack of water, lack of law and order etc continue.

"YES", there is bright future if we can change the current trends. If we can become a part of political detente and understanding, if we can learn to use ethnic diversity to our advantage; if we can learn to make a better use of availabale water; if we can solve law and order problem etc. Yes, none of that is easy. We hope that our discontent and our political agitation will persude some one else to come and solve our problems. It has not happened so far and is not likely to happen soon.

What will be sindh's place under the sun 20 years from now? For example, our whole coast can be like Dubai -- very developed and prosperous with higher incomes spreading to all parts of interior. Or it could be much worse than it is today. Some one has to make right choices.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon

Sindh Development Institute

7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/

sindhhouse@hotmail.com

How Sindhis Feel: Memorandum to All Parties Conference (APC)

2007-08-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

How Sindhis Feel?

Memorandum to All Political Parties and their representatives in APC

Today Sindhi speaking people feel disfranchised in Pakistan. They feel that despite being principle political creators and supporters of Pakistan movement, they have been ignored and left behind in Pakistan. All those who have tried to speak for welfare of Sindhis have been labeled traitors and separatist rather than well-wishers of people of Pakistan who are being ignored and left behind.

Among other things, Sindhis feel that:

Sindhi language and culture have been ignored and has been deliberately pushed back. Sindhis are not in competition with Urdu. They simply seek preservation and development of their language and culture, which are many thousands of years old.

Based on international reports from the Asian Development Bank, World Bank etc, poverty among Sindhi speaking people who reside principally in interior of Sindh is on the rise. It is higher than that in Punjab, NWFP and average rate for whole Pakistan. About 50% of Sindhis live below poverty line while average poverty rate for Pakistan is roughly about 30%.

While Sindhis used to have plenty of irrigation and drinking water, today Sindhi lands and mouths are dry. On the other hand, Sindhis are given undue share of dangerous floodwater and poisonous drainage water from other provinces. As a result, water borne diseases are rampant in Sindh.

Sindhis are deprived of own leadership. While some provinces have been rightfully given freedom to choose own leaders, Federal government has always taken upon itself to impose hand picked leaders on Sindh. In making the choice, priority is given to those who will be acceptable even loyal to others rather than those who will have genuine interest in development of Sindh.

In recent years, Sindh government has been literally handed over to MQM. Rural Sindh has been deliberately handed back to feudal. Law and order has been handed over to tribal Jirgas. Middle class has been crushed in every possible way.

For decades Sindhis have been deprived of fair representation in armed forces of Pakistan because they had fought British rule. Tall and strong Sindhis were rejected and short and physically weak non-Sindhis were welcomed in armed forces because they were from communities, which were acceptable to British raj. Enough of this so called “martial race” business.

Sindhis have been promoters, supporters of Pakistan. Sindhis willingly accept their own shortcomings. However, they refuse to be treated as second-class citizens in Pakistan, which their assembly and people supported from the start.

Sindhis ask all political parties and military and civil bureaucracy of Pakistan to treat them fairly. SINDHIS WANT FAIRNESS IN FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN.

Sindhis seek concrete action to ensure that they will be treated as equal citizens of Pakistan. They seek support of all political parties of Pakistan and military and civil bureaucracy for:

Several fold increases in resources to help develop Sindhi language and culture

Quality education and jobs to make up for past discrimination and other measures to reduce poverty to at least average rate for whole Pakistan. This means effective reduction of poverty from about 50% to about 30%.

Full registration of poor rural Sindhi voters.

Transparent national and local elections on basis of which Sindhis will receive fair share in running affairs of their provincial government.

Induction of Sindhi leaders in government who will be sincere to Sindhis rather than those who will be acceptable to MQM and federal agencies.

Large-scale recruitment of Sindhis at all levels in national armed forces until they receive a fair representation on basis of population.

Fair share of national budgetary resources consistent with income generated in Sindh and existing high poverty rate. The resources must be spent on rural development which will improve quality of life rather than spending of the money on some mega projects which benefit a few.

Urgent water and electric distribution policies and schemes to provide irrigation water, drinking water and electricity to rural Sindhis. Sindhis are tired of being the last in the queue.

ABOVE ALL SINDHIS SEEK FAIRNESS IN FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN IN EVERY WAY. SINDHI CHILDREN MUST BE TREATED SAME WAY AS PUNJABI AND MOHAJIR CHILDREN. THEY REFUSE TO CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD.

Reagrds

Ali Nawaz Memon

July 5, 2007

Initiating Self-Sustaining Project at EducateSindh

2007-08-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Sohail
I am glad to hear that EducateSindh is also thinking about initiating a suitable self sustaining project. I shall like to simply repeat what I have said earlier.I agree that we need a proper organization. I think that Sain Iqrar Ali Soomro has identified some essential steps. I am ready to assist in every possible way.
I think that the organization should be primarily based in Pakistan. Those of us who are abroad should support it as needed.
I call upon friends like Dr Suleman Shaikh, Sain Altaf Shaikh, Sain Mushaq Talpur (to name a few) and all of you who have desire to help develop Sindhis, and those who have responded positively to come forward and assist in forming a suitable organization.
IN THE MEAN TIME, IT REQUEST THAT YOU ASSIST NEEDY SINDHI STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTENCE. I AM SURE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU KNOWS ONE OR MORE NEEDY STUDENT WHO SESERVES HELP. PLEASE HELP THEM ON INDIVIDUAL BASIS UNTIL A PROPER ORGANIZATION IS FORMED.Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

From: "Sohail Kalhoro" Reply-To: educatesindh@googlegroups.comTo: educatesindh@googlegroups.comSubject: [EducateSindh] Initiating Self-Sustaining project at EducateSindh

Date: Sat, 30 Jun 2007 00:15:47 +0100
Dear All

Firstly, we would like to thank all friends who provided a thought provoking input in regards to establishing a mechanism where some sort of financial assistance could be provided to deserving fellow sindhis. We respect and value this.

We believe, EducateSindh is a result-oriented community of Sindhi professionals where core matters pertaining to the well-being of Sindh are raised & analysed in pursuit of an optimum solution. We have engineers, doctors, scientists, Lawyers, Teachers, business professionals, politicians, Journalists,students and others as part of our team. Our aim is to grow our community and produce results and we believe we are onto it.

When it comes to addressing a specific task, we suggest to address it systematically.
We believe, raising money is not an issue. However, the main concern would be distribution of resources evenly, transparency, etc.
Like various friends quoted that similar projects were initiated in the past but that couldn't withstand much longer due to lack of planning, commitment etc. Therefore, in order to avoid any disappointments we should go for a project at this stage which is self-sustaining, easy to manage, and cost effective. For this reason dedicated friends are required who are excellent team players, enthusiastic, self motivated and able to motivate others to achieve higher standards. Interested friends may come forward and advise what capacity they would like to work.

Once a team has been selected for this specific project, its essential skills, knowledge and experience would be required to formulate a detailed feasibility study covering initiation, planning, execution and completion of this project.

Relevant project information (i.e. target audience, completion dates, end-results etc) may also be made available to those who have any concerns regarding the credibility of this project.

Lets organize a team first, write a detailed project plan and then put it altogether in action.

Any ideas/suggestions are always welcome.

Regards

Sohail KalhoroTransactions Support Executive
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Need for a Scholarship Fund organization

2007-08-01T09:17:00.000-07:00

June 30, 2007

I agree that we need a proper organization. I think that Sain Iqrar Ali Soomro has identified some essential steps. I am ready to assist in every possible way.

I think that the organization should be primarily based in Pakistan. Those of us who are abroad should support it as needed.
I call upon friends like Dr Suleman Shaikh, Sain Altaf Shaikh, Sain Mushaq Talpur (to name a few) and all of you who have desire to help develop Sindhis, and those who have responded positively to come forward and assist in forming a suitable organization.IN THE MEAN TIME, IT REQUEST THAT YOU ASSIST NEEDY SINDHI STUDENTS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTENCE. I AM SURE THAT EACH ONE OF YOU KNOWS ONE OR MORE NEEDY STUDENT WHO SESERVES HELP. PLEASE HELP THEM ON INDIVIDUAL BASIS UNTIL A PROPER ORGANIZATION IS FORMED.Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome. Ali Nawaz Memon Sindh Development Institute 7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/ sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Genius Lost in Sindh

2007-08-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

June 16, 2007

Dear Friends
Recently I came accross story of a 12 year old boy. He had never been to school nor could he read or write or count until he was 10 years.
The teacher soon discovered that the boy was genius in arithmetic. Within 2 years of coming to elementry school, he could add series of numbers in his head, faster than the teacher could mannually. A genius was discovered.
I wonder how many genius we have in Sindh who are never discovered. I lot of human talent is lost!
I hope that we, the luckier Sindhis will do everything in our power to stop loss of human and in particular our own genius. As one possible way, please support and give scholarships for any needy child that you know about. educate Sindh.
Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Development of Sindh

2007-08-01T09:05:00.000-07:00

March 31, 2007

Dear Friends
1. We all can agree that Sindhis are falling behind each day. Denial of their rights by others is clearly a very important factor. Denying each other's rights by Sindhis themselves, allowing educational and other institutions to reach state of ruin etc are other significant causes.We need to work simultenously on both sides of issus-- external to Sindhis and internal to Sindhis. However, we should be doing each day what ever we can do.
2. Sain Khalid Hashmani is rightly concerned. In this particular email, he has drawn attention to violation of Sindhi rights by others. He has suggested holding of demonstrations in major cities of USA. Why? Because we need to bring our misery to attention of american society and decision makers. I think it is a good idea. Holding seminars like WSI has been doing and holding demonstrations combined with holding press conferences will be useful. WSI has done a good job of sensitising american stakeholders.
3. I am sure that there are other things that we can do too. Personally, I like to contact concerned persons directly. I like to share two recent experiences so that others may consider the same approach of directly doing something.
(a) About three weeks ago, I learnt from World Bank sources that repackaging of Kalabagh was planned and a senior World Bank team was going to Pakistan for that purpose. I directly contacted about twenty persons who could do something. Thank God, many people were alerted in a timely manner. I am thankful to Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto who issued the following instruction:
"Chairperson desires that the matter below be brought to the attention of the President Sindh as well as the Leader of Opposition Sindh Assembly. They may like to discuss it with their experts with a view for Leader of Opposition to write to World Bank expressing concerns on their proposed visit. Second NGOs may also be asked to write similar letters. Third, parties of Balauchistan and Frontier who oppose the Kalabagh Dam may write to draw attention to their provinces position through the Assembly."
(b) Last week we learnt that admissions for Sindhis at Dow Medical were threatened. I wrote a strong note to past and present MQM chiefs in USA. I received the following response within two hours:
"We are checking up with our London office as well as from Karachi as to the background of this action. Once we have the clear picture we'll revert back to you."

I am waiting for some concrete action.

4. The main struggle for Sindhi rights has to be within Sindh. We all are convinced about the need for unity which can lead to more effective action. In this context, we the overseas sindhis can play a part.

About two years ago, I joined a JOINT MISSION OF AMERICANS OF INDO PAK ORIGIN and travelled to both Pakistan and India to urge peaceful reolution of outstanding issues. People and leaders of both countries welcomed us and listened to us.

I recommend formation and sending of similar team of american Sindhis to Pakistan and other appropriate places to meet people and leaders to try to halt downward slide of Sindhis. Detailed terms of reference can be formulated. I shall be happy to be a part of such a team.5. Personally I like to focus on improving economic lot of Sindhis. I need support for generating 100,000 scholarships for Sindhis. We need to find practical ways of helping individual Sindhis to prosper. How can we persuade businessmen to help sindhis in establishing businesses?

6. Let us hear from others about what should and can be done. Then let us formulate a strategy and ACT. I definately support the idea of demonstrations. But I think we need more.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon Sindh Development Institute 7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/ sindhhouse@hotmail.com

From: To: sanalist@yahoogroups.com, sanaofcanada@yahoogroups.comSubject: [sanalist] A "Sindhi Rights Day" to start a campaign for Sindhi RightsDate: Sat, 31 Mar 2007 10:08:04 -0700 (PDT)
Ada Aziz, Piyara Gul, Suhna Saifooji, and SaeeN Ali Nawaz,

Your messages and ideas have moved me and I am sure others to ponder over the latest attacks on Sindhi Rights and what we do. We all know that many of adversaries of Sindhis have unified and have a strategy to overwhelm Sindh and Sindhis. Unfortunately, we are mostly in "reactive" mode and tend to simply show half-hearted reaction to actions that usurp of our rights. In my view, what we also need is a strategy of unquestionable unity on a simple principle that "WE WILL NOT ACCEPT INJUSTICES ANY MORE" and launch a unified movement here in North America that will soon catch on in Pakistan and other countries to bring attention of other Pakistani and world communities to the plight of Sindhis.

Many of us appear to be satisfied with issuing statements and writing e-mails but shy away from any tangible actions that involve moving away from our PCs. When was the last time SANA, the largest organization of North American Sindhis, demonstrated in a major city like New York, Toronto or Washington DC for Sindhi Rights. Almost all of the successful Rights movements have had an activist agenda with rallies and demonstrations not only locally but also internationally. Neither the black civil rights movement in the USA nor people of Quebec would have achieved their lingual and economic rights peacefully without a super activist agenda The first step in achieving and preserving Sindhi Rights is to create awareness about the discrimination and exploitation of Sindhis (refer to the Objectives section in SANA charter) in Pakistan and rest of the world. Without people being aware that Sindhis are under severe attack as their basic rights are being trembled and that they are being forcibly reduced to a minority in their own land, we have no chance of attracting any support and sympathy from others.

I propose that SANA President, without any reservation and fear from any reaction of pragmatists, call for holding of rallies and demonstrations on a suitable day in the next few weeks. He should extend a hand of unity to all other Sindhi organizations and ask them to join the "Sindhi Rights" campaign. The SANA President should call for a "SINDHI RIGHTS" day. On this day, Sindhis from all over the world should be encouraged to hold peaceful rallies in front of Pakistan embassies or in locally significant locations (e.g., White House, UK Parliament, etc.). This should be followed up with consistent and diligent activities conducted in a unified manner until the injustices stop and our adversaries are unable to further discriminate and exploit us.

I wonder how many of us are very much content to go on doing what they are doing now comfortably and how many are willing to shed away lethargy and apathy and join hands for a "SINDHI RIGHTS" campaign.

Thanks and regards,

Khalid Hashmani
McLean, Virginia, USA
Aziz Narejo wrote:

It is a part of the Musharraf/Military/ MQM plan to dispossess Sindhis from their cities and turn them into a minority in their own land.
.
.
It should be the priority of all to end the military dictatorship and defeat the terrorists in their designs.

Yes, SANA should play an active role in the struggle for the rights of our people. We had formed the SANA Human Rights Committee to take up the issues affecting the rights of the people of Sindh. Unfortunately that and most other committees couldn't become active.

We need the support of the community members to take up these issues. I would request our friends like Irshad Kazi, Mohammad Ali Mahar, Ghulam Mustafa Soomro, Khalid Hashmani, Dr Gul Agha, Dr Mazhar Lakho, Dr Feroz Ursani, Dr Maqbool Halepota, Dr Aijaz Turk, Dr Mahmood Qalbani, Waheed Shaikh, Dr Valeed Shaikh, Shakeel Nizamani, Fayaz Soomro, Sarfraz Gahothi, Khair Mohammad Kolachi and others to come forward and lend practical support.

.
.
That should be the practical thing to do. Members may also suggest what else we CAN do.

Please help,

-----------------------------------------

Gul Agha wrote:

Ethnic cleansing of Sindhi villages, demolition of Lyari homes, rejection of residence based on parents' domicile, and now ways of keeping more Sindhis out of Karachi.. -----------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun, Mar 25 2007 10:41pmFrom: Mushtaque RajparDawn has reported a demonstratoin by Sindhi Students in Hyderaba and Karachi condemning Dow Medical University's new admission policy, under which, as reported, DMU has abolished the 28 reserved seats for the interior Sindh students.
Reported Dow has made it manadatory for students applying for admission to have their parents domicile of Karachi district. ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Gul Agha wrote:

We all have our beliefs and should respect each other for them. But what all decent, informed people can agree on is that the Sindhi people have a right to determine their future free of violent coercion. We cannot respect people who would deny the Sindhi people this fundamental moral and legal right. The right of self-determination , enshrined in international law for all peoples, should be freely exercised under UN supervision since we cannot trust the Pakistani style "referendums" and electoral shenanigans. Then the Sindhi people can decide whatever they want, 1940 resolution on autonomy, 1973 so-called "federalist" constitution, 1847 independence, etc.. then we can debate the merits of various options meaningfully, and agree to respect the choice of the people. ---------------------------------------------------------------------

Ali Nawaz Memon wrote:

In a way, we are a minority-- and a very weak one at that.
Looking at history of weak minorities, they linger on, perish or prosper. The way we are going, we are lingering with a downward trend. May be in few decades, Sindhis will be a story of the past.

---------------------------------------------

Saifullah Shaikh wrote:
.
.Indeed I was not surprised to see,and as expected---there wasno practical approach/strategy for combinedmovement---- -same old Rhetoric -------all newspapersclearly r indicating that there is no sign of unity inSindh. During last 72 hours---Jeay Sindh,s BashirQureshi is marching through whole Sindh ---as a lonelywolf!---and have made repeated appeals to otherNationalist leaders to join him?! but nobody hasresponded. Law attorneys/advocates r suffering fromhead injuries---but still Nawaz Sharif/Benazir renjoing tea/biscuits and r not able to understand theconsequences of lack of organization in their ownso-called political parties!!,and 24 hours ago AltafHussain from London has issued statement/warningfor/in favor of Provincial autonomy and have openlychallenged Composition of Pakistan state on the basisof 1940 resolution? Atleast I m not seeing any sign ofunity among Sindhi politicians- --and i m notsurprised!.On coming Thursday we r going to attendanother political/huge gathering in Karachi on thishot issue of Provincial Autonomy---- --so our dearSindhi Friends--we r waiting for any plan/action onthe ground to watch any sign of unity/real strugglenot only to support Pakistan lawyers movement,but forpractical steps towards provincialautonomy---particul arly from Nationalist leaders andfrom PPP/Sindh leadership-- -whole Sindh is watchingclosely. Sincerely, SaifullahShaikh-----presentl y in Khairpur Mir,s Sindh.

Sindhis have to prosper

2007-08-01T09:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends
In a way, we are a minority-- and a very weak one at that.
Looking at history of weak minorities, they linger on, perish or prosper. The way we are going, we are lingering with a downward trend. May be in few decades, Sindhis will be a story of the past.
What about the third option i.e. Prosper!. Looking at some of the minorities of our times, they chose to prosper. They include Ismailies (Agha Khanis), Ahmadis, Jews, Sindhi Hindus, Mormons (a minority among Christians). How did they do it?
They focussed on education, business and charity for each other. Whatever they earned, they contributed about 10% for community development. The money was used for better education, better and more business development, and more community support. eventually, a majority of them prospered.
This option is open. We know that many Sindhis have accepted this or a part of this formula. There are many who have focussed on business and are doing well. The missing ingrediant for them is community help and development. Then there is the question of bringing in rest of the community in business development.
It is a tall order. But please start spending 10% of whatever you earn on community development. Give it to needy relative as a scholarship or help some one in openning a shop. Do something,
Once we are financially and educationally strong, political strength will follow.
Ali Nawaz Memon

Good GovernanceAttributes

2007-08-01T08:58:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends
We often talk about good governace. I have been looking for a good defination. I have just come accross the following attributes. Let us apply this to our circumstance and see what we ought to do.
The United Nations Committee for Development Planning in its report issued in 1992 entitled “Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development: Goals in Conflict?” identified the following as being part of the attributes of good governance:

1. Territorial and ethno-cultural representation, mechanisms for conflict resolution
and for peaceful regime change and institutional renewal;

2. Checks on executive power, effective and informed legislatures, clear lines of
accountability from political leaders down through the bureaucracy;

3. An open political system of law which encourages an active and vigilant civil
society whose interests are represented within accountable government
structures and which ensures that public offices are based on law and consent;

4. An impartial system of law, criminal justice and public order which upholds
fundamental civil and political rights, protects personal security and provides a
context of consistent, transparent rules for transactions that are necessary to
modern economic and social development;

5. A professionally competent, capable and honest public service which operates within an accountable, rule governed framework and in which the principles of merit and the public interest are paramount;

6. The capacity to undertake sound fiscal planning, expenditure and economic
management and system of financial accountability and evaluation of publicsector activities;

7. Attention not only to central government institutions and processes but also to the attributes and capacities of sub-national and local government authorities and to the issues of political devolution and administrative decentralisation.

I hope and pray that during next PPP government, we shall be able to deliver on all of the above. Good governance is not easy but can have lasting positive impact.
Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Good Governance Attributes

2007-03-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

The United Nations Committee for Development Planning in its report issued in 1992 entitled “Poverty Alleviation and Sustainable Development: Goals in Conflict?” identified the following as being part of the attributes of good governance:

1. Territorial and ethno-cultural representation, mechanisms for conflict resolution
and for peaceful regime change and institutional renewal;

2. Checks on executive power, effective and informed legislatures, clear lines of
accountability from political leaders down through the bureaucracy;

3. An open political system of law which encourages an active and vigilant civil
society whose interests are represented within accountable government
structures and which ensures that public offices are based on law and consent;

4. An impartial system of law, criminal justice and public order which upholds
fundamental civil and political rights, protects personal security and provides a
context of consistent, transparent rules for transactions that are necessary to
modern economic and social development;

5. A professionally competent, capable and honest public service which operates within an accountable, rule governed framework and in which the principles of merit and the public interest are paramount;

6. The capacity to undertake sound fiscal planning, expenditure and economic
management and system of financial accountability and evaluation of publicsector activities;

7. Attention not only to central government institutions and processes but also to the attributes and capacities of sub-national and local government authorities and to the issues of political devolution and administrative decentralisation.

I hope and pray that during next PPP government, we shall be able to deliver on all of the above. Good governance is not easy but can have lasting positive impact.

A Myth: Sindh Is Against Development: Attn: Leaders, Supreme Court

2007-01-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

So Sindh is anti-development if it opposes the steal, fraud, cheat, rip-off,Con and swindle of what rightfully belongs to it!!!

The case in point is the bilking away of the two islands off the coast ofKarachi. And that is just the tip of the iceberg! Sindh is being fleeced forlong now. The lands, the sea, the air, the resources, the soul, the culture andeven its heritage!

Did Sindhis become part of Pakistan to be defrauded of everything thatbelonged to them? How long should they be made to pay for the folly they made in 1947? - Or the folly of 1943 - to be precise - when their assembly became the first provincial assembly in the Indian sub-continent tosupport the demand for Pakistan?

(Do you remember G. M. Syed? He moved that resolution in Sindh assembly andpleaded and defended it vehemently while many opposed).

Haven't Sindhis paid enough for their 'blunder'? Why to bleed them to death?

This is an appeal to all the leadership of Pakistan and the Supreme Court ofPakistan to immediately intervene and stop the usurpation of what belongs to theprovince. This is an urgent and a real matter. They should act or shouldn'tblame the people if they start looking for other options.

Here is a letter that I wrote to Pakistani media on May 16, 2004. It waspartially published in daily Dawn on May 19, 2004:

Dams, port, NFC, a myth & hemlock

The authors of fantastic ideologies, fables and fairy tales have crafted a myththat the people of Sindh and Balochistan are anti-development. This falsehoodhas been based on Sindh opposition to mega water projects andBalochistan's concerns over the under-construction Gwadar port.

Instead offinding out why is it so, the two provinces have been discredited and condemned. Why does Balochistan have reservations about the port? The Baloch leaders saythe project would create a demographic imbalance, turning the local people intoa minority in their own province. They say the people should be co-opted for anydevelopment projects in their areas. To support their argument, they point outto whatever has happened to Sindh where the local population has beenoutnumbered in many areas and has lost heavily in social, cultural, economic andother fields.

Why do Sindhis oppose mega water projects? They look at the history and trembleat the thought what any new dams and canals upstream would do to them. They seethe broken promises, agreements and treaties.

How the upper riparian unilaterally bypassed the 1945 Water Agreement, the onlyaccord between Sindh and Punjab reached without any coercion or intimidation?They have seen what has happened to six water commissions since the British Raj.They know how the Indus Basin Treaty was concluded behind their backs and howthe resultant projects were undertaken just for the benefit of one province.

People of Sindh are also aware how an unrepresentative regime was forced to signthe 1991 Water Accord. And today even that agreement is not being followed. Thepeople know under what agreements and promises the Chashma-Jehlum andTaunsa-Panjnad canals were built and how these agreements and promises have beentrashed.

It is universally accepted that upper riparian can't undertake any megaprojects as it pleases and that already existing projects have the precedenceover any new projects.

That was the principle why the British administrators rejected Greater ThalCanal project. And today 'our own government' in utter disrespect to the wishesof the lower riparian is building the same project! When there is already a hugeshortage of water in the Indus River System, where would the water come from forthe canal? Sindh is justified in its opposition, as it knows who would suffer inthe end. Its agriculture and environment has already suffered immensely withhundreds of thousands of people losing their livelihood. It cannot afford anymore losses or there would be a catastrophe.

Sindh is against any mega dams on the ground that there is simply no extra waterfor them. Since last few years the water in the Indus River System has been96-104 MAF while under the 1991 Accord provinces have been allocated114.35-117.35 MAF. It is only once in 5-10 years that a flood occurs enhancingthe figures. Dams worth hundreds of billions of rupees cannot be built on theassumptions of floods every 5-10 years. It would be a criminal waste offinancial resourcesthat the country would have to pay dearly.

And why to build dams citing the silting in Tarbela when the government has anexperts report with it on the de-silting of the reservoir? And also thatthere are many alternates for power and water that could be undertaken at muchlower costs and would be more beneficial. Same is the case with NFC when the provincial governments and the federalauthorities are hoodwinking the people. Instead of seeking 80% share for their97% population, the provinces are nowhere near even presenting their caseproperly! It all looks like a pre-arranged affair where the people at largewould suffer and the federal government, its agencies and few powerful lobbieswould be the beneficiaries!

Still they say Sindh and Balochistan are at fault, they are anti-development!Nothing could be farther from truth. They need it the most. But only if they areco-opted and if it is beneficial to their people.
Regards,
Aziz Narejo
TX, USA

India: Sachar Committee Report

2007-01-12T20:02:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends
I just heard about the Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee report on social, economic and educational status of Muslims across India was recently tabled in Lok Sabha.
It recognizes special problems of the muslim community in India and suggest very creative measures relating to affirmative action programs, special quotas etc to help needy muslims.
A brief review indicates to me that condition of muslims in India is generally similar to condition of Sindhis and Balochis in Pakistan. We need a similar report and similar action program by the government of Pakistan for our community.
Following is a brief summary/ review. I hope that it will give some ideas to our communities and government of Pakistan. The committee has favoured a group of Muslims with traditional occupations as that of scheduled castes be designated as most backward classes and provided 'multifarious measures,' including reservation. The panel has said Muslims in the country have three groups in terms of their social structure. These are ashrafs, ajlafs and arzals.
"The three groups require different types of affirmative action," said the report, tabled by Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay.
Of the three groups, arzals whose traditional occupation is similar to that of SCs, may be designated as MBCs and provided reservation. This particular group, the panel said, needs multifarious measures including reservation as it remains 'cumulatively oppressed.'
Antulay later told reporters that the report is the 'best thing' that has happened to the community. The issue of reservation has been dealt in the chapter on 'Muslim OBCs and Affirmative Action.'The number of Muslims in security agencies was 3.2 per cent -- 60,517 out of the total of 18,79,134 in CRPF, CISF, BSF, SSB and 'other agencies,' it said without specifying whether armed forces were included or not. The Muslims' headcount in the armed forces sought by the panel had triggered a controversy in Parliament sometime back.Observing that a 'very small' proportion of government/public sector employees are Muslims, concentrated in lower level positions, the panel recommended that it may be desirable to have minority persons on interview panels. This can be done on the lines of SC/ST participation in panels, it said. The committee recommended constitution of a 'equal opportunity commission' to look into grievances of deprived groups. It said an example of such a policy tool is the UK Race Relations Act, 1976.
Such a measure while providing a redressal mechanism for different types of discrimination will give a further reassurance to minorities that any unfair action against them will invite the vigilance of the law, it said.
Noting that Muslim participation in electoral bodies is known to be small, the report said of the 543 Lok Sabha members, only 33 are Muslims. The panel made out a strong case to put mechanisms in place to enable Muslims to engage in democratic processes and governance. "Mere material change will not bring about the true empowerment of the minorities; they need to acquire and be given the required collective agency."
It said a carefully conceived 'nomination procedure' can be worked out to increase the participation of minorities at grassroots. Mechanism should be put in place so that a large number of minorities are indeed nominated to increase their participation in public bodies.
It has suggested that the steps taken by Andhra Pradesh to promote participation of deprived sections in elected bodies could be used to enhance Muslim participation in the decision-making processes.
Noting that over the last 60 years, minorities have scarcely occupied adequate public spaces, it said the participation of Muslims in 'nearly all political spaces is low, which can have an adverse impact on Indian society and polity in the long run.'
"Given the power of numbers in a democratic polity, based on universal franchise, minorities in India lack effective agency and political importance," the 404-page report said.
The minorities, it said, 'do not have the necessary influence or the opportunity to either change or even influence events, which enable their meaningful and active participation in development process.' The committee has recommended elimination of anomalies with respect to reserved constituencies under the delimitation schemes.
"A more rational delimitation procedure that does not reserve constituencies with high minority population shares for SCs will improve the opportunity for minorities, especially Muslims, to contest and get elected to Parliament and state assemblies," the report said.
Referring to educational opportunities for Muslims, the committee recommended mechanisms where madrassa can be linked with a higher secondary school board so that students wanting to shift to a regular/mainstream education can do so after having passed from a madrassa.
It recommended recognition of degrees from madrassas for eligibility in competitive examinations such as civil services, banks, defence services and other such examinations. It also suggested that a process of evaluating the content of the school textbooks needed to be initiated and institutionalised.
The seven-member committee was constituted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in March this year and its tenure was extended till November 30. The report has come against the backdrop of the prime minister's observation that Muslims should get a 'fair share' in government jobs, which had triggered a debate. The formation of the committee had created uproar in Parliament due to the committee's reported move to seek a head count of Muslims in armed forces.
Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Be Richer: Goal 2007?

2007-01-06T10:27:00.000-08:00

I. As a first goal for 2007, I suggested giving scholarships to deserving in the community. Rp 600 ($10) permonth for elementry school, Rp 900 ($15) for secondary school, and about Rp 1200 ($20) permonth for college in Pakistan is reasonable.

We can make a lot of difference to lives of individuals-- one at a time. My goal is 100,000 scholarships. There have been some great proposals from Dr. Laghari of SZABIST and Saeen Danish Jatoi from City School in Bhit Shah. I know that many of you are already giving scholarships. Please continue to do that and do more. Some friends have asked for sample application forms or selection criteria. I have requested Sain Zafar from FAME scholarship program if they will be kind enough to share the required information with others who are interested in sponsoring scholarships.

At this stage, I do not want you to sponsor scholarships through me or Sindh Development Institute. Please do it directly. However, I want to facilitate it. If we can reach goal of 100,000 scholarships in Sindh, I promise you that face of Sindh will change for much better.
II. As second goal, I propose that we all make a promise to ourselves to be richer in honest and legal way. As a retired banker and practicing financial consultant, I can tell you that it is not very difficult.
(a) Simple formula is SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN. No matter how little income you have, please SAVE SOME AND INVEST. Even if you are barely meeting your expenses, saving something will not make your life much worse. Saving today will make life easier tomorrow.
If you are financially comfortable, begin saving in a regular (monthly) way and start investing it wisely.
(b) Increase your earnings. In my case, as a banker I accepted assignments in difficult countries like Nigeria because it paid more allowances/ salary. It generated savings. You may consider getting an additional job on part time basis or working harder on your land, or keeping your shop open for a few more hours in order to increase your savings.
(c) Control your expenses. Look at your budget. Talk to your family and find ways to spend less in order to increase your savings. Please stop or at least cut your expenses on show off ceremonies-- big weddings, khutna etc.
(d) Invest wisely. In my case, I have found real estate or property to be a very good investment. Buy an acre of land in your village or a plot in your town. You will see how the value will increase. SZABIST just spent Rp 20 million for two acres of land in Larkana. Imagine that!

Please share your ideas about how to be rich in honest and legal way. If our community becomes richer, it will be able to take care of our own needs and help others too.Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Goal 2007?

2007-01-06T10:24:00.000-08:00

A lot of good ideas have been coming for improving education in Sindh.

Of course, our community as a whole needs institutional support. However, I wonder what is missing at individual level. Is shortage of money the main issue? Will availability of a large number of scholarships make a big dent in the problem?

of course, foreign scholarships are very expensive, but local scholarships are not so expensive. What if we launched a campaign for one lakh scholarships for deserving students in Sindh in 2007? What will be appropriate amount of scholarship? Rp 600 per month at primary level? Rp 900 at high school? Rp 1800 at college level?

Will it be a worth while goal to launch a campaign for fund raising for this project? I shall be Inshaullah willing to contribute. Will you? How can we make this a worlwide campaign in aid of Sindhi youth?Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Vision, Mission and Values of Sindh Development Institute

2006-12-23T06:48:00.000-08:00

Vision
(a) A democratic, socially just and prosperous Sindhi community
(b) Guided by full participation by community members in all parts of the world,
(c) Realization of full potential of its people and their aspirations for full, sustainable and self reliant development

Mission

Cooperation with, and encouragement and assistence to all organizations and individuals who are working towards:
(a) Accelerated economic and political development of Sindh
(b) Assistance to poor and disadvantaged to achieve their goals for development.

Focus will be on all aspects of human development- political participation, education, business and employment generation, improved health.

Initially Sindh Development Institute will not initiate own projects but will focuss on coperation with and assistence to existing organizations who aim to advance all or parts of our Mission.

Values
· We believe in equity with our development partners in Sindh, other parts of Pakistan and all other parts of the world. In this context, we shall cooperate with like minded political activists, civil servants, NGOs, charitable organizations
· We encourage wide ownership of our vision and mission.
· Our vision and mission must be achieved through productive work, mutual trust, honesty, professionalism and transparency.
· We must have clear understanding of roles and responsibilities, which include accountability and effective participation.
· We now that our community is weak and requires development. We believe that everyone should achieve their basic rights and discharge their obligations.

Developmet- Grameen Bank Style

2006-12-22T06:46:00.000-08:00

The 16 decisions of Grameen Bank
We shall follow and advance the four principles of Grameen Bank --- Discipline, Unity, Courage and Hard work – in all walks of our lives.

Prosperity we shall bring to our families.

We shall not live in dilapidated houses. We shall repair our houses and work towards constructing new houses at the earliest.

We shall grow vegetables all the year round. We shall eat plenty of them and sell the surplus.

During the plantation seasons, we shall plant as many seedlings as possible.

We shall plan to keep our families small. We shall minimize our expenditures. We shall look after our health.

We shall educate our children and ensure that they can earn to pay for their education.

We shall always keep our children and the environment clean.

We shall build and use pit-latrines.

We shall drink water from tubewells. If it is not available, we shall boil water or use alum.

We shall not take any dowry at our sons' weddings, neither shall we give any dowry at our daughters wedding. We shall keep our centre free from the curse of dowry. We shall not practice child marriage.

We shall not inflict any injustice on anyone, neither shall we allow anyone to do so.

We shall collectively undertake bigger investments for higher incomes.

We shall always be ready to help each other. If anyone is in difficulty, we shall all help him or her.

If we come to know of any breach of discipline in any centre, we shall all go there and help restore discipline.

We shall take part in all social activities collectively.

Best Regards,
Azhar Ali Hullio

Be Productive

2006-12-11T15:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Naeem Sheikh Saheb
Thanks for sharing your OPINION. You have raised many important points. To me, the key point is that we all must be productive. Economic productivity is the most important need of the times. Of course, only a small minority can go abroad. A vast majority has to stay and be productive in sindh.
It is unfortunately true that many of our people cannot find "suitable opportunity". Accordingly, we spend our time in tea shops and go from door to door in search of sufarish for that suitable but elusive opportunity.
In the West, children start working and producing early. You will find ten year old children distributing newspapwers in neighborhoods. You will find fifteen year olds working in fast food restauranrs such as KFC or McDonald. You will find college students doing free internships to gain experience. In the West most find suitable jobs after completing college education. However, you will also find many graduates and even post graduates driving taxis in New York and Washington, because they did not find suitable jobs in their fields.
The bottom line for economic advancement is WORK and PRODUCTIVITY. Any thing is better than doing nothing. We must find something productive to do at every age. If we cannot find paying job, let us keep doing free internship or volunteer work in own field, until we do. Job should not be our only goal. Starting a shop-- big or small is a practical option too.Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

From: "naeem sheikh" spnaeemsheikh@hotmail.com
Reply- To: educatesindh@googlegroups.comTo: educatesindh@googlegroups.comSubject: [EducateSindh] OPINIONDate: Sun, 10 Dec 2006 21:31:01 +0500
Dear All,
AoA
...for last couple of months, i am the silent reader of the messages and icontributed only once, when i was really impressed by the response made bythe group on call of a sister Bakhtawar. For last couple of weeks whenever iopen my mail box i found or u may say that i felt that the only task of ouryoung sindhi brothers is to go abroad. Most of the mails describe theopportunities of scholarships available from different corners and allfriends while sharing mails with someone living outside Pakistan only seektheir help so that they should also be fetched abroad. I dont find itlogical because need of the day is not to go abroad and remain therecontributing nothing practical to Sindh or Sindhi people. Improvement ineducation is no doubt an aspect to create awareness but how can we condemnand wash out the so called "KUTCHERIES" our youth is celebrating at theroadside hotels on a cup of tea. Why Industrialization is not encouraged.For how long we condemn others for our wrongdoings. Why the major chunk ofour population is living below poverty line. Why are we looking towards someof the major cities around to declare that we are intellectuals and todeclare that look a sindhi is around. When will we be out of thesecomplexes. Why we are not encouraging our brothers to contribute towardseconomic activity in the area they belong. For how long we will be in theso-called pride of being Super human beings by wearing well ironed wellstarched cotton shalwar suits. why is it shameful for us to share theresponsibilities of our fathers. I believe awakening and awareness is farmore needed than education and that is my firm belief. Economic activity isfar more needed than the brain-drain. Comments are always welcome.
NAEEM

Nobel Prize winner speech on reducing Poverty

2006-11-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

Nobel Peace Prize Winner Muhammad Yunis gave a speech and answered questions at National Press Club in Washington this week. Here is a link to the video:
http://www.c-span.org/videoarchives.asp?CatCodePairs=,&ArchiveDays=100
Then click on:
Dr. Muhammad Yunus Speaks at the National Press Club
He gives practical details about how Grameen Bank is helping in fighting poverty. I have learnt a lot of practical stuff from this. I am sure that you will learn a lot from it too.
It has a lot of relevance to Sindh today.
Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute

Pakistan:Left Bank Out-fall Drain (LBOD)

2006-10-27T15:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Executive Director
The purpose of this communication is draw yourattention to the faulty planning, design andconstruction of the Left Bank Out-fall Drain (LBOD)project in Pakistan and appeal to you to support thecompensation of native and indigenous people of theaffected areas on the lines requested by them. TheWorld Bank Inspection Panel recently completed itsanalysis and has squarely laid blame on the majorprocess, investigation, and implementation failures.The proposed compensation recommendation that ispresented here was formulated in several meetings ofthe local communities and their leaders, including apublic meeting attended by more than a thousandpersons from the affected areas.
The World Bank Inspection Panel report explicitlystates that there were serious violations of WorldBank safe guard policies and the failure of theproject related structures. The LBOD project hascaused serious environmental problems in the lowerregion of the Province of Sindh, Pakistan. The localcommunities have appealed the World Bank to accept thefindings of the Inspection panel and engage in adialogue with the representatives of localcommunities. They petition that instead of embarkingon a long process and financing other projects as acompensatory measure, the World Bank focus on directlyhelping local communities to solve the problem ofeffluent disposal as well as rehabilitation of thedestroyed livelihoods and restoration of theenvironment.
The following is a synopsis of the design and processfailures and as well the catastrophic losses for thelocal communities caused by these failures:
O Significant technical mistakes were made in thedesign of tidal link and choleri weir.
O Designers did not evaluate likelihood that underprevailing meteorological conditions high surfacewater run off from upstream areas that would coincidewith high water levels in the Arabian Sea.
O Under-estimation of risk and lack of appropriatetechnical measures have contributed to suffering oflocal people.
O The effects of the LBOD system on people and theenvironment in lower Sindh are severe.
O The LBOD system, combined with the partialdestruction of tidal link, has heightened risks tolocal people from flooding.
O Increased salinity has affected large tracts ofagriculture land; tidal link failure has led to majorharm to the eco-system, wildlife and fisheries, uponwhich many people depend for their livelihood.
O Neither potential environmental nor the potentialsocial impacts of the project in the area wereconsidered in a meaningful way, until the filing ofthe complaints by local communities.
O Drainage Sector Environmental Assessment (DSEA) wasinsufficient and outdated documents were used tojustify the project design and feasibility.
O Failure to prepare Environmental Management Plan(EMP) for National Drainage Program (NDP) andimplementation of EMP of LBOD were the missedopportunities to mitigate the environmental risks.
O People have suffered great harm and hardship, whichis in significant part a result of these structuresand their failure.
· Project paid little attention to study the impactsand rehabilitation of Dhands (Wetlands).
· O Failure to address technical problems arisen duringthe construction of tidal link.The communities living in the affected coastal area ofthe Badin district, once lived happy and prosperouslife. The disasters caused have had changed theirlives and pushed these communities to deplorableconditions. These people and their leaders have drawna set of measures that they believe would help themreasonably to deal with the LBOD related calamities asfollows:
1. There should be full investigation against thepersons and institutions who designed the faultyproject. There is a need for full accountability ofthe people and institutions for making this heinouscrime against humanity.
2. The entire loan of the project should be convertedinto grant and funds should be spent for the fullreparation of affected communities, environmentalrestoration of the area especially Dhands andrehabilitation of affected people.
3. There must be an honest and independent assessmentof losses occurred during 1999 cyclone and 2003floods. All the people who lost their family members,livestock, suffered crop losses, damage to houses andloss to agriculture land must be properly compensatedwithout any delay.
4. The World Bank, Water And Power DevelopmentAuthority (WAPDA) and other government agencies mustimmediately plan a safe alternative disposal of LBODeffluent. The local communities must be fully involvedand given a leading role in any solution that isagreed.
5. The World Bank and governments of Sindh andPakistan must start the plan for restoration ofenvironment especially the degraded environment ofwetlands.
6. There must be a comprehensive plan for protection,promotion and restoration of livelihood sources suchas agriculture land, livestock, fisheries, grazingareas and forests.
7. For immediate relief and taking people out ofshock, 4000 to 5000 jobs must be created to reducepoverty among the affected families.
8. Model education institutions must be built to bringthe education of this area at par with other areas andalso establish technical skill centers to train theyouth in different skills. Poor students of the areashould be given scholarships for opportunities topursue higher education on a priority basis.
9. The water disposed into Arabian Sea by LBOD systemmust be treated and ensured that it does not pose anythreat to marine life.
10. Government of Sindh should end the contract systemon inland fisheries thus providing opportunities forthe LBOD affected fishing community to earn theirlivelihood.
11. The district of Badin should be given its dueshare of oil and gas royalty from the nearby oil andgas fields. This can help to build the infrastructureand improve the social services for the localpopulation.
12. Right Bank Out-fall Drain will create moredevastation than LBOD, thus government of Sindh andPakistan must shelve the project and find alternativesbased on local or district wise disposal of effluent.
We hope that the World Bank will live up to its motto”Working for a World free of Poverty” by endorsingthe recommendation of the people of local areas anduse its influence the governments of Sindh andPakistan to do the likewise.
Sincerely,
Ali Nawaz Memon

Sindh Development Institute

7204 Antares Drive

Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879

http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Political impotence of Sindhis

2006-10-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

I am not trying to exaggerate. I am trying to choose my words carefully.

I sense political helplessness among Sindhis every day as I (a) go through various newspapers including Kawish, (b) read emails on several Sindhi related lists, and (c) talk to politically aware people.

Through newspapers, we discover new injustices inflicted upon Sindh and Sindhis. Sale of the two islands is the latest discovery. On email lists and in our discussion groups, we talk and talk. We have come to expect that nothing will come out of the discussions. Many of our bright people have stopped reading these emails knowing that nothing will come out of it.

Our political parties and their leaders have effectively become helpless too. Our largest party and logical spokesman is perpetually rumored to be in political negotiations. Accordingly, they choose to remain silent on many Sindh issues. I pray that some day, they will be in a position to address Sindh issues. Our second largest party has chosen to be a part of the government. For them, "power today" is important, no matter what happens or does not happen to sindh or Sindhi people. Most of our national parties are reportedly sold out. One brave soul appears to be speaking and agitating but he is largely ignored by all those who matter.

Support from overseas has failed to arrive.

The net result is that the new masters have become bolder and bolder. They know that the natives are no match in any sense of the word. Like in British Raj, some bright and cooperative natives will continue to do well. The rest will be available for manual labor if and when needed.

To say the least, the net result is that Sindhis have become politically helpless. Is it fair to coin the phrase "impotant"? I think, the phrase is justified. It is time to face it.

Wise Sindhis hav begun to focus on more specific and action oriented items. Our new list "EducateSindh" and various project proposals are a right move in that direction. We must indeed become more specific and more practical. This is a right move in micro development sense. We need to help on individual and project basis. We need much more of this. This approach has potential of helping thousands.

However, the micro approach cannot solve the big problems. Big issues must be solved in political sense in the halls of political powers. The projects can establish two or ten or a hundred schools. Political decision can revitalize ove 20,000 schools in one go. We cannot give up that option or right.

So who is going to bell the cat? I can share the pain. I can help in specific projects. I can contribute some money for groups who who will work for welfare of our people. I can nudge and try to persuade others to do more for our community. I can pray for welfare of thirty million of our community. May be we can eventually we can get some one like the latest Nobel prize winner Muhammad Yunus and a Grameen Bank for Sindhis.

I know that we need effective political party and leader. Do we need some one like Altaf? We may not like him, but he appears to have done a lot for his community at expense of our community.

I know that nothing will come out of this discussion. I know that we cannot find a leader. I know.... But, we cannot give up. Forgive me for reminding you.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879 http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Nobel winner is lifeline for needy

2006-10-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Nobel winner is lifeline for needy

POSTED: 7:43 a.m. EDT, October 13, 2006
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NEW DELHI, India (Reuters) -- For a man who has perhaps done more than anyone to help people out of poverty, Muhammad Yunus makes no apologies for giving nothing to beggars.
Yunus is the founder of Grameen Bank, which has made more than $5.7 billion in tiny loans to poor Bangladeshis, providing a lifeline for millions and a banking model that has been copied in more than 100 nations from the United States to Uganda.
But Yunus's philosophy is to help the poor to help themselves: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but only by teaching him how to fish do you feed him for life.
So he never responds when a blind or crippled beggar or a mother cradling her baby holds out a hand for money.
"I feel bad -- sometimes I feel terrible -- that I'm denying the person. But I restrain myself. I never give them (anything)," Yunus told Reuters in a 2004 interview at Grameen's head office. "I would rather try to solve the problem than just give them a hand and take care of them for the day."
The economics professor, who along with his bank won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, has been trying to solve the problem since 1976, when he lent the equivalent of $27 to 42 women in a village near his home in the southern port of Chittagong.
The women were in hock to moneylenders charging extortionate rates, and Yunus's initial aim was simply to persuade a local bank manager to step in and offer them regular credit. The banker said it was impossible without a guarantee. So did others.
Yunus set out to prove them wrong and has never looked back. Grameen -- the word means village in Bengali -- now disburses tens of millions of dollars a month to 6.6 million borrowers, of which 96 percent are women.
"I'm very happy that I continued and that it grew into an institution and really proved its worth," said Yunus. "We have done something that put a big question mark next to the entire banking system. Banking will never be the same again."
Born in 1940 in Chittagong, the commercial center of what was then eastern Bengal, he was the son of a goldsmith, one of 14 children, five of whom died in childbirth.
A devastating famine that swept through Bangladesh in 1974, leaving hundreds of thousands dead, changed his life forever. A university field trip that year made him question how modern economic theories could ever deliver social justice to the poor.
"While people were dying of hunger on the streets, I was teaching elegant theories of economics," he told Alan Jolis, co-author of a book on his life, "The Good Banker", in a 1996 article published by Britain's Independent on Sunday.
"I started hating myself, the arrogance of pretending I had answers," he said. "We university professors were all so intelligent but we knew absolutely nothing about the poverty surrounding us.
"I decided that the poor themselves would be my teachers."
Yunus is proud that microfinance has taken off worldwide. If poor people are given the same access to credit as the rich, they will thrive, he says.
"Leave it to the people," he told Reuters. "They can take care of themselves. You don't have to shed tears for them. They are very capable."
Grameen Bank recovers nearly 99 percent of its loans even though borrowers need put up no collateral and pay a 20 percent interest rate on income-generating loans, which are always for one year.
Repayment starts the second week of the loan which releases the borrower from the need to pay a lump sum at the end of the year. All transactions are carried out in public meetings on a weekly basis in a country where corruption is endemic.
Grameen gives interest-free loans to the very poorest.
"Why should financial services be denied to the poor? Why should information technology be the exclusive privilege of rich people? Why can't we design things for poor people?" Yunus asks.
Borrowers from Grameen Bank own 94 percent of the equity of the bank. The remaining six percent is owned by the Bangladeshi government. Yunus defies critics who say his bank makes loans that are too small and too expensive, and insists he is not waging war on the rich, just helping the poor.
"I don't care if the rich get rich. It doesn't bother me. They should get richer. I'm worried about the poor getting poorer and not getting richer.
"If there are several Bill Gates in the country, I don't care. Lifting the bottom of society is the most important."
Copyright 2006 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Joy of Learning Languages

2006-09-17T18:40:00.000-07:00

At the Government High School in Larkana in mid fifties, we were required to learn three languages simultaneously—Sindhi, Urdu and English. I hated it! Learning of three languages took too much time. It seemed like wastage of time. That time could have been used to learn more maths or more science or civics or so many other things.

It was only much later that I realized that it was important to learn Sindhi, because it was my mother tongue. Urdu, because it was the national language of Pakistan. English, because it was the language of higher learning and business. The languages became useful soon. Looking back, I enjoyed reading and understanding of Bhitai’s poetry because of Sindhi. Sain Wahid Bux Shaikh, our headmaster made a good use of English in explaining poetry of Shakespeare and other wonderful poets. Urdu opened doors to wonderful novels by Nasim Hijazi (Shaheen, Mohammid Bin Qasim and many more). Urdu also opened doors to many school and college friendships.

Later when I went to DJ Science College, Karachi in 1958, my knowledge of Urdu opened many doors. I can think of at least one Sindhi friend, who did not do so well at DJ College and in Karachi because he was not fluent in Urdu.

Knowledge of English made it possible to secure admission in an American College while I was still in Inter Science. I owe a lot to my English teachers in Larkana and Karachi for my relatively easy adjustment at the University of Illinois (1961-64) and subsequent carrier development. Urdu became useful in USA. There was no other Sindhi at the University of Illinois back in 1961. There were five or six Pakistanis. Urdu became the language of communication with them. There were many Indians though. It was there that I realized that there was small difference in spoken Urdu and Hindi. All of a sudden, I realized that I knew a lot of spoken Hindi. I got to know many Indians. I had imagined all of them to be enemies while in Pakistan. But I found that there was so much in common with them. My knowledge of Urdu and then Hindi made it possible to find that big secret.

I did not need any other language until I joined the World Bank in 1967. During early years, I worked on projects in several counties such as Syria, Singapore, Thailand, Malawi, and Ghana etc, where English was sufficient. However, in mid seventies, I had to travel to some francophone African countries such as Upper Volta (now known as Burkina Faso), Mali, Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Senegal etc. Knowledge of French became necessary. They taught me a fair amount at the World Bank’s own language institute. It was a good start but not a sufficient one. I went to Alliance Francais in Paris for a month to focus on conversation. It was a full immersion course. By the end of the month, believe me, I was dreaming in French. It was a lifesaver.

I remember a visit to Upper Volta around 1978 to discuss implementation of a telecommunication project. The final project review meeting was with the Minister of Telecommunications. I knew that he knew English. So I started speaking in English. But he refused. He insisted on speaking in French. It was my first “French only meeting at a senior level”. It was a detailed meeting lasting over an hour focusing on their national policy and specific project detail. I was nervous as hell. The meeting was over. The minister and the World Bank’s Resident Representative (who was a French speaking Moroccan) started to clap. We were all happy that the meeting went well.
In 1982, I was transferred to East Asia region. Among other places, I started visiting Indonesia. There was no real need to learn the local language, which is called Bahasa Indonesia. Every one that I met in Jakarta or provincial capitals knew good or broken English. On my 20th or so visit, I was at a nightspot with other World Bank friends. The locals were talking and laughing in small groups. I did not understand a single word. It struck me! I was in their country but not part of their personal world. I decided to try to learn Bahasa. I started lessons at the World Bank Institute in Washington and practiced in evening in Indonesia. It really opened up a new and wonderful world. Later, while visiting Malaysia, I realized that Bahasa Malaysia is very similar to Bahasa Indonesia—just like Urdu and Sindhi.

During my two month long visits to Dominican Republic, I engaged a teacher for learning Spanish. I was told that I had good pronunciation in Spanish. It has some common sounds to Arabic and Sindhi. I hope to learn more of Spanish.

I have many efforts to learn Arabic. It was one of my subjects in pre-matric. I learnt the words but the grammar was impossible. I gave it up and did not have it in matric. Then during my posting to Saudi Arabia (1978-80), I took lessons. I could communicate with local staff and say simple sentences in the bazaars. I continued the effort during my posting in Somalia in 1981. Subsequently, I keep trying—through reading Quran and its translation simultaneously. I keep struggling. Fortunately, my Arab friends speak English. However, while wandering in bazaars of Cairo or Bahrain, I do not know what common people are talking about. One of my biggest desires is to become more fluent in Arabic.

After matric, I really took Sindhi for granted. I spoke it during visits to Pakistan. There was not much practice until I got married in 1967 and began to speak Sindhi at home in Washington on regular basis. My children who are all born in Washington learnt some Sindhi. They got good practice during frequent visits to the family in Pakistan. Today, the understand Sindhi but unfortunately do not speak much of it.

I began to appreciate Sindhi as I became aware of Sindh issues. As I have noted many injustices and poverty of masses in Sindh, I have become more devoted. It is my mother tongue. I cannot forget it. I am glad to be a part of the struggle to revive Sindhi language and Sindhi people. May God help us all.

What it takes to be rich (Money)

2006-09-17T05:16:00.000-07:00

Beverly Hills, Calif. 90210
How Harvey Jason made his own luck
Lesson 1: Create your own opportunities. The British expatriate who owns Mystery Pier Books, got his revelation on a movie set with Steven Spielberg. (more)
• Paradise Valley, Ariz. 85352: Bob Grosnoff succeeded by making others lucky too

Westport, Conn. 06880
Carole Reichhelm scoops up waterfront property
Lesson 2: Have a growth mind-set. Reichhelm and others have a knack for identifying things other people covet. (more)

Atherton, Calif. 94027
Rich Miletic: from mowing lawns to CEO
Lesson 2, Corollary 1: Never stop learning. Miletic left a safe, corporate path to get valuable leadership experience. (more)

Lake Forest, Ill. 60045
Ron Irvine seizes his chance
Lesson 2, Corollary 2: Calculate your risk. Leaving a comfortable corporate job to be a consultant wasn't as much of a gamble as it seems. (more)

Do you have what it takes?
American business lore is filled with tales of visionaries taking insane risks in pursuit of a distant dream – and then striking it rich. In fact, the rich look a lot like you. Money Magazine's Josh Hyatt debunks 5 myths to show you what really drives success. (more)

How to Become As Rich As Bill Gates

2006-09-17T04:47:00.000-07:00

How to Become As Rich As Bill Gates
a strange offshoot of the Bill Gates Personal Wealth Clock by Philip Greenspun
As a graduate student in computer science at MIT earning a $1600/month research stipend, I feel amply qualified to instruct the entire Internet on the art of becoming as rich as Bill Gates (check the Wealth Clock to see how much he has right now). I get my confidence from Dr. Leo Buscaglia, author of Love, Born for Love : Reflections on Loving, Living, Loving and Learning, and Bus 9 to Paradise. Dr. Buscaglia, our nation's most prominent lecturer on the subject of love, turns out to be divorced ("it was a very loving divorce").
Lesson 1: Choose Your Grandparents Carefully
"There are three ways to make money. You can inherit it. You can marry it. You can steal it."-- conventional wisdom in Italy William Henry Gates III made his best decision on October 28, 1955, the night he was born. He chose J.W. Maxwell as his great-grandfather. Maxwell founded Seattle's National City Bank in 1906. His son, James Willard Maxwell was also a banker and established a million-dollar trust fund for William (Bill) Henry Gates III.
In some of the later lessons, you will be encouraged to take entrepreneurial risks. You may find it comforting to remember that at any time you can fall back on a trust fund worth many millions of 1998 dollars.
Lesson 2: Choose Your Parents Carefully
"A young man asked an old rich man how he made his money. The old guy fingered his worsted wool vest and said, "Well, son, it was 1932. The depth of the Great Depression. I was down to my last nickel. I invested that nickel in an apple. I spent the entire day polishing the apple and, at the end of the day, I sold the apple for ten cents. The next morning, I invested those ten cents in two apples. I spent the entire day polishing them and sold them at 5 pm for 20 cents. I continued this system for a month, by the end of which I'd accumulated a fortune of $1.37. Then my wife's father died and left us two million dollars." William Henry Gates, Jr. and Mary Maxwell were among Seattle's social and financial elite. Bill Gates, Jr. was a prominent corporate lawyer while Mary Maxwell was a board member of First Interstate Bank and Pacific Northwest Bell. She was also on the national board of United Way, along with John Opel, the chief executive officer of IBM who approved the inclusion of MS/DOS with the original IBM PC.
Remind your parents not to send you to public school. Bill Gates went to Lakeside, Seattle's most exclusive prep school where tuition in 1967 was $5,000 (Harvard tuition that year was $1760). Typical classmates included the McCaw brothers, who sold the cellular phone licenses they obtained from the U.S. Government to AT&T for $11.5 billion in 1994. When the kids there wanted to use a computer, they got their moms to hold a rummage sale and raise $3,000 to buy time on a DEC PDP-10, the same machine used by computer science researchers at Stanford and MIT.
Note: Recall that in the 1980s we venerated Donald Trump and studied his "art of the deal". If Donald Trump had taken the millions he inherited from his father and put it all into mutual funds, you'd never have had to suffer through one of his books. But he'd be just about as rich today.
Lesson 3: Acquire Research Results by Hiring and Buying Conventional (loser) economic wisdom holds that monopolies should spend heavily on research because they are in a position to capture the fruits of the research. But if you want to become as rich as Bill Gates, you have to remember that it is cheaper to wait for a small company to come up with something good and then buy them. In the old days, antitrust laws kept monopolies from buying potential competitors. But not anymore. When Microsoft products were threatened by network computers and Web-based applications, they simply bought WebTV and Hotmail.
Another good strategy is to hire the right people. Some of the guys who wrote Microsoft Windows had previous worked on window systems at Xerox PARC. So Xerox paid for the research; Microsoft paid only for development.
In the long run a tech company without research probably can't sustain its market leadership. So you'll eventually need to build something like research.microsoft.com (check out netscan.research.microsoft.com to see some interesting online community research).
Lesson 4: Let Other People Do the Programming If you're a great engineer, it can be frustrating to rely on other people to translate your ideas into reality. However, keep in mind that the entire Indian subcontinent is learning Java. And that if Microsoft, Oracle, SAP, and Sun products simply worked and worked simply, half of the world's current IT workers would be out of a job. You're not going to get rich being "just a coder." Especially working in painful low-level imperative languages such as C or Java. It might be worth writing your own SQL queries and HTML pages since these tend to be compact and easier than precisely specifying the work for another person to do. But basically you need to get good at thinking about whether a piece of software is doing something useful for the adopting organization and end-user. Bill Gates does code reviews, not coding.
[If you aren't sure that you need to be filthy rich and like to do some coding, see this old misguided article for more about what it might mean to be a great software engineer.]
Lesson 5: Train your new CEO If you're an intelligent curious person it can be painful to run a company of more than 50 people. You spend more time than you'd like repeating yourself, sitting in boring meetings, skimming over long legal documents in which you know there are errors but aren't sure how serious, etc. The temptation is to hand over the reins to the first "professional manager" who comes along. And that's what the standard venture capitalist formula dictates. But Bill Gates didn't do that. He hired Steve Ballmer in 1980 and gave him the CEO job 20 years later. Making money in the software products business requires domain expertise and a commitment to solving problems within that domain. Great tech companies are seldom built by non-technical management or professional managers who aren't committed to anything more than their paycheck. Adobe is another good example. The two founders were PhD computer science researchers from Xerox PARC who were passionate about solving problems in the publishing and graphics world. They are still guiding operations at Adobe.
Note that this is a principle that Old Economy companies have long understood. Jack Welch joined GE in 1961 and became CEO 20 years later. Sometimes an Old Economy company may pull in a few outsiders to senior positions but, because they have such stable bureaucracies underneath, they can more easily afford this than startups.
See Charles Ferguson's High Stakes, No Prisoners (1999) for a longer explanation of how hired-gun CEOs manage to kill software products companies.
Lesson 6: Focus on Profit
"At Hewlett-Packard, people, materials, facilities, money, and time are the resources available to us for conducting our business. By applying our skills, we turn these resources into useful products and services. If we do a good job, customers pay us more for our products than the sum of our costs in producing and distributing them. This difference, our profit, represents the value we add to the resources we utilize." -- David Packard in The HP Way Remembering to make a profit was tough in the dotcom 1990s but it turns out that Hewlett and Packard's ideas were right. Most of the management teams at dotcom businesses, by being disorganized, unintelligent, and ignorant, were subtracting value from the resources that they controlled.
How does one make money in the software products business? Simple. The necessary step is to build something that becomes part of information systems that generate value for organizations and end-users. Once you've created value you can extract a portion in lots of ways. You can be closed-source and charge a license fee. You can be open-source and charge for training, service, support, and extensions. But if you aren't getting your software product into important information systems, you don't have a prayer, no matter how slick your marketing materials.
If you're creative and diligent the software products business is extremely lucrative. If you're losing money, ask yourself what you're doing wrong. The answer is probably "plenty".
Lesson 7: Let the Venture Capitalists Schmooze Wall Street ...... but don't let them run your company. A profitable Microsoft Corporation brought in venture capitalists (VCs) at the last minute. They didn't need or spend the money but used the VCs to boost their valuation at the initial public offering, thus getting more money for the shares that they sold. Venture capitalists are dangerous because even the most successful might not know anything about business. Remember that there are tens of thousands of venture capitalists in this world. Assuming that they make random choices of companies in which to invest there will be a Gaussian curve of performance. Some firms will do consistently better than average even if everyone is guessing. Imagine that thousands of monkeys are flipping coins; some of the monkeys will get 10 heads in a row. These are the monkeys that will be celebrated for their insight. These are the monkeys whose track records will lead to uncritical cheerleading by underwriters and public investors. In bull markets such as we had in the 1990s nearly all the monkeys will be fairly consistent winners. But remember your next-door neighbor who made money in the stock market in 1985. He convinced himself that he had special insight and ability when actually he was only holding high-beta stocks in a rising market. So his foray into the commodities futures market wiped him out in the crash of '87.
Bottom line: successful software products companies spend most of their time listening to their customers and users rather than to venture capitalists.
[See "Money, Money, Money (and Investing)" for how the Gaussian curve works for mutual fund managers and also read Princeton Professor Burton Malkiel's A Random Walk Down Wall Street.]
Lesson 8: Self-Esteem is Not Job 1Gentility, politesse, decorum, and high self-esteem are wonderful. You can achieve all of these things within your organization. And then watch it be destroyed by competitors where frank and, if necessary, harsh criticism is encouraged. Technical people, even (and especially) those fresh out of school are always convinced that whatever they've developed, no matter how hare-brained, is perfect. It takes a technical person with good judgement to notice the flaws and it may require repeated and increasingly harsh delivery for the, uh, pinhead to realize his or her mistake.
Example: I once encountered a group of 6 people who called themselves "engineers." To solve what they thought was a new problem, they were going to build their own little database management system with their own query language that was SQL-like without being SQL. I pointed them to some published research by a gang of PhD computer scientists from IBM Almaden, the same lab that developed the RDBMS and SQL to begin with in the 1970s. The research had been done over a five-year period and yet they hadn't become aware of it during several months of planning. I pointed them to the SQL-99 standard wherein this IBM research approach of augmenting a standard RDBMS to solve the problem they were attacking was becoming an ISO standard. They ignored it and spent another few months trying to build their enormously complex architecture. Exasperated, I got a kid fresh out of school to code up some Java stored procedures to run inside Oracle. After a week he had his system working and ready for open-source release, something that the team of 6 "engineers" hadn't been able to accomplish in 6 months of full-time work. Yet they never accepted that they were going about things in the wrong way though eventually they did give up on the project.
An 1994 New Yorker article about Microsoft relates "If he strongly disagrees with what you're saying, [Gates] is in the habit of blurting out, 'That's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard!'". Jennifer New, a former Microsoft contractor, writes "Meetings with Bill or one of his top people are often replete with a barrage of expletives and other disdainful comments." (Salon, September 1997) My friends who work or have worked at Microsoft tell similar tales. But how different is this from other elite organizations?
When I arrived at MIT as a first-year graduate student in electrical engineering and computer science, I asked a professor for help with a research problem. He said "The reason that you've having trouble is that you don't know anything and you're not working very hard." A friend of mine was a surgery resident at Johns Hopkins. He complained to one of his teachers that he was having trouble concentrating because he'd been up all night for several nights in a row. The professor replied "Oh... does your pussy hurt?" According to Business Week, Jack Welch "encouraged near-brutal candor in the meetings he held [at GE]".
The bottom line: self-esteem is great but beware of creating a cozy home for unproductive people with bad ideas.
MorePlato addresses some of these issues in the first book of The Republic (available online from www.gutenberg.net). Socrates asserts that people who've inherited fortunes tend to be light with their money but that people who've made their fortunes "have a second love of money as a creation of their own, resembling the affection of authors for their own poems, or of parents for their children, besides that natural love of it for the sake of use and profit which is common to them and all men. And hence they are very bad company, for they can talk about nothing but the praises of wealth."
Socrates asks Cephalus, a wealthy old man, "What do you consider to be the greatest blessing which you have reaped from your wealth?" Cephalus replies that "The great blessing of riches, I do not say to every man, but to a good man, is, that he has had no occasion to deceive or to defraud others, either intentionally or unintentionally."
In the Decameron, Boccaccio writes "If you really want to make the big bucks, what you really need is a monopoly on the desktop operating system. But the Sherman Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 and 2, and Clayton Antitrust Act, 15 U.S.C. § 25, are real bitches."
SourcesGood sources of facts about Bill Gates and Microsoft are the following books:
Hard Drive (James Wallace and Jim Erickson; 1992)
Overdrive (James Wallace; 1992)
Gates : How Microsoft's Mogul Reinvented an Industry-And Made Himself the Richest Man in America (Stephen Manes, Paul Andrews 1994)
How the Web Was Won : How Bill Gates and His Internet Idealists Transformed the Microsoft Empire (Paul Andrews 1999)
High Stakes, No Prisoners (Charles Ferguson 1999) explains how Microsoft crushed Netscape
if you don't feel like reading Project Gutenberg's version on-line, you can pick up a paperback copy of Robin Waterfield's translation of The Republic

Role of American Sindhis in Development of Sindh

2006-09-15T06:07:00.000-07:00

Saifullah Shaikh Dear Munwar and Friends,
I agree---and you stated in your last sentence-----"itis time to act and contribute".
1.According to one source inSANA------we have more than 300 Sindhi Physicians ,andmore than 300 other professionals in addition tobusiness men + others with good earnings eachyear-----belonging to Sindhi community OR SANA here inthe USA.
2.I have a lot of Christian /and few Jewish friendsalong with people belonging to Agha khan community ofSindh i-e Agha khanis---------it came to myinformation that all those individuals r contributing5-10 % of their income on regular basis to theircommunities/community centres/businesscommittees/schools/legal associations to protect theirrights/religious or worship centers/and theircommunity libraries------here in the USA in citieswhere they live. Now we can imagine why they r wellorganised,mature and strong----day by day.
3.On the scaleof 1------10,---------they r between 5 to 10----justfor example,( to convey my point and message in properand effective manner). They r collecting millions eachmonth very easily from their ownpeople/individuals/communities voluntarily andhappily. In addition they have already prepared a widerange of workers and volunteers for their communitywork/devolpment.
4.We Sindhis r wasting more than 10%(of our income)each year on useless items/things--------IN THE NAMEOF fAMILY,Children and other personalactivities----and many times very proud of thislavishly life style?!!!Why, because we r NorthAmerican Sindhis! better than our own brothers andsisters back home in Sindh!!?.
5.Now as a comparison,------onthe scale of 1-----10--where we sindhis stand today??Are we even at level 1 or 2 ? in terms ofcontribution,community work and force,volunteerorganization.
6.According to initial preliminary estimate-----if westart today (all professionals and business people ofSANA) TO CONTRIBUTE FINANCIALLY only 1% of theiryearly income and divert our wasted income/resourcesto permanent cause and project/s of SANA (TO BEDISCUSSED LATER ON)--------i m more than 100% surethat we can collect 500,000 dollars each year as apermanent Fund for SANA-----in order tolaunch/initiate new useful projects inside Sindh veryeffectively with speedy results.
7. Are we Sindhis ready andwilling to achieve even this level 1(low level on thescale of 1---10) while comparing ourselves e.g to Aghakhanis belonging to our own Sindh where they r moreeffective and more organized than us(they r notconsidering themselves Sindhis any more!!!!!).
8.I m requestingall my Seniors/members/well wishers(all SANAcommunity)----please come forward and start thismovement of 1% pledge for our Homeland and poorSindhis--------in this way we will prepare veryeffective force of volunteers/community workers asother non-Sindhi communities r functioning in Sindhand here in the USA.In this manner we may influenceeven Political Parties inside Sindh when we get strongfinancially.
9.After this(Phase one)discussions-------we may startdiscussions for different project/s inside Sindh(Phasetwo)later on,if we can agree on Phase one.Even thesedifferent projects would make us(SANA) more strongfinancially each year(profitable projects).
THIS SHOULD BEOUR (PRAGMATIC)APPROACH instead of talking useless,time-consuming and dividing issues for nothing butpersonal hidden motives. I think,it is time to get rid ofempty slogans and to say good-bye(forever)to thisself-imposed culture of KECHEHRI(wasting oftime)-----in order to make Sindhi-community/SANAfinancially sound and prosperous so that in nearfuture we may have network of communitycenters,volunteers force,centers for woman and adulteducation back-home(i-e inside Sindh).
At the same time,weneed to realize that time is very precious for Sindhisnow----therefore I appeal allsincere/seniors/well-established North-AmericanSindhis to come forward and stop this process ofPersonal Glorification/Egoism -------we need toinitiate a movement now ,and I would like to call/termthis 1% Pledge(as solemn promise)and 1% movement formotherland Sindh.
May Allah Bless our Sindh.
Saifullah Shaikh.
--- munwar soomro wrote: Dear friends, During my 7 years with SANA i have seen that we have been able to do very little for our Sindh. Given the alarming political and economic situation of Sindhi people we need to do more. Lets see why we have been unable to do that and how we can do it.
The main reasons why we have been unable to make it :
1- Lack of unity and - which is due to some folks who unfortunately aim at that and as people dont want to get involved in useless and irritating discussions they shy away.
2- lack of proper planning and proactiveness We can definitely address the first issue by tightening up the rope. The other issue of planning is very important. What we have been doing is creating too many committees for too many things, education, human rights, language, cultural, son on... Sindhis are few in number and active people are even limited.
What we need to do is, identify a potential area/project and work on it proactively. That should be the main task of the EC. The main body should concentrate on that project and may get help from others when needed. So that the fruit of the effort could be achieved soon and that builds confidence and you get more help and funding. We know that even though we are few in number but still there are good people who want to help given that there is a credible organizaiton working in sindh. We need to create that with the help of SANA or may be sana itself involved in projects.
For example we can select one or two of these fields to start with: Schools, Lobbying , Awareness, Improving atmosphere in Universities etc. Now i give details.
We can open primary schools teaching sindhi and english together establishing high standards. Every one know education is basic for everything. Lobbying, is that we talk to the sindhi and pakistani politicians, organize seminars, make leaders at all the levels feel that they should not think sindhis are not alone, and eventually getting more for sindhis in all areas ( i am glad SANA has already started that and we need to formalize its objectives).
By awareness i mean creating awareness among the masses that why the problems are piling up, what is the solution and who is who what is what. This is no surprise that even many educated people back home dont have clear sight and solution in mind. Of course we should tell them by working with newspapers (especially sindhi news papers) that all these sardars, waders, and selfish leaders have taken them to this point where there is no help for them. And create awareness that we can solve or get our problems solved by voting properly and also correcting ourselves.
Lastly we can target and visit universities by ourselves and talk to students, parties, administration and try to forge a unity among the student organizations. Also telling them that how we are harming ourselves by destroying educational institutions and standards and that how we can get jobs and what is the world trend.
We should start with one or max two projects and whole of SANA and EC should work proactively on the agenda. I dont see why we can not contribute to it moraly, financially and technically, if all sana leadership starts working proactively on that and produce results.
I think we have wasted lots of precious time on discussions this is time to act and contribute. regards, Munwar Soomro

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

2006-09-13T17:23:00.000-07:00

Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(other language versions)
Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 217 A (III) of 10 December 1948
On December 10, 1948 the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the full text of which appears in the following pages. Following this historic act the Assembly called upon all Member countries to publicize the text of the Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."PREAMBLE
Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world,
Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people,
Whereas it is essential, if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights should be protected by the rule of law,
Whereas it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations,
Whereas the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,
Whereas Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in co-operation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms,
Whereas a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge,Now, Therefore THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY proclaims THIS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.
Article 1.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
Article 2.
Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty.
Article 3.
Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.
Article 4.
No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.
Article 5.
No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.
Article 6.
Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law.
Article 7.
All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Article 8.
Everyone has the right to an effective remedy by the competent national tribunals for acts violating the fundamental rights granted him by the constitution or by law.
Article 9.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest, detention or exile.
Article 10.
Everyone is entitled in full equality to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial tribunal, in the determination of his rights and obligations and of any criminal charge against him.
Article 11.
(1) Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence.
(2) No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.
Article 12.
No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence, nor to attacks upon his honour and reputation. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.
Article 13.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.
(2) Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.
Article 14.
(1) Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.
(2) This right may not be invoked in the case of prosecutions genuinely arising from non-political crimes or from acts contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 15.
(1) Everyone has the right to a nationality.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality nor denied the right to change his nationality.
Article 16.
(1) Men and women of full age, without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion, have the right to marry and to found a family. They are entitled to equal rights as to marriage, during marriage and at its dissolution.
(2) Marriage shall be entered into only with the free and full consent of the intending spouses.
(3) The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.
Article 17.
(1) Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others.
(2) No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his property.
Article 18.
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Article 19.
Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.
Article 20.
(1) Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association.
(2) No one may be compelled to belong to an association.
Article 21.
(1) Everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives.
(2) Everyone has the right of equal access to public service in his country.
(3) The will of the people shall be the basis of the authority of government; this will shall be expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.
Article 22.
Everyone, as a member of society, has the right to social security and is entitled to realization, through national effort and international co-operation and in accordance with the organization and resources of each State, of the economic, social and cultural rights indispensable for his dignity and the free development of his personality.
Article 23.
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work.
(3) Everyone who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration ensuring for himself and his family an existence worthy of human dignity, and supplemented, if necessary, by other means of social protection.
(4) Everyone has the right to form and to join trade unions for the protection of his interests.
Article 24.
Everyone has the right to rest and leisure, including reasonable limitation of working hours and periodic holidays with pay.
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
Article 26.
(1) Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
(2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children.
Article 27.
(1) Everyone has the right freely to participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits.
(2) Everyone has the right to the protection of the moral and material interests resulting from any scientific, literary or artistic production of which he is the author.
Article 28.
Everyone is entitled to a social and international order in which the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration can be fully realized.
Article 29.
(1) Everyone has duties to the community in which alone the free and full development of his personality is possible.
(2) In the exercise of his rights and freedoms, everyone shall be subject only to such limitations as are determined by law solely for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others and of meeting the just requirements of morality, public order and the general welfare in a democratic society.
(3) These rights and freedoms may in no case be exercised contrary to the purposes and principles of the United Nations.
Article 30.
Nothing in this Declaration may be interpreted as implying for any State, group or person any right to engage in any activity or to perform any act aimed at the destruction of any of the rights and freedoms set forth herein.

Charter of Demands of Sindhi People

2006-07-19T06:35:00.000-07:00

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.

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
http://www.dailykawish.com/Hyd22/ti02.html
http://www.induspak.tk/

Budget 2006: Senator Javaid Laghari

2006-06-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

The 2006-07 budget like a bikini. What it reveals is suggestive. What it conceals is vital.
The budget is definitely not for the 70% poor of Pakistan.
The country will be obtaining Rs. 213 billion in loans next fiscal year, which is Rs. 23 billion more than in the current fiscal year (190 billion), while Grants are going down from Rs. 44 billion to 25 billion (19 billion less).
The Government claims to have returned $ 5 billion in loans, but has just received $ 6.2 billion in new loans.
Bank borrowing is at Rs. 140 billion, which is 45% higher than current year's estimate of Rs. 98 billion. Total External Debts, which stood at $ 28 billion in October 99, have now exceeded $ 31 billion.
The government calls it 'breaking the Keshkul.' After receiving $ 6.2 billion in new loans, and crossing external debts by $ 31 billion, it is instead 'widening the Keshkul.'
Domestic Debts have increased by $ 13 billion (i.e. Rs. 814 billion) from Rs. 1.4 trillion to Rs. 2.2 trillion since October 1999, which is coincidently equal to the Foreign Exchange reserves.
Reserves from Investments have now reduced to Rs. 16 billion, down from Rs. 51 billion of current year's estimate.
Indirect Taxes are estimated at Rs 569 billion, about 20% higher then current year.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) today means "acquiring state resources" rather than investment in new projects. FDI is not creating new jobs, but eliminating old jobs.
Examples are the Pakistan Steel Mills fiasco, the KESC fiasco, the HBL fiasco and the PTC fiasco.
Privatization was meant to retire loans, as was done under two previous governments.
Today, it means selling the family silverware to fund the budget deficit.
Rs. 141 billion of the privatization proceeds have been utilized since 2001 to finance the budget deficit.
Now again in 2006-07, Rs. 70 billion from privatization proceeds will be used to finance the budget deficit.
Once all profitable state resources are sold off by the present government at questionable prices, our children and the future generations will go broke & bankrupt.
While privatization and free market enterprise is good for the economy, we are living off the wealth of our children and future generations. It is a crime against humanity.
Economic Survey of Pakistan 2006 acknowledges the country failed to achieve target of 7% growth rate.
The GDP growth went down from 8.6% to 6.6% this year.
The Agriculture growth, which has a GDP share of 23%, fell from 6.7% to 2.5%.
The 2005 - 2006 Fiscal Deficit is now 4.2%, as claimed by the Minister of State for Finance against the target of 3.8% which the government failed to achieve. In fact, the fiscal deficit could be even higher at the end of the current fiscal year.
Total Deficit of this government. from October 99 to present is Rs.1.4 trillion! It amounts to 'Externalizing the Deficit for future generations.'
Rise in Per Capita Income is very questionable. The results can be fudged easily by using statistical methods and sampling of one's choice. These results perhaps reflect more of the middle class and the benefits received by the rich. The poor have continued to receive only crumbs , while the rich are served with icing on the cake.
The Defence budget is now an astonishing Rs. 250 billion, or 28% out of total non-development expenditure of Rs. 880 billion. This is a 12% increase over last year.
The Defence budget of Rs. 250 billion does not include the amount for the construction of the new Army GHQ in Islamabad, and has been classified under Development budget.
This amount of Rs 250 billion also does not include the amount of Rs 35 billion for military pensions, which has classified under General Public Services.
This amount of Rs. 250 billion also does not take into consideration the billions spent on Rangers (Rs. 4.6 b), Civil Armed Forces (Rs. 8.75 b), FC (Rs. 1.8 b), Defence Production (Rs. 1.44 b), cantonments, Garrisson Educational Institutes, and other Institutes and Foundations established for the personnel of the armed forces.
Total Defence Allocation under all heads may well exceed Rs. 300 billion.
As Confidence Building Measures (CBM) are introduced with our neighbours, there is little justification to increase the military budget at the cost of development.
Poverty Alleviation and Education must be at the forefront of our priorities.
The Economic Survey 2005 - 2006 claims the number of people below the poverty line have reduced by ten percentage points. These numbers and the methodology used are again highly questionable.
The sampling is clearly non-representative and includes only a very small segment of society. These numbers, including the claim of a rise in the per capita income, need to be verified by independent sources. The Federal Bureau of Statistics needs to be an autonomous body.
Today, more people are living below the poverty line than ever before, and the poor are getting even poorer. One only needs to travel to the slums and ghettos in Karachi, and to the rural areas of Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Punjab to see for themselves.
For the first time in Pakistan's history, today people are dying of hunger. Even Daal, tomotoes and onions are non-affordable to the poor today. Have we ever wondered why?
It is a documented fact that the prices of all kitchen items have registered a 250 % increase since October 1999.
Suicide rates have gone up drastically due to poverty. There were 8845 reported suicides in Sindh alone during last 5 years. I am sure the situation in other provinces is no different.
We need to control inflation on war footing. We need to control price increase on all kitchen items. This may be possible if the price of oil and power are reduced by reducing the taxes and surcharges on these items.
No wonder Pakistan is now classified among the Top 10 failed States, joining the ranks of Sudan, Congo, Zimbabwe, Chad, Somalia and Haiti.
Failure: Yes, we are a nation of drop-outs and failures.
The Federal Minister of Education only last week admitted at the National Education Convention that 45% of the students quit going to school at some stage.
He also admitted that 40% of the Children do not attend or have no school to go to.
In the Pakistan Economic Survey 2006, Jacobabad, the home district of the honorable Senate Chairman, is cited with the lowest Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) for primary schools in Sindh, while Thatta, once called the city of madrassahs and institutions in the middle ages, is cited with the lowest Gross Enrollment Rate (GER) for middle school and Matric in Sindh.
The figures for Balochistan are even lower, the lowest in Balochistan being the home district of our honorable Deputy Chairman , as per Pakistan Economic Survey 2006.
Have we ever wondered we are not spending enough on primary and secondary education?
We have less than 50% literacy rate. It is even lower than the PRSP target of 58%, which was to be achieved two years ago.
The United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) requires a target of 80% literacy to be achieved by 2015. This is clearly not possible at the current growth rate, unless there is a major shift in policy, budget, and implementation.
This is not happening with the current budget and the current policies of the government. If at all a White Revolution is needed, it needed for lower education not higher education.
We need to drastically increase the number of primary, secondary, and middle and high schools, particularly in rural and tribal areas, and to send more girls to school if we are to achieve the literacy rates of the MDG.
We need to recruit more school teachers, and we need to pay them better.
While the Higher Education with only 0.5 million students gets Rs. 16 billion in the current budget, Lower Education with 28 million students gets only Rs. 6 billion from federal funding. We however need to understand that there may be additional funds at the provincial level.
What good is higher education if the foundations are weak. The whole structure will come tumbling down like the World Trade Towers if we do not invest more in lower education.
What this country needs is a Lower Education Commission, not a Higher Education Commission. We have 21 pages of budget on higher education, but only 4 pages of budget on education.
The priorities of this government are clearly reversed. The Minister for State for Finance made no mention of primary & secondary education in his budget speech, but only spoke about the thousands of PhDs to be produced. What to speak of government accomplishments in this field.
While school teachers will be getting raises of Rs. 50 to 1000 per month, the PhD under the Foreign Faculty program of the HEC will be getting salaries of of upto Rs 250,000 per month! My recommendation would be to shift some of higher education allocations to lower education and double the teachers salary over the next three years.
A comparison can also be made between Education and Defence. While Defence is certainly important from a security standpoint and external threats, defence with under 1 million personnel will get Rs. 250 billion which is Rs. 250,000 per soldier.
On the other hand, 28 million student receiving primary, middle and secondary education will get Rs. 6 billion from federal funding, which is only Rs. 214 per student That is an astonishing 1000 times less than the allocation for each soldier.
Perhaps it is not too late to correct the budget and put more money for lower education.
Let us spend more on the welfare of our children, and our future generation, then on glory of the present.
Let us invest more in Lower Education. Let us think of the future rather than the present.
Let me end by quoting from our prophet, "The ink of a scholar is more valuable then the blood of a martyr."

SINDH: ATTACKING UNEMPLOYMENT

2006-06-07T17:48:00.000-07:00

ATTACKING UNEMPLOYMENT – RECOMMENDATIONS

The Governor’s Committee on economic Rivival of Sindh’s Sub-Committee on Employment Generation Chaired by Ali Nawaz Memon, has observed with a great disappointment that whereas there are enormous job opportunities in the Province of Sindh, the limited opportunity access has failed to provide adequate level of employment to local residents of Sindh. Ground Realities - Facts, Size and Complexity and experience of past policy actions has been detailed in the Annex given below. This section deals with immediate actions and other short and long term policy measures.
Actions for Immediate Implementation :
In view of the urgent need to address un-employment, the Sub-Committee has primarily focused on Short term measures which the Government is competent to initiate. Whereas Long term measures have been detailed in Annex. The Short term measures are listed below :

1). The current level of exemptions for Social Security and other payments for labour, at 9, discourages traders and industrialists from increasing labour rolls. Traders and Industrialist should be exempted from Social Security and other payments for employment of labour upto 25 instead of 9, at least for an initial period of three years. Amendment in various Labour Laws including Social Security Ordinance will be needed. This is expected to double industrial and trade employment in Sindh.

2). Even though, “provision of contract labour” does not exist in law, much of the industrial labour is provided in this manner. Contract labour provided by various contractors to different industries business organisations must include a provision that at least 50% local labour will be employed. Within a year the number should be increased to 80%. A penalty of Rs.1000 per month per employee may be imposed against employers who does not comply. Immediate instructions must be issued to the Industries to ensure the recruitment of 50% local labour.

3). Corps Commander and Director General Rangers to ensure recruitment of local citizen into Armed Forces/Rangers to initiate necessary measures to further encourage the local population into Armed Forces/Rangers. For this purpose relaxation may also be given in height etc. where-ever acceded.

4). In context of the recently approved funding for water courses lining throughout Sindh, arrangements must be made to ensure 100% recruitment of locals directly or through contractors as needed. Sindh Government should issue instructions to the Irrigation Department to ensure compliance through tendering and contract award process.

5). In context of recently agreed National Drainage Programme schemes, arrangement must be finalized to make 100% recruitment of locals by putting it as a tender condition. Irrigation Department should be issued instructions to lay down such tender conditions.

6). Hence-forth all the tenders documents of all the Department in Sindh and the Federal Government operating in Sindh should incorporate following clauses :-

i). All the 100% of unskilled labour be recruited from the Province of Sindh.

ii). According to the category of the tenders of Civil works/Mechanical/ Electrical/Electrronics/Computers technical staff (i.e. Engineers/Diploma Holders) 80% of the technical/skilled staff should be engaged by the contractors from the permanent resident of the Province with view that their stay in the Province is not less than 15 years.

iii). To the extent of 10% of the technical staff, the contractors shall be bound to employee apprentices/ in terns.

Sindh Government/Governor Sindh should issue the required instructions/ ordinance where ever required.

7). Information Technology facilities must be spread through out Sindh. Sindh Government should give special assistance and incentives only to those firms who will provide benefit to the whole of Sindh. In order to avail more incentives the organization must establish branches in several towns of Sindh. P & D Department, Education Department and Labour & Transport Departments may be issued such instructions to implement the policy after necessary empowerment.

8). It has been noted that the Government has already abolished a large number of posts in Sindh. This has resulted in suicides and excessive hardships. Government of Sindh must not abolish any further existing vacancies in its various Departments. In view of high unemployment the vacancies must be filled as quickly as possible on the basis of merit. Candidates already cleared by the Sindh Provincial Public Service Commission must receive priority. Finance Department/Governor may issue such instructions to all the Administrative Departments.

9). It has come to the attention of the sub-committee that there are several job vacancies at Karachi Airport for which Sindh Government must make arrangements to get these filled them with residents of Sindh. Matter may taken up with the Ministry of Defence/Civil Aviation Department, Government of Pakistan, to follow to Provincial quotas in CAA/ASF at Karachi Airport.

10). Karachi Public Transport Society is expected to announce a large number of vacancies for operation under Metro Buses in near future. They must be required to recruit from among permanent residents of the Province.

11). Policy regarding right-sizing of Government operations as stated by the Federal Minister for Finance, Mr. Shaukat Aziz namely that no Government employee will be fired must be strictly followed in Sindh. The surplus staff must be trained for other productive jobs. Directorate of Manpower and Training under Labour & Transport Department may be asked to arrange such courses of retraining of surplus staff in Staff Training Institute, for alternative job.

12). The training facilities are available with the Manpower, the Social Welfare Department and Education Department. Full use of the training facilities for skill upgrading must be made for which instructions may be issued to labour & Transport, Education and Social Welfare Departments.

13). The courses of the training should be determined in cooperation with the employers’ associations, Information Technology professional, national and international recruiting agencies, according to the job requirement at local, national and international levels. Directorate of Manpower and Training, Labour & Transport Department must get the required input along-with necessary funds.

14). A massive scholarship programme should be launched for training of needy students in the field of Information Technology so as to allow poor students an access to the Information Technology training. This can also be done through establishment of a revolving fund created by the Provincial Government to finance training of poor payable as loan (___________) i.e. which should be repayable when the concerned trainee starts earning. Such Revolving fund may be placed at the disposal of Directorate of Manpower and Training Department for arranging scholarship for poor trainees of I.T.

15). Export of manpower must be actively facilitated and pursued in all personnel categories. Over seas Employment Corporation may be provincialized and recruitment of overseas employment should be made with the assistance of Employment Exchanges in Sindh.

16). Special programme has been launched by SZABIST to turn graduates marketable. Short courses in interview skills, computer literacy, entrepreneur-ship must be actively persuaded in order to achieve results within one to two years.

17). The public funding being limited, the District Development Cooperatives under District Coordination Officer when in place as chairman, private participation should be organized. These co-operatives should take up housing, commercial and industrial projects in all towns and market centers on cooperative basis . This will generate employment through the development carried out by the cooperative. Instructions should be issued to Provincial Cooperative Department and District C.O. to implement the task.

18). Qualified individuals who lack the experience are proposed to be in through the Government Departments and paid stipend during the intern-ship period. Governor may issue such instructions to all the Administrative Departments and funds may be allocated for awarding stipends to interns.

19). The private Sector should be encouraged through incentives to employ apprentices/trainees interns. In this connection, the apprentice law should be strictly enforced, and the apprentices/trainees should be taken out of preview of labour laws. Labour & Transport Department (Directorate of Manpower & Training) should be issued instruction to implement the Apprenticeship Ordinance 1962 effective.

20). Information Technology training centers in private sector should be utilized to train computer teachers/tutors to up-grade a large number of Training of Trainers (ToTs) to launch a massive programme of computer literacy through Government Schools/Colleges starting with Secondary School. A major benefit could be gained by arranging funds for purchase of computers on deferred payment basis/or launching a Government guaranteed soft term loan for purchase of computers/establishing computer institutes in the rural areas including towns. Adequate funds may be provided to Education Department and Labour & Transport Department to launch massive programme in Colleges, Schools and Technical/ Vocational Training Centres in Sindh particularly in rural areas.

21). The Government purchase should be made district wise, particularly that of school furniture and science equipments, to encourage local manufacturing. This would have a direct impact on employment and skill development. Education Department etc. may be issued instructions.

22). The workshops attached with the training institutes should be given preference in the placing orders of purchase of goods which could be produced by them. Technical Training Centres and Polytechnic Colleges may be allowed to impart training on training- cum-production basis.

23). The industrial sector should be encouraged and helped to recruit people by sending their recruitment agents to all parts of the province including interior of Sindh. Funds may be placed at the disposal of Labour & Transport Department to take the teams of Industrialists for making recruitment from grass-root level i.e. Union Council Level for Apprenticeship Training. For such trainees stipends may also be paid by the Government in order to reduce the burden of employer.

24). A scheme of salesman training proposed by the Manpower directorate should be implemented as one of the development schemes in the current financial year. This envisages training of sales man through local shop keepers by providing stipends to the trainees. P & D Department may be asked to approve the scheme of Directorate of Manpower and Training submitted during 1994-95 with amendment according to present requirements.

25). The restrictions on residential buildings particularly flats/complex for establishing schools upto K.G./Nursery, may be waived. Thus encouraging associations of flat residents or complex to set up such facilities. This would create a large number of employment opportunities. Education Department may be issued instruction to lift such restrictions.

26). All the Banks including private commercial bank should be instructed to launch Mini Credit Fund schemes in addition to the Micro Credit Bank. The micro credit would guarantee employment all over Sindh. Matter may be taken up with Federal Government, Ministry of Finance to issue instructions to Banks.

LONG TERM DIRECTIONS :
· Further Strategy For Employment Generation and Manpower Development
· Primary emphasis on employment generation in rural areas and surrounding small towns through development of physical and social infrastructure and rural industries as the leading sector to deal underemployment and low incomes and drastically slow down rural-urban migration.

· Since informal sector absorb much of the incremental labor force. Major effort at accelerating development and increasing productivity of small scale/informal sector enterprises is required to generate employment in less developed regions.

· To encourage the effective participation of females in income generating economic activities.

· Special measures to reduce unemployment among the educated through real needs of the economy specially in the social sectors and private sector employment.

· Development of a well trained skilled labor force to help achieve significant gains in productivity and efficiency primarily through the efforts of the private sector.

· Trained labor force to control the cost of production and ensure labor discipline.

· Find overseas employment opportunities for the labor force.

· Increased opportunities for self-employment for those with education, skills and enterprises specially through better access to credit facilities.

· Strengthening the institutional machinery for effective monitoring and implementation of policies for human resource development. A special committee of the Cabinet consisting of key ministries and headed by the Chief Executive of the Province will oversee development in this critical field.

· Seven key industries which have significant direct and indirect employment generating potential are engineering, electronics, textiles, plastics and related chemicals, agricultural processing, fruit canning and printing and publishing. It is recommended that Government specifically look into measures for stimulating the growth of these industries.

· Measures are required to make the labor force disciplined and committed. Considerable emphasis must be given to worker’s education and management training to promote healthy trade unionism.

· Rural Employment Generation
· Following steps be taken to create job opportunities in the rural areas and surrounding small towns.

· Rural industrialization must be viewed as a leading sector for employment generation in the rural economy. The following measures can be taken for rapid development.

· Setting up of Industrial Support Centres to be located in specified growth points. Their functions would include marketing (including building linkages with large scale manufacturing), monitoring and quality control, skill training and product development, forging and heat treatment facilities and links with credit institutions.

· Project profiles to be prepared for all districts. Local councils be provided funds to hire consultants to prepare commercially viable projects. The private sector should then be encouraged to undertake them.

· Special cells to be set up in Small Scale Industries Corporations (SSICs) dealing solely with rural industries.

· A continued concerted effort for the development of physical and social infrastructure should include:

§ Basic infrastructure facilities to be provided at the point where farm-to-market roads join for setting up small shops, distribution depots, repair/service facilities and development of small sized commercial/industrial plots. The program can start with initial matching grants to become self-financing.

§ A toll based program for road construction linking rural areas to market towns with private sector participation.

§ Marketing centres (Markaz) be setup. A revolving fund should be created for expansion of existing `mandis’ and setting up new ones on a completely self-financing basis.

· Urban Employment Creation
· To increase urban employment focus should be on the promotion of small scale/informal sector, development of new residential and commercial areas in urban centres on a self-financing basis, increasing opportunities for self-employment and provision of basic infrastructure services in low income areas.

· Specific recommendations for the growth of the small scale sector include:

§ Effective representation in the decision making process. Business chambers for small scale industry should be set up in urban centres. A separate unit (in either Industry or Planning Division) should be set up which can act as a think-tank for coordinating action in this field.

§ State Bank undertake innovative pilot projects for loans to the small sector based on (a) organization of borrowers into groups (b) flexible repayment plans (c) training a cadre of workers who are in direct contact and have personal knowledge of potential borrowers.

§ Measures for increasing opportunities for self-employment should include increased allocation for and simplifying its procedures for disbursement of loans. Also the present maximum loan of Rs. 50.000 is not adequate and the amount needs to be periodically adjusted.

· Educated Unemployed
In the short and medium term, the following measures to reduce unemployment for pass-outs form the matriculation and intermediate levels are suggested:

· Intake in the existing one year diploma course for teachers training be increase to meet targets for primary education enrolment.

· Training in para-medical services be recommended, of which presently there is an acute shortage.

· To promote employment of educated labor in the private sector, increase training facilities for commercial, clerical and secretarial skills.

· The oversupply of doctors is a temporary phenomenon. They should be encourage to be work in rural areas and on providing facilities for specialization and postgraduate studies. Ideally, the two should be combined by making rural practice a pre-requisite for specialization.

· Rapidly growing modernizing economy be provide fresh engineers practical training necessary for infrastructure. An apprenticeship scheme providing fresh engineers with practical service would go a long way to solve this problem.

· Investment in Human Resource Development
· The private sector should take the lead in vocational/technical training with the government playing an active support role in developing a co-ordinated system of vocational training.

· Thrust of policies in vocational/technical training to break away from the present low technical competence trap should be as follows:
· .

· The present system of apprenticeship training need to be drastically revised. The system should combine on-the-job with classroom training.

· A special fund should be placed at the disposal of the PTB of provide matching grant for any vocational training institute set up by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, trade association like APTMA or other non-government organizations. The government should concentrate on supervising the adherence of standards for training.

· The government would have to play an active part to produce skilled manpower for assimilation and spread of new modern technologies especially in the application of electronics, computers and modern production systems.

· Trade-tests (through the Provincial Training Board Skills Standard and Certification System) for those who are trained through the informal “Ustad-Shagird” system.

The establishment of a Policy Planning Board for Vocational and Commercial Education in Sindh Province. This Board should be headed by the Chairman Planning and Development Department with the majority of members from the private sector. This will help evolve a built-in-mechanism through which an optimal mix of vocational and general education can be made in each province.

· Higher Education, Science and Technology (S and T)

In order to improve research and higher education in science and technology the number of Ph.D. holders in these fields must be vastly increased. In the short-run this can only be done by sending candidates overseas but in the long run domestic capacity must be built-up. Existing institutions (e.g. PCSIR) should be given the status for awarding post-graduate degrees. All Ph.D. graduates should be guaranteed a job in BPS-18 by the government for two years for undertaking teaching and research at a university of their own choice in order to facilitate their entry into the labor market.

Universities be selected to conduct teaching at graduate and post-graduate level in emerging subjects and technologies like lasers and fibre optics, genetic engineering and bio-technology, material sciences and micro-electronics.

Qrze-Hasna Fund of the Banking Council should be substantially enlarged to provide loans to science students. The repayment of these loans should be re-cycled by a revolving fund.

· Mobilizing Women
· Improved access to education must be the prime focus of any strategy for mobilizing women in the economy and improving their welfare. At the primary level provision of a hot-midday meal free or at a subsidized cost would increase attendance rates.

· Measures to increase employment and income opportunities for women should include:

§ Training to enter new cash earning activities such as dairy, agriculture and social forestry. Agriculture extension services should focus more sharply on women workers. This would necessitate a significant increase in female extension agents and livestock supervisors.

§ Better access for rural women to formal credit. The ADBP `Couple Mobile Credit Scheme’ be revived and `group’ approach to loans to be adopted.

· Increase enrolment in vocational and technical education through introduction of double shifts and new institutes to produce trained women who can serve as teachers at industrial homes and skill training centers.

· In order to encourage export of manpower, regular campaigns and visits to main potential employers especially in the Arab countries should be persued.

IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS :
1. Minister for Finance, Planning & Development who is also the Chairman of the Task Force must make suitable arrangements to ensure prompt implementation of the above recommendations.
2. Secretary of Labour (who also Secretary of the Sub-Committee) should be assigned the task of implementing the recommendation and follow up as required.
3. It is assumed that Sindh Cabinet will approve appropriate recommendations in context of the Revival Plan within next one month. Approved measures by the Provincial Cabinet must be implemented immediately.
4. Measures requiring Federal approval and/or funding must be followed up.
ANNEXURE

UNEMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS IN SINDH (DRAFT)

Ground Realities - Facts, Size and Complexity :

The most challenging issue facing Sindh today is the high rate of growth of population and labor force which is not matched by adequate investments and economic growth. An economy whose population and labor force are growing at over 3 percent per annum, a literacy rate of less than 40 percent, possesses and insignificant base for the production of high level scientific and middle level technical manpower, and whose quality of education has seriously deteriorated in recent years has to be streamline now before problem get bursted.

One of the key problem Sindh is confronted today is the issue of open unemployment which have attained new heights. Before addressing the different dimension of this issue, it is necessary to reveal some basic statistics on this issue before formulating a strategy to respond to this challenge.

The labour force survey publishes by Federal Bureau of Statistics provide information on the composition of civilian labour force and its distribution in employment and unemployment categories but relatively less reliance is being placed by the researchers particularly on figures displays unemployment rates which is considered highly under estimated. However following key findings are emerge from these statistics.
1. The net annual addition in the Sindh labour force is estimated at 450,000 persons (according to labour force survey of 1996-98 periods) implies that Sindh economy has to absorb this incremental labour force if it does not worsen the unemployment and under employment situation any further.
2. Nearly half of the incremental labour force is illiterate, 22 percent and 11 percent matriculates and intermediate, and about 14 percent having qualification graduation and above (see table 1).
3. The share of unemployed is roughly around 23 percent each between the age group of 15-19 and 20-24 years. (see Table-2)
4. The share of unemployed between literate and illiterte is roughly around half each. Among the literate the highest 22 percent are having qualification less than matric followed by matric 11 percent, intermediate 8 percent and graduate and above 6 percent. (see Table-3)
5. The incidence of unemployment is a u shaped curve i.e. highest among the new labour force entraints of 10-24 years age group (6-7 percent), reduces to nearly 2 percent between the age group of 25-49 years of the labour force and rises there after. (see Table-4)
6. The research undertaken at AERC on urban unemployment issue in 1986 also examine the nature of unemployment phenomenon i.e. weather it is voluntary in character (meaniing their reservation wage are higher than the market is offering given their age, qualification and experience) or in-voluntary in character (asking for lower wages than the market wage). The finding shows that the ratio of average reservation wage to average actual wage at the point of entry is exceed unity for most levels of education and then tends to fall in the later age group to below one. This reinforces the conclusion that some of the initial unemployment of youth is voluntary while for older workers most of the unemployment is involuntary. (Based on this criteria the extent of involuntary unemployment (most chronic) was estimated at 53 percent of the total unemployed. The highest incidence of involuntary unemployment occur among the relatively older worker 20-24 years (63%) and reaches a maximum to 92 percent for the oldest workers. With respect to education category the highest component of involuntary unemployment is observed in the case of intermediate at over 82 percent and lowest among workers having qualification primary (see Table-6).
7. Beside the problem of open unemployment in Sindh, the under employment among the employed manpower is also alarming and need to be attended in future.
8. The employment profile of Sindh shows (LFS 1997-98) that nearly 79 percent of the rural labour force earn their livelihoods through the agriculture sector. Among the 21 percent non agriculture employees 12 percent and percent work in the formal and informal sector respectively. Contrary to this in urban areas 96 percent are working in non agriculture sector and about 53 percent and 43 percent are working in informal sector and formal sector respectively. This indicates that informal sector generated a significant number of emloyment oppurtunities for the labour force (see table ).
9. In the urban informal sector nearly one third workers belongs to legislators/senior official/managerial occupation followed by 23 percent from crafts and related trade workers and 18 percent clerical and sales staff. In rural informal sector the highest 33 percent are unskilled workers followed by 25 percent belongs to legislators and senior official, and 13 percent each from clerical and shop workers and crafts and related trade workers. (see Table –8).
10. The above research beside highlighting the key unemployment problem further demonstrate that
· The problem of the educated unemployed is especially serious after matriculation and intermediate level. A substential number entering the labor market from the matriculation level or above every year join the ranks of the unemployed.

· The problem of unemployment among graduates may be relatively small in numbers quality and mismatch. However, it is devastating for families of thousands of unemployed graduate doctors, engineers, accountants, lawyers, etc.

· Women are Sindh’s most neglected human resource. Most indicators of women’s welfare such as life expectancy, primary school enrolment, birth related deaths and labor force participation place Sindh at the bottom or near bottom.

· Educational level and skill training of the industrial work force remains very low.

· The scientific manpower base in Sindh is extremely shallow. Only 20 percent of the relevant age groups pass matriculation and only a quarter of these students pursue further studies in science.

The significance of the problem of labor non-utilisation in Sindh has been shown that the problem of open unemployment is attaining heights which if unattended will soon lead to a formidable structural labor absorption problem. It has also been observed that an important proportion of those who manage to get themselves employed, end up doing jobs which are not in accordance to their productive capacity. The end result of these two phenomena is the wastage of the most important resource of the country - the human resource.
Projects implemented to alleviate unemployment and their performance :

Some schemes which were designed to reduce unemployment are listed :

1) Small Business Finance Scheme : This programme was created in 1972 in order to finance cottage and small scale private sector industries, individual transporters, small businessman, traders and professionals.

2) Youth Investment Promotion Society : It was created in 1987 to provide financial assistance to unemployed educated youth to enable them to set up their own small business.

3) Provincial Small Industries Corporation : This was created to provide loan to qualified professionals to help them to start their own business. It may be appreciated that nearly 6000 loans have been made in Punjab whereas only 45 loans have been made in Sindh and an estimated 50000 jobs have been created in Punjab whereas 229 have been created in Sindh.

4) Self Employment Programme : This programme was started in April 1992 and ended in June, 1994. It was created to provide loans to unemployed persons as individual or in groups for self employment.

5) Public Transport Revamping Scheme “Yellow Cab Scheme” : This effort was started in February, 1992 and ended in October, 1993. It provided loans for purchase of public transport vehicles to educated youth. Vehicles were exempted from import duty and sales tax.

6) First Women Bank Loan Scheme : This continuing scheme was started in 1991 to provide loans to lower in-come women interested in starting income generating activities.

7) Awami Tractor Scheme : This scheme has been introduced to provide loans for purchase of tractors to small land lords in order to facilitate them for increasing their agriculture income.

Reasons for lack of success:-

The project achieved only partial success for various reasons. For example, the system envisaged under the scheme was so complicated that the poor unemployed youth could not avail the opportunities, rather it provided the chances to the well-off persons and made the poor more poorer. From the assessment of the system and results, the following reasons may be visualized for failure of the schemes:-

1) Complexity of procedure for advancing loans to unemployed youth.

2) Condition of guarantee for advancing loans.

3) Non-existence of transparent system in the institutions responsible for granting loan.

4) Regional attitudes of the personnels of the institutions.

5) Non existence of provincial control/authority over the relevant institutions granting loan.

6) Non existence of monitoring system for scheme.

In view of the above position, it can well be imagined that complex procedure for granting loan was involved for the individuals in process of getting loan, as the individual has to move from pillar to post which ultimately takes a long period and incurring sufficient expenditure which is beyond the means of unemployed youth who is already passing his life in frustrated atmosphere. Besides individual intending to start small business in Sindh has not been encouraged by the personnel of D.F.Is in the Province by the regional attitudes and their personnel working in the authoritative capacity which can be assessed from the comparison of loans advanced in Punjab and Sindh Province. Yellow Cab Scheme was also made beneficial for the people relating to regional attitudes or having influential capacity. As such unemployed youth in Sindh could not be made beneficiary. Apart from the scheme, establishments of small industries have not been provided with incentive of tax exemption in Sindh and condition of training and aptitudes was not laid down in the system. In addition, the major marketing trends were not set out and coordination system was also in-existent.

From the analysis and research undertaken at AERC, some basic policy implication emerge from the analysis. These can broadly be categorised into two sets of proposals the macro and the micro measures. Macro measures primarily comprise the broad policy recommendations which make use of the basic macro-economic tools to tackle the problem of employment in Sindh. Micro measures, on the other hand, are more precise and relate to the employment problem more specifically. These can be summarised as follows:
· MACRO MEASURES:
· Moderate Wage Policy:
Reservation wages for the sample labor force appear to be generally low. For new entrants in the labor force (10-14years) it is, on an average, is Rs.930 per month, raises gradually to Rs.2313 for age groups 40-49 Years and falls thereafter (see table 4.9). Research has also demonstrated that the reservation wage even for the educated worker, is rather low (table 4.11). Therefore, the more appropriate policy for the economy at this stage is perhaps a low wage-high employment policy. Instead of raising minimum wages through minimum wage legislation, thereby reducing the demand for labor, emphasis should instead be on a policy which encourages the demand for labor by not increasing its cost. Relatively low wages should, however, be accompanied with basic fringe benefits and job security.
In addition, the government should follow the policy of price stabilization, especially with regard to wage goods like atta, sugar, vegetables, ghee, cotton cloth etc., in order to keep the cost of living low.
· Payroll Taxes:
The presence of high payroll taxes (SES contribution, educationcess, etc.) has discouraged employment and has led to the emergence of contract labor. It is suggested, therefore, that such taxes be de-linked from the wage bill and levied instead through a surcharge on corporate income tax. This measure, will not only reduce the incentive to hire contract labor but will perhaps also encourage more employment. Funds generated from these taxes should be utilised for labor housing and other priority needs specifically.
· Role of the Private Sector:
The role of the private sector should be expanded both in the provision of services and in industry in areas which have hitherto remained in the domain of the public sector. For employment generation the role of the private sector in the small-scale industrial and services sector, in particular, will have to be promoted. Relative to increase in output, these sectors have high employment elasticities of educated workers of 0.96 and 0.95 respectively. For this purpose, it is recommended that investment advisory services for small projects (say, upto Rs. one million) be established by professionals in the private sector. The required financial support can come through the various Employment Funds like Youth Investment Programme.(YIPS) etc.
· Private Investment Banking:
In line with our previous recommendations supporting the private sector to provide employment opportunities, it is suggested that private investment banking should also be encourage. It has been witnessed in the past that private investment companies raised substantial amount of funds at high rates of return. Through a private investment banking system, duly safeguarded against corrupt practices through appropriate legislation and promising reasonable rates of return, these funds can be channeled into small profitable enterprises. Such small enterprises can have a significant multiplier effect on generating employment. Also, this will serve to channel resources into formal, productive activities which otherwise find way into the informal market and unproductive investments e.g. land speculation etc.
· Growth Sectors for Karachi:
Educated employment in Karachi is the highest in Community and Personal services (Health, Education, etc.) (39 percent), Banking and Insurance (13 percent) and Wholesale and Retail Trade (18 percent) (see table 2.4). Karachi has a comparative advantage because of the availability of labor force and agglomeration economies in these sector. Government policy should, therefore, be directed towards stimulating growth in these sectors in Karachi and other urban areas. It is crucial that the location of such activities, e.g. banking, should not be shifted out of Karachi otherwise this will greatly exacerbate the problem of educated unemployment in the city.
· Revision of Industrial Location Policy:
Industry has traditionally been one of the major employment sector in the city. Currently it accounts for 20 percent of the total labor force and 15 percent of the educated labor force in Karachi. Therefore, keeping in view the employment potential of this sector the current ban on the establishment of manufacturing units needs to be reviewed. This will go a long way to mitigate the problem of the educated unemployment in the city.
· Labor Market Information System:
Greater involvement of trade unions as an information input into the labor market information system needs to be promoted. Trade unions (now that they have been rehabilitated again) should also be entrusted with the function of identifying training needs and priorities and the management of training programmes and training institutes.
· MICRO MEASURES:
· Promotion of Higher Education:
Peak rates of unemployment are observed among labor force with moderate level of education i.e. matriculates and intermediate (14 percent). The unemployment rates for graduate and postgraduate qualifications are relatively low, about 7 percent. It is, therefore, suggested that policy for reducing the share of workers in the labor force with moderate levels of education be adopted. This can be achieved either by diverting the labor force entrants to higher general/professional education with an emphasis on professional training educations or to vocational/technical education with an emphasis on relevant skills in demand in the market.
It appears, however, that the government policy does not provide the desired high level of incentive to high education. It is interesting to note from cohorts of primary school going age children that only 2 percent of the labor force entered into professional/university education. This low rate of enrolment at a university/professional education level and significant decline over time in enrolments is perhaps because of a lower allocation, of funds as part of the government policy at a university/college level education and its high emphasise on literacy and formal primary education. This phenomenon is further reflected that per student public expenditure to primary education which has increased by the ratio of 8.2 over the years, public expenditure on college education has only increased by a ratio of 2.4 and university/professional education by a ratio of 5.2. In real terms these expenditures appear to show a decline at a higher level of college and university education. It is, therefore, suggested that government should perhaps give a higher priority to college university/professional level education.
· Promotion of Vocational/Mid Career:
Technical training in relevant skills for youth with matric and intermediate qualification needs to be promoted. These will help workers with moderate level education to acquire specific skills and thereby increase the demand for their services. It is suggested that such training facilities should particularly be located in the high unemployment areas Sindh urban and rural areas.
Also, research on urban unemployment issues at AERC has demonstrated that the extent of job-mismatch appears to rise, more or less, steadily with age reaching the peak magnitude of 40 percent for older workers.. This points to the potential need for training not only of school-leavers but also of mid-career workers. The evidence of relatively greater underemployment among older, more educated workers indicates the possibility that human capital tends to become obsolete over the life-time of workers and there is need, therefore, for retraining to update skills. The incorporation of older, already employed workers into technical training programmes would, however, imply not only more specialised curricula but also necessitates different, timings (e.g. evening courses).
· Community-Based Employment Programmes:
Use of the Employment Fund for bulk lending to community based, neighbourhood level organisation is recommended. The success of community based projects like the Orangi Pilot Project (OPP) and the Baldia Pilot Project in Karachi in promoting income-generation activities highlight that NGO can be successfully used to generate productive employment at the grass root level.
An important merit of community mobilisation in such a manner is that it will not only lead to the development of employment opportunity and advisory services at the grass root level but there will also be a careful monitoring of the funds stages. Besides, it also act to counter community activation on negative lines and replace them through positive, productive activities.
· Small-Business Promotion Programme:
To prevent young engineers etc. placing demand on the already existing somewhat scarce employment opportunities, it is suggested that these young professionals be inducted into small business promotion training programmes where the emphasis is on importing management skills for running small enterprises. These programmes should be run by professional institutes like the Institute of Business Administration (IBA), Pakistan Institute of Management (PIM), Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICA), and Institute of Costs and Management Accountant (ICMA). Participants must prepare feasibility for small projects as a requirement. These feasibility should be examined by a board consisting of the training faculty and the representatives of Small Business Corporation, VIP etc. If approved funding for the projects be made automatic.
It is hoped that the implementation of the above macro and micro recommendation will go a long way to improve, if not eradicate the problem of labor non-utilisation (i.e. unemployment and underemployment) in Sindh province.

Human Rights Violations in Sindh, Pakistan 2005

2006-05-30T08:53:00.000-07:00

Dear Munawar,
I just finished reading WSI's "Human Rights Violations in Sindh, Pakistan 2005".
I thank you and WSI for publishing and distributing the report. Regardless of what else WSI does or does not do, I thank you for giving some voice to these violated and ignored people.
I read stories of human rights violations in Sindh and other parts of Pakistan in Kawish practically every day. These daily incidents touch my heart and hurt me. But then I forget about them until I read about more of them on the next day. But this compilation of annual report gives a new and shocking pattern and perspective. It indicates the shocking manner in which women and children, political disidents and minorities are treated in the land of our origin.
I am particularly saddended to see how Sindhis are treated at the hands of other Sindhis-- Chief Minister, high and low police officials, feudal lords etc. Even more sad aspect is that our community stays quiet and aloof. What has become of us?Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

"Economic Restructuring of the Masses"

2006-04-15T06:31:00.000-07:00

Sain, in ideal situation, society as a whole (government) plays a large part in meeting basic needs of people. Unfortunately, Sindh is not in that ideal situation. In order to make it possible, we all will have to work incedibly hard to elect and then empower an ideal government representing needy people. It means waking up and activating an entire nation. It has been done in someparts of the world. Can we do it?

The second track is always based on individual struggle-- ofcourse supplemented by family and near by idealist NGOs. This means that even when some body does not have two meals a day, he or she has to study hard and make a success. He or she has to be supported by family. People like you and me have to provide assistence locally in our own extended family, neighborhood or even towns. Same self and family help applies to education, health, employment generation etc.

It is hard and it is time consuming but that is how lives change!

Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com
From: Asif Talpur Reply-To: educatesindh@googlegroups.comTo: educatesindh@googlegroups.comSubject: [EducateSindh] Re: dear allDate: Fri, 14 Apr 2006 19:08:24 -0700 (PDT)
"can we please have suggestions how to revamp the economic situation no matter how small or simple the start may be.
because it is worth to note that just as the idle mind is the workshop of the devil , similarly an empty stomach(literally) is the basis to society's' decay." My first suggession: Create reachable but reasonably scaleable goals. Also be realistic, its impossible to turn the tables completely upside down, with the presence of such a difficult situation back at home. So you got some extremely difficult constraints, under which you are talking about ecnomic reconstruction of the militarily colonized society. Besides its not just economy but politics and military, which is a direct cause of economical disaster of the country. You can not separate the two tightly bounded aspects. I hope my little words are making some sense in the presence of some highly educated and intellectual minds out there. Thanks Asif
Asad Palijo wrote:

wanted to share these thoughts with friends at this group for a few days but with the final exams around the corner i have been hard pressed for time.
It is good to see saeen gul agha and other respected friends contributing at this forum and making it worthwhile however a word of request to those who have refrained from participating and voicing their valuable advices , concerns and suggestions of late. Please come forward and make yourselves heard as it not everyday one gets an audience of 700 plus professional and educated sindhis to your comments.
I wish to re-instate that this forum was conceptualised to facilitate valuable information exchange regarding education & professional opportunities but above all to make each one of us better informed pertaining to grave issues sindh faces today. Its a personal opinion that its better to have a healthy discussion about various concerns pertaining to sindh on this small group then to have an uneducated audience of tens of thousands of people ( a.k.a political rallies).

Past one month has seen discussions maturing on multiple layers of decadence pertaining to sindh.

1) there is the perennial concern of sindhi children being deprived of their fundamental right of being taught how to read and write in sindhi at their respective institutions yet at the same time we are witness to the decline in english skills of sindhis
2) lack of core skills inherent in sindhis that are in demand at the job market
3) several other ancillary suggestions regarding the consolidation of sindh in the form of having an online sindhi-english dictionary , websites to preserve the culture of sindh etc.

however i put an elementary question to all of you.
If a person is bereft of even the most basic two times meal a day then would that person be pressed to make changes to him/herself to his/her surroundings , community and the wider world. This is the sorry state of the majority of sindh both the utar and laar included.
In my elementary opinion it wont make the case if our population continues to live below the poverty line.
therefore to cut the eternally long story short , economic restructuring of the masses is the need of the hour.
can we please have suggestions how to revamp the economic situation no matter how small or simple the start may be.
because it is worth to note that just as the idle mind is the workshop of the devil , similarly an empty stomach(literally) is the basis to society's' decay.

regards,
Asad Latif Palijo
University College London

Education in Sindh-- Need for market oriented education

2006-03-26T06:33:00.000-08:00

Well said Sain Sajjad Abro Saheb

Those Sindhi students who are really bright, hardworking and have financial backing, will succeed. These lucky ones are still getting a chance to go abroad for higher education and getting good jobs.But what happens to 90% who do not fall in that catagory? They have to be provided quality education which will prepare them for market based economy within Sindh and Pakistan. Yes, there is discrimination in Karachi and in rest of Pakistan. For that reason, our kids have to be even better than average kids from other communities.

Unless, we take some concrete steps to upgrade their education, these 90% are economically doomed. The future in this case is clearly visible. Only miracle can save these 90%.
Example of other minorities (e.g. Jews, Hindus in Sindh) shows that small business rather than jobs, is the answer. It took time, but these minorities have succeeded. I have feeling that Sindhi Muslims will have to follow that path too. Vocational training in needed areas, rather than paper degrees based on outdated text books in unwanted fields, will save a larger number of Sindhi students.

Regardless of what path we are planning to follow, MARKET ORIENTED EDUCATION (i.e. development of skills which are needed in the market) needes to be emphasized. I am afraid that there are not many jobs waiting for degree holders in Sindhi literature or comparable fields.Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Education in Sindh: Points to Ponder

2006-03-26T06:14:00.000-08:00

From: "sajjad.abro@gmail.com" Reply-To: educatesindh@googlegroups.comTo: "EducateSindh" Subject: [EducateSindh] some points to ponderDate: Fri, 24 Mar 2006 05:46:08 -0800

Dear All

Now that we know Low standards and poor education is the root cause ofbackwardness of Sindh, what next? I have been hearing this since mychildhood, n so far no sincere efforts have been put forward to betterthe education system. Who is to be blamed? 1: Pujanb? can u see anyhand of Punjab in deteriorating the education system of university ofSindh or schools of interior SIndh? 2: Muhajirs? do u think that it isAltaf who has forbidden sindhi teachers from going to and runningschools in sindh? 3: our sindhi intellectuals? it is sad to say thatuniversity of Sindh, which was once considered hallmark of sindhiintellect, has no standard Sindhi Text Book for all the departments ithas. though there are a few text books on sindhi, economics,mathematics etc but these are all outdated. Is it the duty ofnon-sindhis to write text books in sindhi? if you have a look on urduliterature, you won't find anything missing. there are text books inurdu for every descipline.

one can, and i think one must, ask what the hell our sindhiintellectuals (adeeb) have done? there is ample literature on thehistory of sindh, sindhi language, bhittai, and sindhi poetry? but whatabout natural sciences, social sciences, computer sciences, medicalsciences, philosophy? we are still a century backward. there are manypersons who claim to be scholars but they are in fact pseudo-scholars,or pseudo-intellectuals. I know of no scholar (except two or three) whohave ever written a research paper in an INTERNATIONAL, INDEXED,RESEARCH JOURNAL.
Though i appreciate the efforts of this group, but the question is,WHAT CAN WE DO USING INTERNET WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING PRATICAL? WHATPOLITICAL DECISIONS CAN WE AFFECT, CHANGE OR MODIFY? are we using theappropriate channel to getting ourselves heard? who the hell amonggovernment policy makers is paying heed to our forum?
I think it is high time we materialized our efforts and put a solidfoundation, on the basis of which we should do something such as createan organization, write to goverment and non-government organizations aswell as international agencies to help us.

Moen-jo-Daro is our bright past. but our present is bleak. WE SHOULDNOT BE PROUD OF WHAT OUR ANCESTORS DID. BUT WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF WHAT"WE" DO.

Regards
M. Sajjad Abro
Social Sciences Research OfficerAga Khan University, Karachi

Economic Review of Sindh 2005

2006-02-23T03:51:00.000-08:00

Economic Review of Sindh 2005

Written and compiled
By
Mushtaque Rajpar
Karachi, Sindh
Introduction

Sindh is economic hub of Pakistan, with country’s two sea ports, 3 Industrial estates, thus contributes one third of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country, its contribution to the agriculture income is about 25%; in large industry its contribution is 43%; its share in oil production is 62%; in gas it is 65%; in coal it is 31% and in generation of electricity it is 39%.

The economic development of Sindh largely depends on the progress and growth of Agriculture Sector. The province contributes 25% towards over all National Agriculture production, with 18% of the country’s land area and 24% population. This year, there is a market increase in all crop production except sugarcane. Sindh has produced 3 million bales of cotton exceeding target of 2.4 million bales by a margin of 25%. Production of rice is 1.5 million ton, against a target of 1.374 million ton, a 9% increase. Production of wheat is 2.232 million ton against last year’s production of 2.10 million ton.

Financial year of Sindh province begins from first July to 30 June. In the June 2005, the budget was announced by the finance minister. According to the ‘Budget Speech’ document issues by the Finance Department, Government of Sindh following budget was announced:

Budget for Financial Year 2005-06

Total Outlay Rs 143 billion
Revenue Receipts
Federal Divisible Pool Share Rs 52 Billion
Straight Transfers from Centre Rs 29.52 billion
Octroi, and Zila Tax grant Rs. 12.15 billion
Provincial Revenue Collection Rs. 19.28 billion

Major Expenditure
Sector Amount
General Administration Rs 19.80 Billion
Law and Order Rs 13.58 Billion
Debt Servicing Rs 11.96 Billion
Development outlay Rs 28.75 Billion

Deficit Rs. 8.99 billion

ADP Annual Development Programme
The Public Sector Development Program 2005-06 of Rs 24 billion is 33.6% more than outgoing year revised estimates of Rs 17.96 billion. Provincial Government will fund PSDP entirely from its own fund. The District Governments are provided Rs 6.79 billion for their Development Plan out off Rs 24 billion, leaving an amount of Rs 17.21 billion for Provincial Development portfolio, out of this an amount of Rs 8.51 or 49.5% is earmarked for 471 on-going schemes and an amount of Rs 8.70 billion or 51.5% has been allocated for the 426 new schemes.

According to the State Bank of Pakistan’s Annual Report (2004-05) the overall budgetary performance for the year showed an improvement, as revenue deficit decline by 58.4% reaching Rs 3.1 billion. Despite having a revenue deficit of Rs 3.1 billion, the provincial government increased the volume of developmental expenditure to Rs 29.8 billion with an annual increase of 86.4% leading to a financial gap of Rs 32.9 billion.

Sindh is faced with high indebtedness. The debt liability as on June 30, 2005 stood at Rs 110.3 billion, comprising of Rs 35.75 billion of CDL and Rs 74.51 billion in foreign loans. Cash development loans by the Federal government are the biggest problem for the province. So the government is focusing on premature debt retirement of expensive loans and replacing them with soft loans. It has already retired about Rs 6.2 billion in the last two years, saving an amount of Rs 1 billion. The financial position of Sindh is likely to remain poor if its revenue receipts do not exhibit substantial improvements.

Pakistan’s gross domestic product (GDP) was about $63.7 billion in financial year 2002; Sindh’s economy contributes 30% of the GDP compared to a population share of about 25%.
The Sindh’s budget includes 82% federal transfers (taxes and non-taxes transfers), 16% provincial revenue receipts, and 2% development grants.

Social Sector Development

Poverty in Sindh has increased from 27% in 1999 to 37% in 2001. About one third of the urban population and two thirds of the rural population live on less than about $1 a day. Drought is common in Sindh, and particularly affects the population dependent on non-irrigated lands. Only 17% f the land area has the sweet water. Rural poverty, unemployment, high fertility, and exploitation result in high rural-urban migration, with Karachi’s population growing at the rate of about 6% per year and a slum population of about 3 million.
Defining poverty as overall human deprivation, comprising limited opportunities, social exclusion, and vulnerability to exogenous shocks, an estimated 50% of the population lives below the poverty line. In addition to low income, poor households are characterized by low levels of education, lack of safe water and unmet needs for population welfare services.

Education: With a population of 35 million and for its imperative socio-economic growth, the province of Sindh faces the immense challenge of rampant illiteracy. Sindh’s literacy rate is 46%, the same as the nation’s. The rural literacy rate is much lower than the urban rate, and for females it is much lower than for males (40% versus 13% in rural areas, and 72% versus 52% in urban areas). Half of the school age children are not in school for reasons poverty and lack of proper schools and instructions. The situation in rural areas is worst; nearly 15,000 schools are shelterless, while 4,000 are closed due to non-availability of resources.

Health: Sindh’s important health indices are not good. Infant and child mortality rates per 1,000 live births are 85 and 103, respectively. About 40% of children under the age of 5 years are malnourished. One quarter of children are born with low birth weight. The number of maternal deaths has declined due to a reduction in fertility. The total fertility rate has dropped from around 6.3 to 4.7 in 15 years, due to the late marriages and modern family planning practiced by 27% of married couples.

According to State Bank of Pakistan’s Annual Report unemployment in Sindh has increased from 5.17 to 5.87 during FY 2002 to FY2004.

Economists are convinced that deterioration has set in the provincial economy including a process of de-industrialization. The fall in Sindh’s irrigation water share for the last four years has caused Rs 42 billion loss to its farm economy. This has caused adversely impacted the employment scene which has become more aggravated by unabated labour migration from Punjab and the NWFP.

The overall unemployment rate in the province has increased from 5.2 per cent in 01-02 to 5.97 per cent in 03-04

According the Budget speech document of Sindh Government for current fiscal year 2005-06 the Federal Government has agreed to enhance share of Sindh based schemes in federal PSDP 2005-06. In PSDP 2004-05 Rs 12 billion were earmarked for the schemes located in Sindh, for the year 2005-06 this allocation has, however, has been enhanced and kept at Rs 20.15 billion.

Resource Distribution: National Finance Commission (NFC) Award

The province has great hopes that the 6th NFC constituted in the year 2000 and reconstituted in 2003 would provide the needed resources. Unfortunately diversity of views on the distribution criteria proved a stumbling block in arriving at a decision. The last National Finance Commission (NFC) was given in 1997 by a caretaker government, continues to govern the present ad-hoc arrangement of sharing taxes and duties between the federation and the provinces.
The award drastically changed the sharing ratios in favour of the federation and against the provinces from 20:80 to 37.5:62.5. This award was based on 1981 population rather than 1998 population, Sindh’s population having increased from 23 to 25 per cent.
Sindh did not agree on any of the above. Sindh supported any of the multiple indicators formula given above because it contributed more to the divisible pool.
For example the figures are given below for one year

Year 1997-98
Taxes Sindh’s contribution Punjab’s contribution

Income tax 58.2% 17%
Sales tax 29.6% 10.9%
Federal excise duty 18% 18%
Customs 64% 10.8%

The experts believe that Sindh has got a raw deal on NFC, its legitimate share in the divisible pool has been denied to it whether the government is military or civilian. Out of Rs 189 billion it contributed in 1999-2000 it received only Rs 30 billion. It is being subjected to substantial resource transfer to other provinces and the federation.
Sindh has been denied its historical share in Octroi collection as well as in current GST collection. The Octroi and zila tax, which sustained the local governments, was suddenly taken over by the last elected federal government. This act virtually crippled the local governments. One would have hoped that the present government would have restored the taxes to the devolved local governments. But that was not to be. Based on the calculation of audited figures and applying the average growth, actual collection during three years, (1999-2002) would have been Rs 26 billion against which Sindh was paid a sum of Rs 15 billion.

The relative backwardness of Sindh has increased over time and no allowance is made in share of federal taxes. Sindh has certain peculiar features like high level urbanization, heavy influx of population from other provinces, high poverty, low service provisions, a vast arid zone (48% of the total area) and huge expenditure on law and order. Per capita expenditure on law and order in Sindh is the highest at Rs 221 compared to Rs 157 for other provinces.

Development Projects in Karachi
And City District Government Karachi (CDGK)

The City District Government of Karachi (CDGK) approved its annual budget of Rs 43.8 billion on 28 June 2005 for the year 2005-06, showing a surplus of Rs 15.79 million.

Total outlay Rs 43.8 billion

Major sectoral expenditure

Establishment Rs 3.3 billion
Contingent Rs 1.2 billion
Development Rs 12.8 billion
Tameer-e-Karachi Programme Rs 600 million
Annual Development Plan Rs 1.3 billion
Towns and Union Councils share Rs 2.5 billion
Development of Water and Sanitation Dept Rs 3.7 billion
Current Expenditure Rs 3.5 billion
Health Rs 2.5 billion

Some major sources of financial resources

Grants and releases from Government Rs 9.8 billion
Malir Development Project income Rs 5.4 billion
Revenue Rs 4.7 billion
Octri dues from KESC Rs 2 billion
Liyari Development Project income Rs 1.3 billion
Salaries from Sindh Government Rs 8.8 billion
Water and Sanitary Account Rs 7.3 billon

Tameer-i-Karachi Development Project
Two mega projects are under construction in Karachi. One is the Lyari Expressway and the other is the Northern Bypass.
In addition to these two mega projects, the Rs 29 billion Tameer-i-Karachi Programme is also being implemented. This programme seeks to improve the existing Karachi infrastructure and surprisingly considers roads, bridges and flyovers, sewage, water and solid waste management. Consequently it has already identified 256 schemes in different sectors without a master plan in place.

Tameer-i-Karachi Programme (TKP) of Rs 29 billion was initiated with the cooperation of different stakeholders of the city which include Pakistan Steel, KPT, PIA.

K-III project
Karachi’s City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has said that greater Karachi Waterly Supply Scheme K-III project will be inaugurated by President Musharraf on March 31 2006 as this project will be completed three months earlier than its stipulated time. Under this project Karachi will receive 100 MGD (Million gallons per day) extra water after the completion and it will increase the water supply to the city up to 640 MGD.

In June 2005, the then City Nazim Naimatullah Khan had said that Rs 5 billion development plans have already been initiated by the City Government under the TKP.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal told to media men (27 November 2005) Karachi Package announced by President General Pervez Musharraf has been reduced from Rs 29 billion to Rs 22 billion as 8 major stakeholders refused to pay in this regard.

President General Pervez Musharraf announced an industrial infrastructure development package (July 12, 2005) for Karachi, which includes two new industrial estates and an industrial park. According to the details the new industrial estate would be developed in Landhi over an area of 250 acres of land for SMEs (Small and medium enterprise). The other industrial estate would be created over an area of 1,500 acres belonging to Pakistan Steel.

Stock Exchange During 2005
The Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Shares Index (KSE-100 index) ended the fiscal year 2005 with a gain of 41.1 percent, which translates into 2,171 points at the index level of 7,450. The index closed at its all time high level of 10,303 on 15 March 2005. The market capitalization of Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) surged up to Rs. 2,068 billion, depicting an increase of 45.53 percent over the last year; in terms of US Dollars, market capitalization of KSE was approximately US$ 35.65 billion at the close of the year. The Karachi stock market continued to be one of the best five performing markets around the world, during the period under review.
The stock market witnessed extreme bullish and bearish sentiments during the period January-March 2005. The bull run in the stock market was triggered during January and it lasted for two and half months. However, a sharp decline commenced on 16 March 2005 resulting in the KSE-100 index declining by 25 percent to as low as 7,708 as on 28 March 2005. This was the fourth set back for the market over the past five years; previous setbacks were in May 2000, September 2001 and May 2002.
While a crisis was avoided, the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan constituted a Task Force to conduct an independent and impartial inquiry into the root cause of the situation. After over three months of deliberation, the Task Force submitted its report to the Commission. Taking stock of the observations made in the report, the Commission immediately commenced the implementation of operational and policy recommendations of the report.
The recommendations of the Task Force included the elimination of Carry-over Transactions (COT), which was already being pursued by the Commission. During the year under review, the Commission, after extensive consultation with stock exchanges, finalized a comprehensive time-bound action plan to ensure the smooth phase out of COT/badla. In accordance with the action plan, the phasing out of COT/badla commenced from 8 October 2004; however, after extensive consultations, the deadlines were relaxed to facilitate the market. Despite various obstacles faced during the process, COT was completely eliminated subsequent to the close of the year and a continuous financing system (CFS) has been introduced as an interim measure to replace COT/badla financing in order to enhance the level of liquidity in the market while alternative modes of leverage financing are being developed which include margin financing and futures market. In this regard, the Commission has ensured that the necessary measures for the minimization of market abuse and the mitigation of risk have been incorporated into the CFS Regulations in order to ensure the preservation of market integrity, investor protection and the restoration of investor confidence. Accordingly, the CFS Regulations provide several crucial risk mitigating measures.

Economic Activities as reported by Newspapers
Sindh 2005

January, 2005

Sindh to generate 13,000MW of power from coal-fired plants
The Sindh government has embarked upon a plan to generate 13,000 MWs of electricity from coal-fired power plants with a view to providing people cheap electricity.
(The News January 6)

Chinese premier to open Thar Coal power project
Sindh Minister for Mines and Mineral Development Irfanulllah Marwat has said that the Chinese prime Minister will perform the groundbreaking ceremony of the Thar coal power project by the end of the Feb 2005.
(Dawn January 11)

Sindh given Rs 88 billion less than its due share in NFC Award
The opposition PPP has said that Sindh received RS 88 billion less than its due share from the NFC due to the 1997 Award and warned that the province would suffer further if the unfair Award was allowed to continue and a fresh award was not announced.
(The News January 18)

February 2005

Sindh receives Rs 2.2 billion for new jobs
Sindh Zakat and Ushr Minister Sardar Manzoor Ali Panhwar has said the federal government has provided a special grant of 2.2 billion to the province from the Zakat fund to provide jobs to unemployed people.
(Dawn February 17)

Utilization of fund in Sindh slow
The Sindh government has shown an extremely low utilization of the development funds during the first half of the current fiscal year that is being attributed to painfully slow release of money by the provincial finance department.
(Dawn January 17)

Sea intrusion claims 2.2 million acres of land, says expert
A team of politicians, water experts and journalists, after a three day study tour of deltaic region in the district Thatta has confirmed wide spread destruction of called for rehabilitation measures and payment of compensation to the affected people. The non-release of water down stream Kotri, some 2.2 million acres of fertile land.
(Dawn February 22)

March 2005

Stocks plunge by 403 points
The KSE-100 index share on Tuesday plunged by another 403 points or 4.4 per cent as investors continued to take profits at the inflated levels but late short-covering in some of pivotals raised hopes that the correction may now be overdone. It has shed 1,600 points during the last four sessions.
(Dawn 23 March)

Stocks shed another 380.10 points on panic selling
The KSE 100-share index on Thursday shed another 380 points or 4.38% at 8,314.10 as panic selling was intensified on all the counters under the lead of leading blue chips in the energy sector. During the last five sessions, it has lost 1,900 points or 18% from the all time peak level of 10,355 points at 8,314.10 points.
(Dawn 25 March)

KSE index free fall continues unabated
For the seventh day on Friday, the shares at the Karachi Stock Exchange continued their fall. Shedding 349 points on Friday, the aggregate slump in index totaled a mammoth 2549 points.
(Dawn March 26)

33% of poor live in Sindh, Punjab: ADB
Over 33% of Pakistan’s poor population live in agro-climatic zones of Sindh and southern Punjab where skewed distribution of land is hindering poverty alleviation measures, reveals Asian Development Bank report.
(Dawn March 29

April 2005
Chinese firm rejects revised tariff: Coal-fired power projects in doldrums
Two fired power projects of 300 MW each planned by China in Thar (Sindh) are in doldrums because the Shenhua Group of China refused to accept the revised tariff offered by Pakistan.
(Business Recorder April 8)

MoU signed to set up coal-based power plant
A tripartite memorandum of understanding has been signed between a Ukrainian firm and Hyderabad based Fatah group and the Sindh Coal and Development Authority to develop Lakhra coalmine field, explore mining at Sonda-Jherruck and set up a coal based electric power generation station of 300 MW at Dadu, Sindh/
(Dawn April 21)

May 2005

Independent NFC sought by Sindh
Sindh has demanded an independent National Finance Commission to give a just a fair award on the distribution of federal proceeds and has refused to give up its demand or reduce its share in the gas development surcharge.
(Dawn May 13)
Sindh share in PSDP comes to Rs 20.14 billion
Sindh’s share in the federal government’s Rs 272 billion public sector development outlay, being proposed for the next fiscal year, has been worked out at Rs 20.14 billion or 10.2% which is far below the population ratio of about 24% on the basis of which federal tax pool resources are distributed..
(Dawn May 27)

June 2005

Rs 147.6 billion budget presented in Sindh PA amid protest
Sindh finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad presented before the provincial Assembly Rs 147.68 billion provincial budget for 2005-06 amid protests from opposition on law and order situation.
(Business Recorder June 11)

Rs 28.75 billion allocated for ADP
Sindh Government has allocated Rs 28.75 billion for Annual Development Plan for the fiscal year 2005-06 registering an increase of 38.15% over current year Rs 20.81 billion.
(Business Recorder June 11)

31 education schemes planned
The Sindh government has allocated RS 340.86 million for 31 new educational schemes under Public Sector Development Programme 2005-06.
(Dawn page 17)

Sindh facing problems in Rs 37 billion loan payment
Sindh Finance Minister has said that Sindh has loan liabilities of Rs 37 billion, finding it difficult to repay it owing to higher rate of interest which ranges between 14 and 16%.
(Business Recorder June 12)

Rs 24 billion uplift plan unfunded segment in Sindh budget
Sindh Finance Minister Syed Sardar Ahmad has contended that after the suspension of cash development loans facility from the federal government, the development loans facility from the federal government, the development program in the Sindh budget had become an unfunded segment.
(Dawn June 12)

July 2005

Gas tariff goes up by 5.8 to 12.5%
The government on Thursday increased the natural gas prices throughout the country by 5.81 to 12.5% except domestic consumers using up to 100 units, with effect from July 1, 2005, said a notification.
(Dawn page July 1)

1.5 million People with out jobs in rural Sindh
A recent survey has found unemployment ratio in Karachi men aged between 15 and 24 years at 33% and it is 26% in rest of Sindh. Total unemployment ratio of men and women of the same age group has been calculated at 32% in Karachi and 26% in rest of Sindh.
(Dawn July 5)

Over 100 villages flooded in Sindh
A medium flood of 500,000 cusecs was passing through the Guddu Barrage on Saturday, inundating 80% of the Kutcha area between Guddu and Pano Aqil, including over 100 villages and farmland.
(Dawn July 11)

Increase in Sindh health sector funds put at 32%
Development funds for the health sector in Sindh has been increased by 32% in the year 2005 raising the year’s allocation from Rs 600 million to Rs 795 million for provincial schemes alone.
(Dawn July 15)

August 2005

WB Survey on Sindh: Water scarcity division threat to development
The World Bank considers water scarcity and regional divide in Sindh a threat to development in the province.
(Dawn page 9)

Ecnec approves Rs 183.6bn projects
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on Wednesday approved 29 development projects with an estimated cost of Rs 183.6 billion.
(Dawn page 1)

September 2005

ADB concerned over poverty in Pakistan
Poverty reduction and lack of implementation capacity remain major challenges to Pakistan and require a lot of effort and strategies in the right direction according to President Asian Development Bank.
(Dawn page 1)

World Bank proposals to make land deals fair
The World Bank wants the Sindh Excise and Taxation department be given the responsibility of handling the land titles as a ‘single integrated department for administering urban land.
(Dawn page 9)

Australia to set up petroleum plant
Fire power Group has proposed to establish a petroleum conditioners manufacturing and blending plant in Karachi to serve Pakistan and the regional markets.
(Dawn page 9)

Pakistan ranks 135th in human development
Among the 177 countries covered by the annual UN Human Development Report, Pakistan ranks at 135 while India ranks 127th and Bangladesh 139th.
(Dawn page 16)

WB launches Development Marketplace to reduce poverty
The World Bank on Wednesday launched Development Marketplace, a competition of innovative proposals to reduce poverty.
(Business Recorder page 2)

Sindh contests federal debt liabilities
The Sindh government is now formally demanding the refund of the entire amount that was paid to service those federal loans which were, infact, never borrowed and the liabilities are being attributed to bad accounting practices and non-reconciliation of accounts.
(Dawn page 9)

50% of Karachi population living below poverty line
The poverty in Karachi especially Katchi Abadis is a multi-dimensional phenomenon and overall 50% of total population of Karachi is living below the poverty line.
(Business Recorder page 8)

October 2005

ECC under study: Sindh Land Ord. impediment to investment
Since the existing Sindh Urban Land Disposal Ordinance 2000 is being considered a big impediment to the implementation of investment proposals from foreign and local groups.
(Dawn page 9)

Industrial output hit by workers’ departure
A number of labour force and workers employed in city’s mega industrial estates have left for their homeland to either mourn the death of their family members or mange food and shelter for the loved ones who have survived in earth quake.
(Dawn page 9)

First quarter: 2 Karachi regions collected more revenue
The Corporate and Southern regions of Karachi recorded handsome growth of 16 and 14% in revenue collection during the first quarter.
(Dawn page 9)

Asian Bank lists factors hindering SMEs
The Asian Development Bank resident mission in Pakistan has said that lack of access to credit, threshold burden of compliance and corruption costs associated with the fiscal and regulatory framework hinder not only the growth potential of Small and Medium Enterprises but also their risk-taking.
(Business Recorder page 1)

Provinces asked to improve revenue mobilization
While pointing out the constitutional authority of the provinces in respect of agricultural income tax and the sales on services that constitute 75% of the GDP, the State Bank of Pakistan wants the provincial and local governments, particularly the relatively well off provinces of Sindh and Punjab to step up their revenue mobilization efforts.
(Dawn page 1)

Industrial growth declines in 2004-05: SBP Report
Industrial growth in Pakistan has gone down from 12.0% to 10.2% in the current fiscal year.
(Business Recorder page 24)

November 2005

Poultry, potato, sugar, tomato cost more
Potato, chicken, egg, sugar and tomato have become costlier, while prices of pulses and some vegetables have declined in the last one month.
(Dawn page 9)

Sindh Govt promulgates colonization of lands Ordinance
The Sindh government on Tuesday promulgated the Colonization of Government Lands (Sindh amendment) Ordinance 2005, with a obvious objective to counter the clout of real estate speculators in the business and give impetus to construction activities.
(Dawn page 9)

Industrial area uplift: Rs 1 billion special programme for Korangi announced
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has announced Rs 1 billion special development programme for improvement of water and sewerage system in the Korangi Industrial area, and said that its implementation will start in a week.
(Dawn page 19)

Panel puts Kotri water flow requirement at 8.6 MAF
A three member panel of international experts has concluded that a flow of 8.6 million acre feet (MAF) of water per annum downstream Kotri was required to contain sea intrusion, environmental degradation and related irrigation losses.
(Dawn page 1)

Karachi port lacks facilities: 70% ATT diverted to Bandhar Abbas
About 70% of the Afghan Transit Trade has been diverted to Iranian port of Bandar Abbas due to unavailability of adequate transportation facility at both the ports in Karachi.
(Business Recorder page 1)

China Chemical approached for Thar project execution
Pakistan has approached China Chemical Engineering Group Corporation for execution of 600MW Thar coal power project in case Shenua Group backs out from the project.
(Business Recorder page 1)

Rs 7bn reduction in Karachi package: Kamal, Niamat hold each other responsible
City Nazim Mustafa Kamal and former city nazim Karachi held each other responsible for reduction in funds for Tameer-i-Karachi Programme from Rs 29 billion to Rs 22 billion.
(Dawn page 13)

Consortium takes over control of KESC
The Government on Tuesday handed over the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation to a consortium after receiving Rs 15.9 billion of the Rs 20.24 billion highest match bid.
(Dawn page 1)

Rs 4bn coastal development projects in Sindh planned
The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank will fund various projects worth US63.5 million that would be initiated through the ‘integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan’ in 2006 in the coastal areas of Sindh.
(Dawn page 19)

December 2005

K-111 project to be ready in March
Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that 100 MGD K-III project will be completed in March 2006-three months ahead of its scheduled date of completion.
(Dawn page 17)

Ecnec approves Rs 4.686 billion for Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council on Wednesday approved 29 development projects with an estimated cost of Rs 183.6 billion. Of them, Rs 4.686 billion was approved for Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project, Rs 8.561 for Karachi Water Supply K-III, Rs 1.22 billion for housing construction facilities for Rangers in Sindh.
(Dawn page 1)

Project to cost Rs 784m: Sindh plans agency for disaster management
A Sindh disaster management agency is being set up for putting in place in the next five year’s comprehensive disaster management plant at a total cost of over Rs 784 million which more than 50% will go to staff salaries.
(Dawn page 9)

Thar Coal project: Chinese firm, Wapda yet to settle tariffs, says Arbab
Sindh Chief Minister Dr. Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that the Sindh government was committed to bring the less developed areas of the province at par with the developed urban areas.
(Dawn page 15)

Sindh sugar mills closed against cane price raise
Shortfall in sugar production is inevitable following the closure of all sugarcane –crushing units in the province as protest against the increase in sugarcane minimum support from Rs 48 per 40 kg to Rs 60 per 40 kg..
(Business Recorder page 1)

Domestic gas tariff raised by 15.87%
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority has determined an average increase of about 15.27% in domestic gas price and 13.06 per cent for the remaining categories of consumers.
(Dawn page 1`)

Gas tariffs to hit Sindh industry
The export-oriented and value-added textile industry in the province of Sindh in general and Karachi city in particular are bound to face great hardships due to 17% hike in gas.
(Dawn page 9)

Thar coalfield: Chinese experts to develop two additional blocks
Sindh government has made agreements with North East Coal Geological Survey Bureau of China for the development of two additional blocks at Thar coalfield and discover additional coal fields at North Lakhra.
(Business Recorder page 20)

CNG price raised by Rs 1.25 per kg
CNG vehicles owners will have to pay Rs 1.25 per kg more from January 1, 2006 after CNG dealers and station owners have unanimously increased its price. The CNG now will cost Rs 30.25 as compared to Rs 29 per kg in the Sindh and Balochistan region.
(Dawn page 9)

WB proposes equitable land distribution
World Bank in ‘Development Report 2006) has said Equitable distribution of land through reforms could play a pivotal role in reducing poverty and politically empowering the poor, especially the farmers whose subsistence is directly linked with agriculture.
(Business Recorder page 1)

Mushtaque Rajpar
Cell No.92-0300-2040883
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.

Ties with Rajistan-- Mir Atta Talpur

2006-02-11T08:05:00.000-08:00

The opening of the Khokhrapar border will not just help in building cultural and economic relations with Rajasthan, Gujarat, etc but it can also bring economic opportunities for the people of Thar (Sindh) and Rajasthan (India). The influx of Urdu speaking refugees from India due to opening of Khokhrapar border under present conditions is incomprehensible. The border between India and Pakistan is already open at Wagha / Amritsar. If any refugee wants to come to Sindh, it can come through Wagha border with only few hundred rupees of extra cost. However, a particular political group may well try to bring in his supporters (who can potentially increase their vote bank in future), but chances of that are very rare, especially if Sindhi `Dharti Dhani' would keep close watch over them.Mostly the migration of people takes place from poor economic zone to well-off economic areas. In this regards we should not forget that India (and China) are two booming economies of Asia with economic growth 8-10 percent annually. Both countries have sustained economic growth for about a decade now and is likely to remain as such in future. India has more open and democratic society and is developing at rate much faster than Pakistan. In the near future, and as long as Pakistan remains in grip of military's dominance, chances of economic growth and opportunities in this impoverished and unfortunate country are very rare. Therefore, it is highly unlikely that people will migrate from a better country to an impoverished military dominated undemocratic country full of instabilities and injustices. However, chances are that more Hindu Sindhis may well try to go to India instead of more Indians coming to Sindh under present conditions. The Sindh which attracted refugees from India in 1947 was a different Sindh then the Sindh of today.The economic activity in Thar and Mirpurkhas has been certainly on the rise since the announcement of the opening of the border at Khokhrapar. This was reflected in rise in real estate prices in the Mirpurkhas and Khokhrapar areas. However, the news of strikes and demonstrations by our `nationalist' friends have sent wrong signal to the business community locally and internationally. Those who wanted to invest would now think twice before they invest in the region. It is advisable for the `nationalist' friends to desist from their negative projection of Sindh. Instead of strikes and demonstrations, there is need of forming a vigilance committee or watchdog group which can keep constant watch over the people coming and going through the Khokhrapar border. Irrespective of political affiliations and interests, the Sindhi Chief Minister can take steps to legalize such a monitoring group on the permanent basis so that they can liaise with the Immigration Authorities to keep close watch on immigration and emigration of travelers. Under present circumstances this is the best way to keep influx of refugees, if any, under control and at the same time allow the economic and business activities in the region to grow in this era of globalization and interdependance. Such a watchdog group can alsomonitor whether people employed and posted in the governmentdepartment there are Dharti Dhani or aliens. Our isolation from international stage and resistance in opening up will furtherpush us centuries back. More affluent Sindhis (especially fromabroad) should seize this opportunity and invest in the region. Mir Atta Talpur

Ties with Rajistan by Mushtaq Ali Talpur

2006-02-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends
I greatly value the concerns of our enlightened class ie those friends like your self who knows the situation deep down its roots But I too may humbly submit my views. Why should we be so weak to keep us shut in room due to fear of this n that, even if this n that is true which at times is true but isnt it enough time that we stand up strong cultually on our feets and face challenges of the time. Hiding ourselves in caves will not take us any where we need to open up, be strong culturally so that economic avenues are opened to our people. Look at Punjab its opening at 5 points, its building bridges at social,cultural and political fronts where as we just trying to save ourselves. We too could think of moving with the times, why fear others when we get ourselves strong. Remember in the prepartition days it was said the economic power was in the hands of Hindus, yes thats true but then who were the Sindh Workies why Hindus only why werent the Muslim Workies too, then now we say Muhagirs have economic power may I ask who has stopped Sindhis from becoming Economic power.It our fault, fault of our intellectuals, our nationalists, our feudals, our politicians and our Bureaucrates.Look at China its dominating the World economically only by opening its doors n windows, look at India once it opened up its becoming economic power, look at Gulf Countries irrespective of thier sizes are opening up thus ushering in more prosperity. Thus in my humble opinion we should be strong enough to bear the shocks if any and build our selves strong Socially, Culturally and Economically as there lies our future and not in living isolation.When Khokrapar was closed it was said Army doesnt want it to be opened so if some is opening us another long held demand like the One Unit undone by Armyman we should capitalise on it and look at its positive impact.I respect others views and hope mine too shall be considered.
Regards
Mushtaq ali Talpur
econtact: abana.kakh@gmail.com

Developing Cultural Ties with Rajistan

2006-02-11T07:55:00.000-08:00

There is a very interesting statement by son of Jaswant Singh, former Foreign Minster of India in Today's Kawish. The link is given below:
http://dailykawish.com/Hyd6/ti07.html
It indicates common language and culture with Sindh. I feel that openning of Khokhraparkar border could result in flooding of Sindh with more refugees. Sindhi people and political leaders must be very vigilant.
However, it can also help in connecting us with other speakers of Sindhi language. We must take advantage of this link to tour and explore Rajistan and develop cultural ties with its people. Cost of travelling to Rajistan is relatively small. More and more Sindhis must travel there and broaden themselves.
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

World Bank Sees a Huge Potential in Sindh

2006-02-09T03:35:00.000-08:00

By Sabihuddin Ghausi
KARACHI, Feb 6: The World Bank sees tremendous investment and tourism potential in rural Sindh endowed with an extensive irrigation system and rich mineral deposits. Investment flow and tourism would generate the much-needed growth and development in the province, a team of World Bank researchers observed in its initial report.The team was expected to finalize the report in Sept last year, but for some reasons delayed it till late April this year when it plans to hold a series of seminars and workshops in Karachi and other parts of the province.Apparently, one of the reasons for the delay in the finalization of the report on Sindh economy was the involvement of the team in assessing and quantifying the damage caused by the October 8 earthquake in Kashmir and the NWFP.The World Bank’s report on earthquake damage was the reference document for the international donors’ conference held in Islamabad.Officials in Karachi say the team reviewed the initial draft of its report with Sindh government functionaries at different levels last month and is now giving it final touches.With a population of 35 million and per capita income of $500, the team points out, Sindh has been a relatively developed province. But the team finds lack of activism and initiative among the main stakeholders which it says: “stands in stark contrast to the potential and opportunities”.The team points out that the “coalition nature of the government” has caused a political stalemate. Because of the stalemate, the stakeholders find it difficult to focus on developing a strategic vision, action programme and implementation drive. Sindh, the report says, had emerged as leader in the implementation drive for reforms in earlier years.Moreover, lack of attention to business-related issues and sustained bureaucratic inaction have created a perception of severe policy uncertainties and have heightened the level of mistrust between the business community and government institutions. Consequently, the economy has stagnated and the number of people below poverty line has swelled.The World Bank team noted “a marked decline in the governance standards and quality of public services”.“It seems that the progressive policymakers, the resilient business community and activist civil societies in Sindh have given up any hope of creating a more prosperous Sindh,” the report says.In December 2004, the bank carried out a primary survey of the stakeholders and found most of them blaming “poor governance” as the single-most important developmental challenge in Sindh.http://www.dawn.com/2006/02/07/top17.htm

Message from Sindh Development Institute

2006-01-23T18:47:00.000-08:00

Munawar Laghari
World Sindhi InstituteWashington DC

Dear Munawar

I am delighted to note that most political parties in Pakistan are now united in demanding (a) full restoration of democracy, (b) rule of law, and (c) FAIRNESS IN FEDERATION.

Sindh Development Institute believes that achievement of these three goals will result in amicable solution to all of the outstanding issues. It will lead to betterment of all people of Pakistan. SUHNE LOG of Pakistan including Sindh will prosper and become equal citizens.

I look forward to full cooperation of all well wishers of Pakistan and Sindh.

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

Commission formed to prepare Sindh’s case

2006-01-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

Commission formed to prepare Sindh’s case
By M.H. Khan
HYDERABAD, Jan 22: Formation of a high-powered commission comprising technocrats and experts to prepare Sindh’s case on socio-economic sectors was announced here on Sunday at a consultative workshop on ‘socio-economic challenges of Sindh’.The workshop was organized by the Sindh Development Foundation at a local hotel.Former speaker of the Sindh Assembly Hussain Haroon presided over the seminar.

It was addressed by Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, former Sindh University VCs Dr N. A. Baloch and G. A. Allana, Sindh Chamber of Agriculture chairman Qamar uz Zaman Shah, Advocate Ayaz Latif Palijo, Prof Ghulam Hussain Khaskheli, Prof Mushtaq Mirani, Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Abdul Majeed Nizamani and the host, Agha Shahabuddin.

Hussain Haroon proposed formation of an objective committee to prioritize issues confronting Sindh.He regretted that 50 per cent people of the province were having subsistence of Re1 per day while the upper class bought cars worth Rs10 million.The former speaker said the government talked about gains made by the Karachi Stock Exchange but everyone knew how the economy of the country was funded.He criticized the government for increasing petrol prices.Mr Haroon said that in Sindh capacity of each of the 20 sugar mills was around 2,000 to 4,000 tons of sugarcane per day.He said all of a sudden four to five sugar mills in Punjab developed capacity of crushing 15,000 tons per day, which indicated that excessive water was being utilized by them.Dr N. A. Baloch said social disintegration, lawlessness, education and agriculture were the main issues of Sindh.He suggested formation of a think tank to monitor issues confronting Sindh.Ibrahim Joyo said there was a need of moving forward in health, education and agriculture.Mr Mazharul Siddiqui said poor people should not be taken lightly as they were the asset of the country and needed to be identified.“Empowerment of Sindh is linked with empowerment of the poor,” he remarked.SCA chairman Syed Qamar uz Zaman Shah said the SDF should establish an employment bureau to help jobless people in the province.Advocate Ayaz Latif Palijo said such forums had been used by most of the people to move to greener pastures by neglecting their own country.He alleged that there were many people who did not care about problems faced by Sindh.Mr Palijo called for preparation of a working paper and formation of a shadow cabinet over Sindh’s issues to negotiate with the government.

During the workshop, several resolutions were adopted, including constitution of an experts’ commission for all socio-economic sectors.It was decided that the SDF would soon present a comprehensive blue print pertaining to macro economic spheres which would be evaluated and implemented by the provincial planning and development ministry.It was resolved that all the provinces should be given the right of collecting taxes and all non-development expenditure should be borne by the provinces on population basis.The resolution described Sindh as the poorest province in the country though it generated the maximum revenue in the country.Another resolution said that the lower riparian had the first right over use of water and rejected construction of any dam over the Indus river.The workshop demanded organized education particularly in villages, improvement of health facilities, establishment of agro-based industries, provision of micro financing facilities on low interest rates, improvement of irrigation system, announcement of a new hari charter, acceleration of pace of work on Thar coal, restarting of closed power plants in Keti Bundar, launch of an effective campaign in Sindh to put an end to tribal feuds, karo-kari and religious extremism, and a launch of a crash programme to provide jobs to the people of Sindh in health, education, financial institutions and multinational corporations.
(DAWN, Jan 23, 006)

Sindhi Unity is beoming visible

2005-12-30T07:01:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,

Sindhi political unity on Kalabagh is visible even from Washington. United efforts by PPP through out Pakistan, some elements of PML (N), religious parties and all Sindhi Nationalist parties seem to be winning hearts and minds of most Pakistanis. Yesterday's meetings with World Bank and US embassy in Islamabad and Karachi respectively indicate understanding in those quarters too.

The General has sold his soul to those who will directly benefit from Kalabagh. He will still do his best to launch Kalabagh. However, Inshaullah the dictator will find that united people have domestic and international voice.

To me, this is a major victory in the making for democratic forces. Sindhis must build on this. This unity must be nurtured for progress on other vital issues facing Sindhis such as extreme poverty.

For sustained unity and sacrifice, we must reward those who make sacrifices. Sindhi workers of Khabrain come to my mind. If we look after them, other journalists will be prepared to make sacrifice in future. If we abondon them, no one with family needs sacrifice in future. Let us help them financially.

Let us stay united and prepare for future struggle over fairness in federation. If Sindhis stay united, no one can deny our rights.

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

News from Interior Sindh on a typical day

2005-11-23T07:10:00.000-08:00

Every day I try to read the most widely read and prestigious daily Kawish. I am pained to read the news from Interior Sindh. Today is a typical days of news. Here are the top seven headlines in the internet edition with rough translation:

http://www.dailykawish.com/Hyd23/int_headings.htm

Two teachers in Dadu try to burn themselves for non-payment of salary
Police official assigned for finding family members of Munno Bhil
Husband in Dadu tried to cut throat of his wife so that he can remarry. His children are injured while trying to stop him.
Accussed in Nawabshah Confessed after police brutality
Lack of confidence in Governor's package for Hyderabad
Two kidnapped from Ghari Yassin not found-- police attacks, firings, arrests, homes burnt
Fights in Ratodero--police station attacked, SHO beaten, 13 arrested

This should serve as a mirror in faces of all of us. These are the top new in the top Sindhi newspaper in whole Sindh outside Karachi. It gives a glimpse of what society we have. Contrast that with all the debates we, the educated ones have.

Once again, it is the same question: WHAT TO DO?

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

Sindh Development Institute7204 Antares DriveGaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879

http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/sindhhouse@hotmail.com

Guidelines for Earthquake Resistent Construction

2005-11-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

Dear Friends,
I just came accross a very useful 36 page report on Guidelines for Earthquake resisitent construction. You can see the full report by clicking on:
http://www.reliefweb.int/library/documents/2005/govtind-ind-19oct2.pdf
This report is immediately useful for earthquake affected areas in Kashmir and NWFP. However, this is very useful for new construction anywhere including Sindh.
I understand that even low intensity earthquakes have already damaged several houses in Karachi. Given future possibility of earthquakes in Sindh and other parts of Pakistan, we all should be reading this report.

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

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

Sindh: Possible World Bank Loan for Education

2005-11-09T07:32:00.000-08:00

Sindh may get Rs10bn loan from World Bank: Education reforms

By Mukhtar Alam

KARACHI, Nov 8: Sindh may get a significant amount of loan from the World Bank for its educational sector during the next three to four years, it was learnt on authority here on Tuesday.

Sources privy to a meeting of the WB mission with Sindh education minister said that after a plea for investment in Sindh educational plans, the funding agency officials hinted for providing a loan to the tune of Rs10 billion for construction of schools and other academic facilities, provided the government ensures a fool-proof utilization of fund.

The WB mission included Director South Asia Human Development Unit, Julian Schweitzer; Manager Education South Asia Human Development Unit, Michelle Ribound; and Senior Social Sector specialist of WB Pakistan, Tahseen Sayed.

Sindh Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Pasha and Additional Secretary (Schools) Iqbal Durrani were also present on the occasion.

The bank’s officials told the minister that a team of technical experts and financial managers would meet the provincial education department officials in December to finalize the three-year plan for promotion of education in Sindh, added the source.

However, the visiting delegation expressed certain reservations based on their experiences pertaining to a couple of educational plans affected in 90s and hoped that the agreed terms and conditions for any future plan would be observed in its real sense, said the source.

Dr Hamida Khuhro apprised the WB team about the problems and needs of education in the province and mentioned that the real concern of Sindh government was out-of-school children and those leaving schools after passing primary classes.

She said that the problems existed due to insufficient infrastructure and lack of awareness among the rural population. “Now people are eager to get their daughters educated but we don’t have sufficient schools to offer education to our girls,” she added.

The minister said that the government was fully committed to dedicate major portion of resources to education sector. She pointed out that a very efficient and result-oriented team of Executive District Officers (education) would be brought forward at district level to carry out reforms in education.

She asked the WB team to extend their support to the education department for constructing schools for girls up to middle-level, along with the provision of missing facilities at all levels.

In a separate meeting, Sindh Secretary Education Ghulam Ali Pasha along with Additional Secretary Iqbal Durrani informed the delegation that the number of primary schools in Sindh was 40,559 with a total enrolment of 2,790,161 children. The number of students getting education in 2,400 middle schools and 1,543 secondary schools stood as 480,710 and 246,565 respectively.

According to the officials, the figures of out-of-school children at primary, middle and secondary schools were 3,761,227, 2,388,431 and 1,132,524 respectively. The bank officials were told that 31 per cent (13,967) of the government schools in the province were shelterless, while 45 per cent (19,880) were without electricity, 27 per cent (11,854) were without water, 28 per cent (12,309) were without boundary wall, 25 per cent (11,176) were without toilets and 14 per cent (6,300) were closed or non-functional.

About the establishment of a Reform Support Unit, Mr Pasha said that it would function as provincial think-tank. It was further stated that the government would ensured sustainability and ownership of RSU, while the RSU proposals would be included in government policies and implemented accordingly.

Free Master's studies in Finland

2005-11-07T05:44:00.000-08:00

From: Tahseen Jilani Date: Mon, 31 Oct 2005 19:15:18 -0800 (PST)Subject: [mcsku2004] Fwd: Study in FInland
AOA, for those who are interested

FREE EDUCATION IN FINLAND
Hello! Please check the following link to find details about Universities and most of the International Master programs being offered in Universities in Finland: http://wwwabo.fi/~sniazi/MSPrograms_in_Finland.html If you are in Pakistan, please spread this information about these Master programs in your university or college. Also let your friends and relatives know about them. Please remember, education is free in Finland & in most of the Master programs specially in Computer Science, there is a possibility of getting paid Master Thesis. It means that university pays around 500+ euros/month to a student working on his/her Masters thesis. This amount gets doubled during Summer as work is considered full-time. The amount of this stipend depends on the type of the thesis. Thesis which are done in co-operation with an industry are mostly well paid (around 1200 euros/month). Basic requirements for most of the Master programs are a bachelors degree (in most cases four-years) OR a Masters degree for Pakistani students and test scores from either IELTS or TOEFL. Last year in one program (Masters Program in Chemical Engineering @ Åbo Akademi University), there was only one Pakistani, three Indian and couple of Chinese students. This year so far there is NO Pakistani student, couple of Chinese students and 10 Indian students. Such a sad state of affairs and its simply because Pakistani students don't know about these opportunities. Please remember: "OPPURTUNITY IS NEVER LOST, THE OTHER FELLOW TAKES IT" and in this case it is obvious that Chinese and Indian students have been able to benefit from all opportunities. Last year all students were able to get Research Assistant positions apart from their Thesis Work and both of these are paid jobs. Interested? Or have any queries? Please joinStudy in Finland(SIF) http://groups.yahoo.com/group/studyinfinlandEvery Pakistani student planning to consider Finland as a study option is welcome to join this group. The main purpose of this group is to inform Pakistani students about study opportunities in Finland. Please forward this message to all prospective students.
PLEASE DO APPLY FOR THESE MASTER PROGRAMS & LET OTHERS KNOW ABOUT THEM !!

Skill Development

2005-10-24T08:58:00.000-07:00

Reducing gaps in skills development

By Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhary
THE twenty-first century witnesses a new global economy dominated by emerging technologies and skills. It is knowledge-based economy. Unfortunately, the importance of skill development has been ignored by our entrepreneurs, particularly the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and the government. Many of the large enterprises including multinationals in our country have established their own training/skills development facilities.
The SMEs usually cannot afford and find it financially unviable to have such facilities. Their source of intake (skilled workers) is mainly dependent on traditional ‘ustad-shagird’ approach or public sector institutions. Unfortunately, skill development has not been recognized as a competitive tool.
The skill development programmes are mainly offered in the public sector and hardly any in the private sector. Public sector institutes merely offer market driven skills development programmes.
These institutes offer programmes mainly in the civil, electrical and mechanical fields. Now, when new technologies have emerged and new SME clusters established in different locations, there is a strong case for conducting a comprehensive skills development need identification survey.(SDI).
Curricula are not designed and prepared to meet the requirement of industry. The standardization and uniformity are the major issues. The language of the curricula is mainly the English and concept of curriculum for different levels i.e. certificate, diploma and degree does not prevail. The competency based - curriculum may be developed covering the need identification, design, development, implementation and follow-up (continuous improvement) phases.
The active involvement of stakeholders including Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCI), trade associations (TAs), key industrial players and SMEs in conducting survey and curriculum development is very critical.
There is a severe shortage of skilled manpower and to fill the demand supply gap, sector specific SDIs are desperately needed. A few examples for such SDIs to be established are as follow:
Citrus Research and Training Institute (Sargodha); Sports Goods Training Institute (Sialkot); Light Engineering Training Institute (Gujranwala/Gujrat); Model Mining & Quarry Training Institute (Gaddani/Balochistan) and (Buner/NWFP); Composite Material Training Institute (Lahore); Mobile Phone Repair Training Institute (Lahore); Construction Industry Training Institute (Lahore, Karachi and other main cities); Wooden Furniture Training Institute (Chiniot); Marble Finishing and Processing Institute (Rawalpindi); Ginning Training Institute (Multan, R.Y.Khan, Khanewal and Ghotki); Sheep and Goat Farming, (D.G.Khan and Bahawalpur); Dates Research and Training Institute ( Muzaffar Garh).
The following skills development institutes have become either defunct or underutilized due to various reasons including management issues, obsolete technology, HR constraints, etc:* Institute of Ceramic Institute (Gujrat); Cutlery Institute (Sialkot Road, Wazirabad); Leather Service Center (Kasur); Light Engineering Service Centre (Gujranwala); Metal Industry Development Centre (MIDC) (Sialkot); Blue Pottery Institute (Multan); Mango Institute (Shujabad); National Institute of Leather Technology (Karachi); Leather Footwear Centre (Hyderabad); Automotive Testing & Testing Centre (Karachi); Gems & Jewelry Training Institute (Karachi); Pak-Holland Metal Project (Peshawar); Pak-German Wood Working Centre (Peshawar); Leather & Footwear Institute (Charsadah).
Earlier some institutes were established in different locations because of the presence of relevant clusters but now those clusters have been relocated. For example, at the time of Independence leather tanneries were located in Gujranwala but now these are relocated in Sialkot and Kasur. Similarly, cluster of citrus has shifted from Sahiwal to Sargodha.
The following training institutes may be relocated accordingly:* Institute of Leather Technology (ILT) from Gujranwala to Sialkot; Citrus Research Centre—- from Sahiwal to Sargodha; and the Centre for Agricultural Machinery Industry (CAMI)— from Mian Channu to Daska
The graduates of SDIs usually lack in practical skills. There is no linkage between SDIs and industry whereas in developed countries these institutes conduct R&D activities on behalf of industry and students complete their OJT in industry. SDIs must arrange OJT for their students and it should be part of their course work. This will help them in acquiring new skills as per industrial requirement and hence reducing skills gaps.
Skills development programmes in rural areas can help reducing poverty, employment generation and stop migration to urban areas. The vocational skills should be carefully selected so that these meet the regional markets and culture.
Initially those skills may be selected which need lesser marketing efforts for enterprise development. Based on experience, in some rural area development programmes by NGOs and international organizations, the following skills development initiatives can be started: artificial insemination (animal); honey beekeeping; electricians; auto mechanics; sheep and goat farming; fish farming; off-season vegetable production and, floriculture
Hardly any link exists between research institutions and SDIs, therefore, the research conducted fails to create the expected impact. Recently, the Federal Minister For Industries, Production and Special Initiatives, Mr Jahangir Tareen asked SMEDA to prepare sector development strategy for seven priority sectors including, sports goods, gems and jewellery, marble and granite, engineering, agro-food processing and dairy, furniture and fisheries.
During the study, skill development gap is being identified as a critical factor across these sectors. The outcome of these sectoral studies should be implemented by the SDIs to create positive impact.
Under WTO regime, SMEs are facing lot of challenges including free flow of raw materials, borderless trades, no protection to local industry, higher technology, zero subsidy etc.
The skilled and knowledge based workforce, which is the prerequisite for accelerated growth of economy, would only be the competitive tool for SMEs to survive. Not so many organizations / institutes have tried trained/skilled workforce as a competitive tool which is the source of higher quality and improved productivity.
In the budget 2004-2005, the government has announced lucrative incentives for private sector to establish vocational, technical or polytechnic institutions. It has announced a National Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority.
Punjab Vocational Training Council (PVTC) and Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (TEVTA) were established by the Government of Punjab in 1998. PVTC is imparting employable skills to ‘mustahqeen’ with the prime objective of poverty alleviation. TEVTA is a nice concept of bringing more than 400 training institutes under one umbrella earlier working with seven different departments. TEVTA is still undergoing restructuring process which may take longer time before the original dream becomes true.
The Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) and National Productivity Organization (NPO) are also providing support to SDIs. They have the capacity to assume bigger role. To meet the need of local engineering industry training facilities of plastic moulds have been established at Pakistan Industrial Technical Centre (PITAC) with financial and technical support of JICA. National Training Bureau (NTB) Skills Development Councils (SDCs) can also help to meet WTO challenges by improving the standards of our existing skills levels.
Technical Up-gradation and Skills Development Company (TUSDEC) has been created by the Ministry of Industries, Production & Special Initiatives, as an implementing institution to fulfil the aim of upgrading technology and developing skills in industrial sectors. TUSDEC will promote technologies which would (i) increase competitiveness, (ii) enhance value addition, (iii) leverage existing skills, and (iv) employ locally available raw materials.
The government function should not be limited just to provide financial resources for the establishment of infrastructure. The support must be extended until organizations become stable and mature. In many cases the government initiatives collapsed just because of lack of support. Making institutions consume scarce resources of developing countries, maximum benefits should be extracted out of these facilities.
Recommendations: the government may assume the new role of facilitator rather than direct provider of the services; national need identification survey for skills development may be conducted; need-based curricula be designed and implemented; sector-specific institutes be established; relocation of training facilities as per current need; PVTC and TEVTA be replicated in other provinces; skill development programmes be started for rural enterprise; skilled workforce be used as competitive tool; government SDIs should offer need-based programmes; compulsory OJT for graduates of SDIs; close coordination between SDIs and industry; Close coordination between SDIs and research institutes and, GoP may bring a new national training policy.
(Source: Dawn, October 24, 2005)

Sindhi Languaage: Will CM Prevail

2005-10-22T02:15:00.000-07:00

KARACHI: Language issue prompts CM’s intervention
By Mukhtar Alam
KARACHI, Oct 21: The Sindh government and its education department appeared on different wavelengths on Friday in regard to the implementation of Sindhi Salees as a compulsory subject at the intermediate level.The education department on Friday issued a couple of notifications, including one that pertained to the withdrawal of a Sept 27 notification which had suggested for the introduction of Sindhi Salees teaching to the students of Class XI, with immediate effect.In a statement issued later in the night, the Sindh chief minister expressing his annoyance over the issuance of notifications on Friday said that the Sindh education department did not have any power to amend any piece of legislation passed by the Sindh Assembly and these notifications were issued without his consent and approval.The new scheme of studies issued by the education department on Friday provided for the teaching of Sindhi Salees (Simple) as an optional subject for the Urdu-speaking students at the intermediate level (Class XI).A notification issued on Friday stated that the education department had approved a scheme of studies for the XI and XII classes, which also envisaged teaching of Salees Urdu/Sindhi carrying 100 marks for class XI and Sindhi Compulsory (100 marks) for Class XII for the Sindhi-speaking students.In the meantime, the department also revoked one of its notifications of Sept 27, under which the scheme of studies at the HSC level had been revised and required to be implemented with immediate effect.Referring to a revision in the scheme of studies approved by the federal education curriculum wing on the Sindh government’s initiative, the Sindh education department on Sept 27 had notified that Urdu-speaking students were required to study Salees Sindhi, carrying 100 marks, for the HSC exams, in Class XI, with immediate effect. And, Urdu compulsory, carrying 100 marks only was supposed to be taught in Class XII.In a related development, the Sindh education department has also decided to set up a committee to examine the issue of teaching of languages at the higher secondary level.The statement of Sindh chief minister said that no changes would be made in the law relating to the Sindhi language as Urdu-speaking students were already studying Salees Sindhi from class IV in both the public and private schools of the province and they would not feel any difficulty in studying Sindhi in class XI and XII.He directed Sindh Education Minister Dr Hamida Khuhro to immediately constitute a committee of Sindhi and Urdu intellectuals and educationists, which would submit its proposals on the teaching of Sindhi and Urdu languages in all the educational institutions in the province, to the provincial government.The following is the text of an official hand-out carrying the statement of the chief minister:“Chief Minister Sindh Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim has said that no one can finish the Sindhi teaching, promotion and use of Sindhi Language Act 1972 passed by the Sindh Assembly in 1972 for furtherance of the Sindhi language, because no body has any right to cancel himself/herself the bill passed by the Sindh Assembly except the assembly. He maintained that no one could end the Sindhi language from Sindh. The chief minister said that Urdu was the national language, Sindhi the provincial language and English was the official language, and all these languages possess their importance and preference, and all these three languages would be receiving their due importance according to their fact. No dead body of any language can be taken out in his presence, he added.“In a press statement issued here on Friday the chief minister said that the presence of Urdu-speaking people in Sindh was a reality, while the Urdu-speaking people had to live in the province, and their life and death lies with Sindh.“The chief minister said that hundreds of people under their efficiency, qualifications and profession learn many foreign languages, thus nobody could object any one on learning of any language of the country.“He further said that there were good relations between the Sindhi and Urdu-speaking people since the last 70 to 80 years while there had been relationships between the Sindhi and Urdu-speaking families since the last 50 years and they were cordially living as brothers.“Dr Arbab said that it was the reason that the Urdu-speaking people had also been struggling for the rights of Sindh.“He maintained that nobody would be allowed to create differences between the Sindhi and Urdu-speaking people. He said that as far as the Sindh Act 1972 was concerned, it was mentioned that Sindhi would be the provincial language of Sindh and the Sindhi and Urdu languages would be taught from class 4th to class XII, but those who got passed the bill, had not implemented fully the said bill.“They even did not framed rules for teaching the Sindhi language in schools, with the result the subject “Sindhi Salees” is not being taught up to class XI, he added.“The education department does not have any authority to amend any bill passed by the Sindh Assembly on what the governor of Sindh has asked, the chief minister added saying that the recent notification was issued by the education department without my consent and approval, and even I was not informed about that case.“The Sindhi-speaking students get benefits by learning the Urdu language while by learning the Sindhi language, the Urdu-speaking people easily understand and talk Sindhi language as such both are coming nearer to each other, he added.“The chief minister advised the opposition to avoid creating unnecessary issues by exploiting political phenomenon, because there was no issue left with the opposition.”

(Source: DAWN October 22, 2005)

Ramzan and Development

2005-10-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

In resonse to my Ramazan greeting, Sain Maqbool Aliani asked "what has ramzan got to do with development of sindh?"

I did google search on religion and economic development and came up with over 2 million results. You may check it out:http://search.msn.com/results.aspx?q=religion+and+economic+development&FORM=MSNH&srch_type=0

After the boxes, the first one is a study "RELIGION, CULTURE, AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE" byMarcus Noland, Senior Fellow, Institute for International Economics. The abstract is as follows:
Abstract

The hypothesis that the coefficients on variables of religious affiliation are jointly equal to zerocan frequently be rejected at conventional levels of statistical significance (i.e., religion matters),but no robust relationship between adherence to major world religions and national economicperformance is uncovered, using both cross-national and subnational data. The results withrespect to Islam do not support the notion that it is inimical to growth. On the contrary, virtuallyevery statistically significant coefficient on Muslim population shares reported in this paper—inboth cross-country and within-country statistical analyses—is positive. If anything, Islampromotes growth." JEL codes: O40, Z12

My short response will be that Ramazan and development are very related. Fasting means deprivation from all food and liquids from sunrise to sunset. For about 12 hours each day for a whole month, it gives us a taste of suffering of economically less developed or poor. It should motivate us to work harder for economic development of Sindh and removal of poverty.

Your input and help towards development of Sindh is always welcome.
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute

Economic Decision Making Process

2005-09-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

National Economic Literacy & Budget Analysis Group formed in PDI- Actionaid Workshop

Karachi: Leading economists, elected representatives and civilsociety activists Pakistan have observed that economic policydecisions are taken by the nexus of civil military bureaucracy, rulingclique and multilateral institutions in Pakistan with no participationof civil society, opposition political parties, academia and otherimportant sections of the society.

Such observations were made in a "National Consultative Workshop onEconomic Literacy and Budget Analysis" jointly organized byParticipatory Development Initiatives (PDI) and Actionaid Pakistan onThursday in a local Hotel. The participants of the workshop formed anational level civil society 'Economic Literacy and Budget AnalysisGroup [ELBAG] with the objective of ensuring involvement of the commonpeople in the economic policy making and budget analysis processesthrough action research, capacity building, awareness, publications,advocacy seminars, conferences, workshops and other policyinterventions.

Those participated in the workshop included Senator Prof. GhafoorAhmed, Ex-Snator Mr. Taj Hyder, Mr. Mohamemd Hassan Mihniti MNA, Mr.Peter Cosgrove of Agha Khan University, Dr. Ahmed Nawaz Hakro ofQaid-e-Azam University Islamabad, Prof Mushtaq Mirani of SindhUniversity, Mr. Nasir Mansoor of Labour Education Foundation, Mr.Ashfaque Qureshi of Sindh Development Society, Mr. Srtaj Abbasi ofRootwork Balochistan, Mr. Habibullah of Devcon, Mr. Hyder Hussian ofSocial Policy and Development Center ( SPDC), Mr. Zahid Mengal of AzatFoundation Quetta, Mr. Mueed Ahmed of SDPI Islamabad, Ms Tahira AKhan and Adam Malik of Actionaid Pakistan, Mr. Sikander Brohi of PDIand others.

The participants of the workshop observed that mega projects underPublic Sector Development Program are initiated under politicalconsiderations without properly looking into the merits and demeritsof such projects. In many cases projects are initiated withoutpreparation of their feasibility report and PC-1 especially in thecase the project is initiated on the instructions of Prime Minster,president or other influential government leader. In many cases theobjectives of the projects usually do not correspondent to PublicSector Development Plan. Project completion report [PC-4] is neversubmitted to the Planning Commission. Report of the actual benefitsrealized from a project [PC-5] is also not submitted to the planningcommission and political influence works during the process ofincluding the project in the PSDP.

They further said that in many cases Cabinet takes important decisionsin place of the parliament including decisions on trade policy,investment, industry agriculture etc. They said that Parliament is thesupreme body but the economic decisions made by the parliament arealso modified by the Economic Coordination Committee of the cabinet.While discussing the role of multilateral donor agencies theparticipants observed that tying aid to specific projects by thedonors adversely affects the economic situation of the country. Forexample equipments and materials are to be purchased from the donorsand consultants are also hired from the donor country or institutions.Similarly Structural adjustment Programs, privatization andliberalization programs also affect the economy and hit the jobs andlivelihoods of the common people

They added that projects and programs are not usually formulated inthe national interest. The directives of prime ministers, insistenceof the donor community on certain programs and involvement of theministers and influences the decision making with regard to theproject / program initiation and funding

While discussing the budget process they said that no civil societyparticipation in the budget process. So-called discussions are heldwith only Chamber of Industries and Chamber of Agriculture. AssemblyMembers are not involved as they are handed over the documents on theday when the budget is presented in the assembly. Only two days aregiven to go through these technical documents, they added. They saidthat when the opposition members raise their voice during the budgetsessions ruling party members are compelled to oppose the suggestionsand objections of the opposition members even if the suggestions arevaluable. The assembly members have only authority of raising cutmotions. They have no authority for asking for the increase in thebudget of any sector. Even the Cabinet does not properly discuss thebudget as the documents are presented in the cabinet meeting, theyfurther added

In the conclusion the workshop participants recommended that civilsociety members, technocrats, opposition party leaders and therepresentatives of different sections of society should have properrepresentation on different economic decision making forums of thecountry including Planning Commission, Central Development WorkingParty (CDWP), Executive Committee of the National Economic Council(ECNEC) and National Economic Council (NEC). Civil societyorganizations, elected representatives and the representatives ofdifferent sections of society should be actively involved in thebudget making process right from the outset of the process. The elected representatives should be involved in the decisions withregard to taxation and expenditures in the budget and there should bea brainstorming session for the Assembly Members before thepreparation of the budget document. Parliamentarians should beinvolved in a more comprehensive way in the budget planning processthrough committees, debate, monitoring/oversight. Budget policies andpriorities should be set up at least 2 months in advance of the budgetspeech to allow full debate before the new fiscal year. Consultativecommittees comprised of elected representatives, civil societyorganizations and representatives of different sections of societyshould be established and should be chaired by the Ministers ofrespective departments, to allow continuous input into the budget.Discretionary powers of the executive as regards modifications to thebudget should be reduced and Parliament should approve anymodifications, including supplementary budgets, prior to expenditurestaking place. National security should be defined more narrowly toensure parliamentary accountability in defense budgets (e.g. salaries,administrative expenses, perks)

Punish Ghadars of Sindh

2005-09-09T21:13:00.000-07:00

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

Revival

2005-09-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

Friends
Discussion of the last few days has indicated that many Sindhis want to move beyond useless discussions to Revival of Sindhis.
History teaches us that there are many paths to revival. There must be improvement in economics, health, education, agriculture and God knows so many other factors. There are many books on these subjects. As a student and practitioner of economic development, I know about many reports, which have been written about Sindh. However, there has not been significant improvement in lives of common Sindhis.
Again, there are many reasons for the failure—the government did not introduce the right policies, the leaders were not sincere, the engineers were corrupt etc. In fact, many projects did get built—colleges, universities, houses, and factories. But they did not touch lives of majority of Sindhis. Why? May be majority of Sindhis was not involved. May be they did not even know about many projects which were underway. May be they were not educated enough or were too busy with earning of daily wages.
In Pakistan people have dreamed of a short cut-- arrival of great leader who will come and put everything right. Unfortunately, many leaders have come with uniform and in civilian suits but things have not improved significantly for most Sindhis. It is easy to corrupt or even kill individuals. May be time has come to rely on millions of Sindhis rather than one great leader.
The fact is that Sindh is not poor. Its lands, ports, railways, universities, industries etc are full of potential. The issues are that Sindhis are not getting rightful share. Sindhi leaders, Sindhi civil servants, and Sindhi people need to put the house in order.
The powerful in the land are getting their share. Their kids are in the best schools and universities. They have new cars and have bank balances. I am amazed how well ordinary SDO or inspector of police lives. Look at their salaries ad look at their life style. But the common Sindhis are not getting their share.
Then we have top leadership of Pakistan, which has always behaved like colonial power. It is more interested in developing other parts of Pakistan with resources generated in Sindh. They are powerful. They purchase our leaders with guarantees of personal position and wealth. Then we have our corrupt officials from policeman to IG, from tapedar to Chief Secretary, and from beldar to Chief engineer. The bosses allow them to enrich themselves as long as a major part of the resources is taken away from Sindh.
In the process, Sindhis have become a community of CHORAS. "CHORO" has two meanings-- orphan and a spoiled brat. Our leaders and civil servants have abandoned us. We have no protection of government and leaders. We are also wandering in streets without education and jobs.
The question is CHORAN KHE KIAN SUDHARJE? What to do so that the CHORAS will become educated and responsible people? So that they will demand and get their share of property. So that the uncles (leaders and officials) will not swallow their share of inheritance.
I think we should let the modern theories and practices of democracy and economic development work. They can and should be refined and made to work better. However, in parallel, millions of CHORA should do their part.
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

Collective rape?

2005-09-09T10:46:00.000-07:00

Friends
It was good to hear from so many of you regarding "Useless discussions?". I have received several private notes along the same lines. Every one can feel that the so called intellectual community-- both within and outside Sindh has become almost totally meaningless.
Today Altaf Bhai, Pir Pagaro and even and a grade 20 DIG police in Sindh has more power and far more impact on life of Sindhis than all the divided people and out of touch intellectuals.
Body of Sindh has been captured by force. We all standby. We write emails about Shazia and other individual rape victims. Perhaps, because writing emails is free of cost. Perhaps, because we do not know what else to do.
Do not misunderstand me. I do appreciate individual and even some group acts to help reach and save the people of Sindh. But, we all know that such acts can help a few at best. It has no impact on large body of Sindh.
The larger fact is that a collective rape of people of Sindh and perhaps a majority of Pakistan, is taking place. What can we do about that? One more email debate?
I believe that hard work and sacrifices are required by people who live in Sindh as well as people who love Sindh. Every one agrees that unity is needed. But drawing room unity of a few so called leaders has never worked before and is not likely to work in future.
I can tell you that as a minimum, people have to unite and fight in democratic way to win assemblies and cabinets and national resources. Altaf Bhai, Pir Pagaro and others have used different techniques to get where they have got. Perhaps Sindhis and other suffering Pakistanis will use their brain and other powers too. But perhaps the time has not come. Perhaps, the collective rape has not hurt enogh as yet.
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

Useless Discussions?

2005-09-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

In recent weeks I have have begun to wonder even more, if the discussions on these nets have any relationship with reality on the ground in Sindh.
I become surprised by several developments including
1. Results of the local bodies elections in Sindh. These have shown that:
(a) Power of the government in terms of election rigging is enormous. The power has been excercised through Sindhi police and Sindhi civil servants.
(b) Sindhi portion of Sindh has gone back to hands of feudal lords and Pirs. The middle class leadership has been eliminated.
(c) MQM has been handed almost all Karachi and increasing portion of interior.
Silence on Kalabagh after technical committee report. Even though full details of the report have not become known, it is clear that the committee has supported construction of one are more dam. Since then, politicians of Sindh and the public have become silent. Even previous opponets appear to have become quiet.
Sindh is in hands of Altaf Bhai, Pir Pagaro, and assorted landlords like Jatois, Mahars, Chandios, Unars etc. This will be confirmed through election of district and city Nazims. And, water is in hands of the federal government.
What will be the result of all this on economic development and welfare of Sindhi people? Probably not much. Unless, Altaf Bhai has some pity on Sindhis and wants to throw some crums. I do not expect even crums from our Pir Pagaro and feudal lords.
Please prove me wrong!
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

Rural Employment Guarantee Bill

2005-08-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

I like to bring to your attention, the following landmark jobs bill passed by the Indian lower house. Details are given on BBC web page.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4177148.stm

While some economists will oppose it and raise questions, a vast majority of people in Pakistan need such employment and will support it.

India estimates the cost at between £3bn and £17bn. Pakistan's population is about one seventh of India's. Accordingly, the cost may be between 430 million and 2.4 billion pounds.

At the lower end of cost estimate, it is totally afffordable for Pakistan. Furthermore, with new assured employment, there will be less need for other poverty reduction programs. Accordingly, there will be some savings in the current poverty reduction related expenses. One can find ways and design the program in such a way as to limit the maximum costs.

I seek and welcome suggestions from my readers on ways to make it affordable and fully practical.

In any case, it will generate tremendous economic ativity and eventually boost growth and tax revenue.

"Landmark Indian jobs bill passed The scheme targets India's 60m rural households The lower house of India's parliament has passed a landmark bill aimed at guaranteeing 100 days of employment each year to every rural household. The Rural Employment Guarantee Bill was passed unanimously after a marathon 13-hour debate.
The bill seeks to provide a job to one member from each of India's 60m rural households.
Analysts say it is the first step towards a welfare state in India where 70% of the population live in villages.
The bill will now go to the upper house for approval where it is expected to pass easily.
It will become a law if passed by the house and after it gets the president's assent.
Election pledge
Correspondents say the bill is the most ambitious pro-poor scheme launched by an Indian government.
It was an important plank of the Congress Party's election campaign last year, and is supported by its communist allies.
People employed by the scheme will work on projects such as building roads, improving rural infrastructure, constructing canals or working on water conservation schemes.
The government say special priority will be given to women under the scheme, which will be launched in 200 districts this year and will extend to the entire country over the next four.
The scheme is estimated to cost between £3bn and £17bn and critics say it is not clear how the government intends to meet the costs. "

Kind regards,
Ali Nawaz Memon

Save Pakistan from real enemies

2005-08-16T03:23:00.000-07:00

----Original Message Follows----From: jami chandio <jami8195@yahoo.com>Reply-To: SindhPost@yahoogroups.comTo: PetarianTalk@yahoogroups.com, sindhconsultativeforum-scf@yahoogroups.com, sindhorg@yahoogroups.com, List SindhCivilSocietyNetwork <sindhcivilsocietynetwork@yahoogroups.com>, List sindhiat <sindhiat@yahoogroups.com>, List SindhiRights <sindhirights@yahoogroups.com>, List sindhlist <sindhlist@yahoogroups.com>, List sindhmedia <sindhmedia@yahoogroups.com>, List sindh-politics <sindh-politics@yahoogroups.com>, List SindhPost <sindhpost@yahoogroups.com>, List sindhtoday-network <sindhtoday-network@yahoogroups.com>, List sindhiana <sindhiana@yahoogroups.com>, List pakistanpolitics <pakistanpolitics@yahoogroups.com>, List pakistanforum <pakistanforum@yahoogroups.com>, List helpasia <helpasia@yahoogroups.com>Subject: [SindhPost] Save Pakistan from its real enemies...Date:

Mon, 15 Aug 2005 22:10:55 -0700 (PDT)

Dear all,

It seems interesting that many responses are coming upfrom various perspectives. Serious discussions arealways helpful not merely for the accident of ideasbut for the sharing of perceptions/experiences to cometo a better understanding of the issues. Butespecially i would like to respond Saleh Bhaee's mail.

There are well-established norms of intellectual andpolitical discussions and one is the objectivity.Saleh bhaee has not addressed the real issue rather itwas a self deceptive kind of HIDAYATNAMA with sametraditional status-quo approach that since we areMuslims so the issues of demographic security,indigenous people's right to rule, provincialautonomy, Security and development of language,political and economic rights, democracy, balance oftrue representation of indigenous people from allprovinces in all federal institutions, equal access todecision making institutions etc..are not the issues(because we all are Muslims).

First of all I have a serious problem with thismentality, which could only serve the interests ofoppressors and the establishment, and all those whohave stakes in status quo. Being a responsible civilsociety we must have moral courage and intellectualhonesty to address the complex and hard realities. Letme take all the arguments one by one, because this isnot merely mindset of an individual but this is atypical mentality and that must be dealt with seriousand rational arguments not to change them but to put aclear picture before rest of innocent minds like ourfriend Mansoor. ( mansoor! yes we have weaknesses thatevery society has but I did not discuss the sociologyof Sindh it is political and economic debate. I hopeyou understand the difference)

1) Religion alone cannot be a binding force in anysociety especially in political and economic affairs,so is the case and condition with Muslims too. Therecould be hundreds of conflicts among various classesor interests groups of same religion. Religion is anindividual matter.Secondly belonging to same religion does not justifyexploitations and oppressiveness’ cannot rationalizepolitical and economic conflicts if they are notresolved on just and fair grounds.

2) Yes, I do agree that the whole world is movingtowards regional and global integration and we arepart of the world. I also believe that thisintegration is persuasive image of today's world butdoes it mean that all the societies and nations havegiven up their identities, legitimate political andeconomic interests? Their geographical homelands,their languages, cultures, literature? I am sorry tosay this is again a very self-deceptive and wrongperception/argument. Take example of Europe. Despitethe fact that they have expedited the process ofintegration but every country and society have madeenormous constitutional measures to safeguard theirlanguages, cultures, literature, art, culturalidentities, political and economic rights. Even in thecountry like Belgium they have two parliaments, onefor French and second for Flemish people only becausethey have various conflicts. Just give a singleexample where due to emerging phenomenon ofintegration local societies have given up all theirinterests. This is either a very simplistic childishargument or a highly biased and unjustified approach.

3) Let us address this question that whysocieties/nations want the security of theiridentities, languages, political interests, historicalrights, autonomy and authority on their resources?Simply because it has great link with their economicrights and stability. Economic rights are not socialislands they are closely linked with all the factors Ihave already mentioned. Would you kindly place asingle example of any society/nation having nohistorical rights, no cultural identity, no politicalautonomy and demographic sovereignty/stability, nocommand on resources and participation in decisionmaking institutions can be developed economically?Denial of cultural and political rights leadssocieties/nations to economic downfalls and this iswhat we are facing in today’s Pakistan.

4) You have said that KALABAG DAM is the merely issueof landlords and feudal and it is not opposed by allthree provinces but by the Sindhi feudals. Bhaeejanwhat an “innocent” argument? First of all let me tellyou that since 1988 all the elected provincialassemblies of Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP haverepeatedly passed resolutions against KALABAG DAM notonly once and twice but thrice. Even in this MusharafGovernment it has happened. Sindh assembly passedunanimous resolution. Secondly I must correct you itnot the state made feudal that oppose KALABAG DAM butthe absolute majority of the people of Sindh that alsoincludes Punjabi speaking settlers who oppose it. Areyou living on this planet? People are strugglingagainst this anti Sindh and consequently anti Pakistandam since decades and you say that this is the issueof feudal rather they don’t oppose it. Let me tell youone thing more. It is not merely the issue of KALABAGDAM. Sindh Punjab water dispute continues since 1857.Several commissions were made by the British toresolve the issue but after Pakistan the issue went into the hands of cruel and criminal establishment andruling class of Punjab. Now the situation is socritical that it has stared posing threats to theintegrity of country. We don’t oppose only KALABAG DAMbut we oppose all the projects of DAMS and canals onup stream of INDUS because we have been the worstvictims of such projects. We can’t trust them; theyare dishonest and shortsighted people with criminalmentality. All the agreements and contracts on waterdistribution have been violated. For example CHASHMAJEHLAM LINK CANAL was made as flood canal but it flowsround the year since day one. Similar is the case withthe construction of Tarbela Dam. Sindh lost the wholeworld f resources stretched from Kashmore to ketiBandar including lacks of Kacho areas on both banks ofIndus as well as the delta and coastal life. No bodyknows as to what was the fate of thousands ofpeasants, fishermen, cattle owners, etc in posttarbela era when inundation of Kacho decreased manfatal and Indus delta as well as coastal lifesustained a severe setback for ever. What about theillegal construction of Graeter Thal canal even theimperial british could not dare to build it. The wholeeconomy of Sindh has virtually been destroyed and yousay that it the issue of feudal. Kindly some timecome to Sindh and see the damages with your own eyes.So we clearly say NO ANY DAM AND CANAL ON UP STREAMINCLUDING KALABAGH DAM AND GREATER THAL CANAL. It isan international water law that no any project can bebuilt on up stream until the lower riparian agrees.But goes on in PYARA PAKISTAN? If the announcement ofKALABAG DAM were made than Sindh would be consideredas a conquered territory not the legitimate part ofPakistan. Tell me what is more precious and importantPAKISTAN or DAM? We should not let the criminal andcynical mindset to play with the future of our cominggenerations and with the integrity of federation.
Let me also clearly you and other friends aboutfeudalism in Sindh. I think it is not the society butagain the establishment that has kept alive thisinstitution due to their unholy strategic interests.In 1988 elections people of Sindh defeated all bigfeudal like Pir Pagara, Jatoi Gulam Mustafa Khan,Nawab Sultan Ahmed Chandio, Mahar and all othersagainst middle class people. Now again they aredominating the political scene only because they suitestablishment’ vested interests. They are openly beingsupported by agencies. Look at the recent process oflocal government elections. They have been given walkover on Sindh along with the terrorists in urbanareas. Feudal are the strategic tools of establishmentin Pakistan and especially in Sindh.

5) Finally this is not fair to call Sindhisseparatists as it is termed by Jimmee Jamshed. Sindhis the creator of Pakistan. It was Sindh assembly thatpassed resolution for Pakistan first but thepunishment for that must be stopped now. Sindhi’s arenot and had never been separatist but now they arebeing compelled to think like that. Pakistan has noany threat from peace loving people of Sindh butdanger comes from Establishment, Dictators, Absence ofdemocracy, Absence of rule of law, lack of provincialautonomy, denial of legitimate rights and above allinsulting and derogatory attitude towards the rightsand demands of people of smaller provinces. Let meclarify we don’t hate any body. People of Punjab andof the world are our brothers. We are talking aboutthe cynical and criminal ruling classes that even posethreats to the long-term interests of the people ofPunjab.

Saleh Bhaee Sindh does not deserve the kind ofattitude we are experiencing in Pakistan and if itcontinues like that than there is limit of everything. ‘PHIR YE COMPANY NAHEEN CHALAY GEE ‘.

Let us save Pakistan from its real enemies.

Regards,Jami Chandio

--- Saleh Khan <sak555@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear Jami > > Its good that you opened up and brought your inside > dust on paper. Many people keep > their agendas hidden but you are a bit different and > that is a better news. > > You can call me Saleh Bhai, instead of Mr. Saleh, as > this is a petarians forum and > this is the usual way of calling the seniors, its a > bit traditional and less formal > ( and you seems to value traditions). > > The whole world is going for integration and > unfortunately some of our people are > seeking disintegration. Islam teaches these concepts > of universality and the west > has taken it for themselves, as they have seen its > advantages, but some of us still > seems to be stuck in our limited mentality. > > If you come out of this regionalism thoughts, and > feel yourself to be a muslim, you > would see a wide world with lots of things to > achieve, but if you wanna stay in the > limitations of a language, i am sorry to say, you > are not even sincere to the people > you think you belong to, namely, the sindhis, in > this case. > > A person is said to be a "permenant resident" of a > place when he plans to stay in > that place for good. Do you plan to stay in Sindh > for good? where do you plan to go > once you die? what are you going to reply to the > "munkir nakeer" when they would ask > you questions about your loyalty.. would your reply > be... Sindh? a person will > forget all nationalism on the first sigth of the > "munkir nakeer", and intelligent > are those who prepare a bit in advance. Instead of > having this limited regional > mentality, which is only acting negatively for the > locals, it would be good to use > your capabilities, which i see a lot, and use them > to educate the people and > encourage them to come out of this regionalist > thoughts and see a bigger world > ahead, and step in it to advance,,, come out of this > obsolete mindset, which has > kept behind any development in this region,,and its > my advise. > > Now, coming back to your data, i think its so self > contradictory. > > Pakistan was formed by joining areas of muslim > majority, and Sindh was one of those > areas. Muslims are proud to lay their lives and > sacrifice for their thoughts, they > do not think of their language, but they see the > commands of Allah. Sindhis took > that decision cuz they were muslims and they were > one of those ahead in this > integration. Now you want to do away with their > sacrifices by putting your thoughts > on those huge sacrifices by our ancestors? its a > shame on its own that just cuz of > one's own thinking we play around with such > sacrifices. > > Secondly, Sindh is proud to be a centre of muslim > development. A Sindhi, like all > muslims, consider himself muslim first and sindhi or > anyother thing later. So, if > Sind is joined by other fellow muslims, its a source > of pride for Sind. Places and > countries do not develop by reducing the population > and by secluding them, but they > develop by increasing the market size, by > integration with the world with respect to > movement, freedom of all sorts, and Sind has been > kept far from development by the > local Land Lords, which control the population, and > which never want any real > development to take place, so they have enough > people to work for them,,free of > charge,, sort of slavery, and this is what the > people of Sind has got from most of > their land lords, who, unfortunately had been in > various governemnts too, time and > again, and the only thing they did, like other > politicians, was to fill up their > pockets and raise slogans like,,we do not > want,,kalabagh dam. > > Its not the three provinces who are saying we do not > want kalabagh dam, its the most > unfortuante slogan only raised by the Land Lord > community. Its the very thing we > most need, and we do not jsut need Kalabagh dam, we > need as many more dams as > possible. We talk of peoples development and we are > happy to see their lands > inundated by floods in rainy seasons and go dry in > the dry months.. infact we should > highlight those faces who stand against these > developments, to show to all > pakistanis who are they. > > The need of the hour is to make as many dams as > possible, increase water storage > capacity as much as possible, to stock water in the > times of excess, and release it > in the times of need, and with it generate the most > wanted electricty. If the plan > goes, pakistan would be exporting electricity after > meeting its needs, but we have > many deraded minds who have nothing else to do but > to oppose all development > projects. > > Now coming back to taxes. You have contradicted all > of your mail in this point. > Sindh raises most of the taxes due to the city of > Karachi, where most of the > industries and population is concentrated. Most of > the karachi population is of > immigrants. whether they are from india or from > punjab or from nwfp or from > baluchistan, it does not matter, they all came to > earn a living, and they are most > wellcome, and they are the cause of huge > development, not only for karachi, but for > the whole nation, including that of Sind. So, the > very point of this development is > due to immigrants mainly, besides, many from Sind > are also immigrated to Karachi, > and it can be such a beautiful city , where there is > living for every one if we do > away with this poison of regionalism, which does > nothing else but destroys... > > the mail is gone too long, or i would have shown you > how mistaken you are in your > facts, either by ignoring them, or by using them in > a way to exploit the simple > minds of Sindh, and i dont think there are many > takers in sind for such slogans. > These are stories of the past and i hope you come > out of this to join hands with the > rest of the nation, and to the muslim world in > general. > > Saleh > 7437 J > > > --- jami chandio <jami8195@yahoo.com> wrote: > > > Dear Mr. saleh, > > thanx for your response. > > You have every right to be on different position > but > > let me say countries are not sacrad cows or holy > > verses. Pakistan was made on the basis of a > contract > > and that had been shamelessly violeted over the > > decades and it continues till now.let me share a > few > > more facts: > > > > 1) Before partition when the last census held, > Sindh > > was the only province in the ebtire sub-continent > in > > which the indegenious population was more than 93% > > today it constitutes not more than 60%.now > emerging > > threats are posing serious threats even to the > > demographic mojority of indegenious sindhi > speaking > > population of Sindh.Sindhis stronly feel now that > if > > the influx of population on Sindh continues they > could > > be converted in a minority on their own historical > > homeland.Would they love today's pakistan in this > > situation? > > > > 2) Sindh joined pakistan only because of two > reasons. > > > > a) Sindh had a bad experience with Bombay > presedency > > and it was badly and criminally discriminated in > all > > fields especially sindhi muslim population. > > > > b) More provincial autonomy was offered in 1940 > and

Sindh: Adapt a School Program

2005-08-05T14:52:00.000-07:00

Adopt A School Program

The innovative idea of adopting a government school started with a Situation Analysis of Basic Education in Sindh by Prof. Anita Ghulam Ali in 1990 for the UNICEF. This analysis revealed the poor performance and infrastructure of government schools in Sindh and proposed the concept of “adoption” of government schools. As a possible enterprise for school improvement. In 1997, Education Department, Government of Sindh, even more convinced of the idea, presented the strategy of the "Adopt a School Program" to the then Minister for Education. This presentation highlighted and proposed the “adoption” of government schools by the private sector in a processed and phased manner.

The strategy suggested the formation of a group comprising of the Department of Education, Sindh Education Foundation and the adopter to revitalize the schools through a strong linkage and mobilization of the parents and the community. The Adopt a School Program was therefore officially launched in 1997 with the following specific objectives to improve government schools in the area of quality, access, infrastructure and community participation:
Mobilization of private sector to assist public institutions.
Increased involvement of parents and communities through extensive community mobilization.
Regular School Monitoring and feedback .
Head Teachers and Teachers Training.
CO-curricular activities Increased/improved school facilities.
Do you want to adopt a school ?
for further specific information call on 92-21-111-145-145 or
Email:secy@sindhedu.gov.pk
So far about 50 schools have been adopted
Check out the list at:
http://www.sindhedu.gov.pk/Links/adopat%20a%20school.htm

Malaysia: Universities and Employment opportunities

2005-07-31T06:57:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,In my previous posts, we have shared some general country information, and something about the universities.I know that many of our young graduates are looking for jobs. Therefore, here are web addresses of some employment agencies in Malaysia.Check them out. I hope you find what you are looking for.http://search.asiaco.com/Malaysia/Employment/more2.html http://my.tiptopjob.com/http://star-jobs.com/http://www.myglaciernp.info/Malaysia%20Employment%20Agencies.htm

Good luck
Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
---------------------------------------------
Naik Muhammad Saheb,
AA
Thanks for your email.
Your presence at Qaid Azam University indicates that you are a bright person. Your email indicates that you write english well and you know the computer. Now, please start your research. Here is the list of universities in Malaysia.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_universities_in_Malaysia

Go their websites and find what you need.Fortunately, you are living in Islamabad. So go and visit Malaysian High Commission (embassy). Meet the staff in education division there. Ask them what ever questions you have.Inshaullah, soon you will find about opportunities in your area of study.After your research, apply for addmission.

Inshaullah, you will succeed.If you have further questions, please let me know.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute

----Original Message Follows----
From: Naik soomro <qau_mpa2003@yahoo.com>
Reply-To: qau_mpa2003@yahoo.com
To: Ali Nawaz Memon <sindhhouse@hotmail.com>
Subject: salam sir
Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 00:25:45 -0700 (PDT)

respected sir.

first of all many greetings from my side.
i am Naik Muhammad basically from khairpur mir's and currently at Quaid-I-Azam University, Islamabad Pakistan since last 2 years. i have successfully completed my MBA and now i am searching for the job market in Islamabad. i am fond to go abroad for MS (M.Phil) and work there. because i want to do some thing for my people (sindhis) which is difficult here. it is so difficult because here only one can earn Rs 10,000-15,000 monthly. From this amount to fulfill personal needs and help the needies is very much difficult. therefore, i am seeking some one respectful who could help and guide me in achieving admission and get a job in abroad. i am unknown about the traditions, scholarships, admissions, universities where i can study and earn and live with or besides my own sindhies.i have read many of your e-mails to sindhies where i am member as well. i am sending this e-mail after your invitation to seek opportunities in malaysia. on this behalf, i am hopeful for your positive response. if you award me of your few valueable minutes then i shall be thankful to you for ever.

my complete adress is,
Naik Muhammad
house # 364, street 34-B,I-9/4, Islamabad, Pakistan
naiksoomro@gmail.com
0300-3157445

Opportunities in Malaysia

2005-07-17T08:52:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I just had a long chat with Sain Altaf Shaikh who is a famous Sindhi marine captain, writer of travel books and a wonderful human being. I know that millions of Sindhis have been introduced to the outside world as well as to marine engineering and navy through his writings.

I am honored to say that both of us have many things in common. However, I have just discovered a new common passion-- love for the far east. Both of us had opportunities to spend a lot of time in the far east. I have worked on many World Bank projects in Indonesia, Thailand, Japan and Malaysia. He has spent many years in helping to establish marine institutions as well as sailing the waters. He is about to return to Malysia for another exciting assignment. I am proud to say that Altaf has received the highest civil award from the Government of Malaysia.

We were just talking about economic opportunities for our people in that part of the world, particularly Malaysia. With his permission, I want to share the information with you. If any of you have further questions, he has kindly agreed to respond to your emails. You can write to him on:
altafshaikh2004@yahoo.co.uk

First, please note that Malysia is a very developed country. Percapita income is easily ten times that of Pakistan. Every one speaks english there. Majority religion is Islam. Their food and living style has many common features. It gets hot and rainy, but every place is so beautiful, green and airconditioned.

I am told that visa for Malysia is still relatively easy to get. Here is the website of Malaysia Immigration department.
http://www.imi.gov.my/
Check it out and other related sites for more information.

I understand that business visas and opportunities are plentiful. I have personally met many many Indian and Pakistani businessmen who came with little and have made millions.

Student visas are available. If you perform well at Malaysian college, scholarships are relatively easy.

Once you have got some education there, job opportunities are plentiful. Malaysian papers are full of job opportunities in Malaysia as well as in Australia, Newzealand etc.

Nothing is too easy in the world. However, with some research and effort, Malaysia presents a lot of legal opportunities.

I hope that our educated youth as well as people with some capital can find and avail some of these opportunities.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com

10 Mouths to feed on Rp 35 (58 cents) per day

2005-07-12T03:41:00.000-07:00

10 mouths to feed on Rs35 a day: Rural profile

How are the rural areas coping with the current economic pressures? Naween A. Mangi went to the interior of Sindh to find out. Her first report:

FROM a distance, all that’s visible is a mass of darkened, bare-backed bodies bobbing up and down, up and down, up and down. The sound of water sloshing between cakes of mud swishes out and above the field. An old man cries out and tosses one bundle after the other of what looks like bunches of tall green grass onto the water where it floats, waiting.
Down the narrow mud path, young girls sway past, balancing on their heads baskets full of rotis made from rice flour and spicy fried potatoes for their mothers and fathers working in the fields. Their whispers and giggles are almost brighter than the orange-red, and purple-yellow embroidery they wear.
They slide past herds of glistening black buffaloes trundling back home, sleepily content after a refreshing dip in a cool water channel. Little shepherd boys, of seven or eight, unshod in the heat, tap them with tree branches, herding them in the right direction.
They pass a lotus pond where pink and yellow flowers sit serenely on their leaves, shaded by thick, fragrant mango trees. One boy scrambles in to pull out the lotus fruit, known by the locals as dodi. If he’s lucky enough, a car will rumble through the village this afternoon and he could score big by charging the passer by Rs10 for the stem of fruit.
Across on the other side, beyond the shade of an ancient peepal (Ficus) tree, three young men shout in rejoice as one of them pulls out a long, fleshy fish from a fish pond long thought to be barren. A row of long tubular nests spun laboriously by the weaver hang low by the edge of the pond. Up above, a flock of big, white fish catchers, known by the locals as bugh, crowd together in a small Acacia tree, dotting it with life.
This is the village of Khairo Dero, located about 30 kilometres north of the city of Larkana, where in the searing month of June, with temperatures climbing past 50 degrees Celsius, the rice sowing season is in full swing.
The village is home to about 2,500 people and 200 homes, almost all of them dependent on a combination of the wheat and rice crops and livestock farming of mostly buffaloes. The lifeblood of the village is the Waraih Canal which originates from the Sukkur Barrage and runs around Khairo Dero’s easterly border distributing water to the channels which feed the fields.At the other end of the village, next to the muddy, sun-parched graveyard, is an ancient, crumbling tomb which the locals say is the resting place of a historic saint after whom the village is named. The village is joined to the highway from a link road that goes through the nearby villages of Bungel Dero and Lashari as well.
Khairo Dero has one primary school each for girls and boys from nursery till fifth grade and one middle school for boys. There is one basic health unit with two dispensers, five lady health workers and one physician. Four small stores selling flour and a few sweets, three crumbling tea shops and one tiny, poorly stocked medical store make up the trading business of the village.
Khairo Dero is known to be one of the economically better off villages in the district of Larkana. It received electricity connections as early as 1964, when none of the surrounding villages had power. It’s another thing that today nine out of ten residents can’t afford to pay their bills and the entire village then has electricity cut off from Wapda as has been the case this June. By the end of the month, donations had been collected throughout the village to pay off Wapda’s workers who then restored power for a bribe of Rs2000.
Luckily, the village is also not starved for water. Although fights over water do break out in the rice sowing season when demand is high, villagers have access to clean water through hand pumps that provide well water.
Water and power are considered luxuries in several other villages in rural Sindh. In Jumay Jo Goth in the Aamri Deh in District Dadu, for example, some 50 gypsies have inhabited land some 45 kilometers south of Sewan Sharif having abandoned their barren farm land some five years ago.
Now, the men and women of this settlement—which has no power, water or gas— work as labour on lands picking phutti or chillies, for Rs40 per day. They live in a few thatched huts, eating rotis made from wheat bought on loan from the land owners they work for.
“We just eat rotis,” says Ameenat, the matriarch of the family. “Sometimes we have onions and on good days, we have red chillies too.” When there is no work on the fields, they skip meals. The only source of water is from a still water pond nearby from where women fill their two or three pans with grayish brown water. They wash their dishes with mud to save the water to drink.
“I don’t know who the Prime Minister is,” says Allah Dino, 45. “The President is someone called Mushriq. But we get nothing from them. We are just starving here.”In some cases, the proximity to towns and cities has improved the fortunes of some rural dwellers who have been able to get jobs earning Rs3000 or Rs4000 a month. But even then, the fortunate are few in number while the majority remain trapped in debt and poverty.In Dooro MirBahar Goth, some three kilometers north of the town of Matiari near Hyderabad, while a few residents manage to earn a few thousand rupees a month selling fish or working as drivers in the city, most of the 1,200 residents continue to work the fields picking cotton and bananas and harvesting wheat for Rs50 per day.
Women in the village contribute to the farm labour income by picking the leaves from falsa trees once the fruit has been picked and sold for Rs3 per kilogram. The leaves are dried, strung onto thread and then sold for Rs2 or Rs3 per 200 leaves to biri makers who will roll the leaves into hand-made cigarettes.
One woman can string about 2,000 leaves a day. Saloo, a mother of eight, for example, spends most of her time off the fields stringing falsa leaves. “We have to do this because no one will help us,” she says. “The politicians come to take our votes and make us fill out zakat forms and then eat everything up themselves and don’t even recognize us after the elections.”
The village has no schools, no health facilities and no telephone or gas connections. “What has the government given us?” asks Sanghar, a middle aged woman who looks several years older than she is “Five years ago we were better off. Today we sometimes eat and sometimes we just sit quiet.”
Even though Khairo Dero is more fortunate with sufficient water most of the year and power when it works, little has really changed here for decades, maybe even longer. Most residents have no access to information, laugh when asked about rising prosperity in the country and cannot name the heads of state.
All the hallmarks of poverty are firmly entrenched in the sights, smells and sounds of daily life in this village. Almost all the women have received no education. At best, the drainage system comprises of open drains in some of the more developed lanes.
In the small, poorer villages that are part of the deh of Khairo Dero, there are no latrines at all and no system of sanitation. Every family has several children, ten seems to be an average number. Common illnesses like gastroenteritis and malaria run rampant.
The major source of fuel for cooking is still patties of cow dung dried on the walls of houses. And kitchens in most households are little more than a corner of the compound where a small pile of aluminium dishes lie just a few feet from the open area designated as a lavatory.
Buffaloes still live alongside their owners in the same compound. Children still run through the muddy lanes, chasing the occasional car, their hair matted, their clothes torn and stained, their feet cracked and bare. They’ll spend all day in the sun playing with twigs in the dirt, helping in the field and then come home to a dinner of bhat (a podgy version of poor quality rice) which will stick to their chins when they sleep.
With a couple of exceptions, most houses in the village are made either of mud plaster or loose bricks. Some, especially those in the smaller villages surrounding Khairo Dero, are made simply of tree branches pushed into the ground and covered with hay and scraps of old cloth.
Those who can’t afford even walls of mud plaster use rings of dried bush to create privacy. If the economic concept of a trickle-down effect is at play in Pakistan, it is not even remotely evident in this part of the country.
Rising economic growth, record growth in agriculture and falling levels of poverty as promoted by the government, seem like foreign concepts in this impoverished land.
For now, though, the hope brought by the sowing of yet another crop is bringing fresh life to the village. Rice sowing is a labour intensive process. Once the wheat crop has been harvested and fire set to the fields to burn down the land, preparations begin in the month of May for the sowing of the Irri-6 variety of rice.
First, the seed is sprinkled over small patches of heavily watered land, where within three weeks time, foot-long blades of bright green grass or paddy seedlings will grow. Then, larger pieces of land are first ploughed mostly using tractors but bullock carts are still occasionally seen in the field.
Once water availability is ascertained, the ploughed fields are swamped with water, about calf-deep. Then, agriculture workers get to work, pulling out the paddy seedlings from the roots. They sit in the mud, submerged waist deep in water, pulling the seedlings out using both hands, bare. These are tied in bunches and collected till the entire field is plucked. The bundles are then transported to the ploughed fields which have been filled with water. Then begins the rombho (Sindhi for sowing).
Groups of men and women work in separate fields. Each worker clutches a bundle of grass, standing in the calf-deep water and separates each blade of grass and pushes it into the mud. The paddy seedlings are planted a few inches apart in symmetrical lines. They work the first shift from 7am to noon and if they’re lucky they’ll get work in the second shift from 4pm to 7pm as well.
In a five-hour shift, some 16 workers will sow over one acre of land. On average, this will yield 20 maunds (one maund is 40 kilograms) of rice which will sell for Rs 225 to Rs 300 per maund.
Traditionally, the haris worked the land with their entire families in Khairo Dero. Seeds and water were the responsibility of the land owner, the costs of fertilizer were shared half and half and the responsibility of ploughing, cutting, cleaning, sowing and harvesting fell on the haris. At the end, the produce would be shared half and half between the haris and land owners.
Today, in the hope of working at a quicker pace and picking up extra work elsewhere as well, haris bring on labour to help with the sowing. The cost of the labour, half the cost of the fertilizer and the cost of ploughing is deducted from the haris 50 per cent share.
Since tractors have replaced bullock carts, costs for the haris have risen as tractors are rented out for Rs250 per hour this season, up from Rs200 last year. To feed their families until the crop is harvested, the haris also borrow money for grain from the land owners. This is also deducted from their share of the produce. At the end of the season, their share of crop is not even enough to pay back the debts which they carry forward to the next season.
Nazir Aman is one of the few haris left in Khairo Dero. In his faded loin cloth and shirt that is ripped across the shoulder, and his skin charred in the sun, he looks far older than his 50 years. His feet and ankles are caked in dried mud from working on the fields.
He’s wrapped his head in an old, damp tea cloth to keep cool “This work takes strength,” he says. “How can I work powerfully when I can’t eat enough? In this heat, after work, I come out of the water and just fall over.” He says he’s been taking loans every year to feed his seven children and buy animal feed. And every year, he has sunk deeper into debt.
The agriculture labour is probably even worse off than the haris. Men typically work for Rs45 or Rs50 per five-hour morning shift and Rs25 per three-hour afternoon shift if they’re lucky enough to get work twice. The women get Rs35 for the morning shift and many travel from far away to ensure that income.
Maingul is over 80 years old. Her sunken, watery eyes look lifeless. Her skin clings to her bones. She stumbles out of the water, her ragged clothes hanging on her slight frame, and presses my hand to her chest. “Feel my heart beat,” she gasps, breathless. “I can barely breathe. I live far from here in the village of Mazar Khan but I come everyday and I reach home panting and limping. And even then, onions are too expensive for me to buy. You ask me if I’m taking medicine? Should I buy medicine or feed my family?”
The sizzling heat aside, haris and labourers alike work in the most primitive circumstances. The concept of protective clothing does not exist. Most workers do not own more than two pairs of tattered clothes which they wear during work, baring hands and feet not just to the heat but to insects, even snakes in the murky water.
Gul Mohammed, for example, is a 34-year old worker with five children. He lifts his threadbare shirt to show a back covered in red blotches; insect bites, he says, from working in the water. He considers himself lucky that he’s escaped snakes this season. “We have to sweat so our kids can eat,” he says. “Five years ago we were better off because our income was the same but food was not that expensive.”
Most workers suffer from chronic back pain from spending five hours at stretch bent over deeply at the waist sowing the paddy seedlings. Several women who come out from the fields press their fingers into my lower spine to show me where it hurts.”

10 mouths to feed on Rs35 a day: Rural profile-II
Naween A. Mangi, who recently went to the interior of Sindh, concludes her two-part series on rural profile.TO substitute their agricultural income, almost all the villagers rear buffaloes. Haris and labourers acquire buffaloes financed by the land owners they work for. Salma, for example, has nine buffaloes. She got her first one when the land owner she works for purchased it for Rs9,000.
The agreement is standard: Salma will rear the buffalo, paying for her feed and upkeep. When she grows up and becomes pregnant, Salma can sell the milk and keep the proceeds. Then, the buffalo is sold. If she is a few years old, she will sell for about Rs60,000. At the time of sale, Salma will pay her land owner half the sale proceeds, (i.e. Rs 30,000) plus half the original cost of the buffalo (i.e. Rs 4500).
Typically, buffaloes are bought as income-producing assets since their milk becomes a source of daily income and at the time of weddings or illnesses, when larger sums of cash are required, the buffalo can be sold. It also provides dung which is the primary source of fuel in the absence of gas.
But buffaloes have also given the disillusioned, depressed young men of the village a means to resort to theft. They beg for biris and sit at roadside cafes all day while their parents work the fields. At night, they steal goats and buffaloes from their neighbours’ houses. “Earlier, they used to give them back if the owner woke up but now they say pay us Rs25000 and then we’ll give it back,” says one resident who recently had a buffalo stolen “They have guns now so we have to pay up.”
Some communities see theft as the only means left for survival. In the Bhil Village (deh of Khairo Dero), for example, the Hindus who speak a different dialect, probably originating in Thar, say they live off what they earn from labouring in the agricultural fields. But women from the community are known for their day trips to the town of Rato Dero, a few kilometers away, where they beg in the streets and steal when they can.
Some say they use money begged and stolen to lend out at high rates of interest to others in surrounding villages. Yet the poverty they live in appears stark. Most of them sleep on manjos, beds made by pushing branches of trees into the ground and placing old cloths and hay on top. Inside one hut, despite the stark afternoon heat, an old man wrapped tightly in a rilli, lays dying. Near by, a woman in her thirties is pale from fever. Between the two charpais, two children, no older than three or four sit with an aluminium dish of , watery rice between them eating off their hands. Bhana, about 35, collects her nine children around her. “I would have nineteen kids if the government would give us power here,” she says fanning herself with a hand-held straw fan.
Aasha, a 16-year old girl with gleaming black eyes offers her opinion on the state of the country’s leadership: “We only believe in Quaid-e-Azam,” she asserts. “Does Musharraf give us anything that we should believe in him? He hasn’t given us anything except higher expenses and no jobs.” Aasha is one of the only villagers familiar with the President’s name although she has never been to school. Her husband has been unemployed for four years.
Traditional handicrafts fail to deliverWomen in Khairo Dero also spend several hours a day working on traditional handmade handicrafts the art of which have been passed on from one generation to the next. The two most commonly made are Sindhi topis, hand embroidered with silver and gold thread and mirror work and patchwork bedspreads, or rillis, stitched together piece by piece by groups of four or five women.
Typically, one woman can embroider four topis a month which she sells to middlemen from the city for Rs125 each. After deducting costs, she saves about Rs25 per cap. Rillis take several days to piece together by hand and sell for Rs135 each.
In the small town of Hala, about 55 kilometers north of Hyderabad, the same rillis retail for Rs1,500 each. Efforts to formalize micro-enterprise through the provision of micro-credit have so far failed to have a positive effect in Khairo Dero. A sales representative of Khushali Bank did pass through the village earlier in the year and made a handful of loans, but without the training and regular monitoring that goes hand in hand with micro loans, the attempt failed.
Ghulam Haider, for example, is a primary school teacher earning Rs6,000 a month. He applied for a loan of Rs10,000 from the Khushali Bank which he hoped to spend preparing his small piece of land for the sowing of rice. The loan took six months to be processed. By the time it was approved, it was too late to use for sowing costs but Haider took the money and within days it evaporated on household expenses. No one from the bank ever contacted Haider about follow up meetings, he says.
Education an unnecessary evilThe village of Khairo Dero has 200 girls enrolled in a primary school but even if girls are sent there to study, they rarely go beyond the fifth grade which would require travel to another village or the nearest town.Boys can study up to the middle school level in Khairo Dero or travel the few kilometers to the neighbouring village of Bungel Dero as well. Even very brief discussions with teachers at the schools in Khairo Dero indicate clearly the abjectly inadequate level of education provided by these government schools. But increasingly, kids are staying away for more complex reasons.Take Noor Khatoon, a middle-aged mother of four from Misri Khan Goth in the deh of Khairo Dero. She always believed that education was the only way to lift her family out of its endless cycle of poverty. She wanted her children to escape the back-breaking labour in the fields that makes up her daily life. So she put her eldest through school, sacrificing his potential income and even borrowing when she could to provide for him. Today, he’s passed the intermediate exams but has been jobless for the last year.“When we tried to get him a job, they said give us Rs20,000 as a bribe,” she explains. “If I borrow the money for this bribe and then he doesn’t get the job, what will we eat? The air? So I’ve learned my lesson and won’t let my other kids study. My grandchildren will also work the fields to fill their stomachs.”Azizah, another mother from the nearby village of Usman Unar agrees wholeheartedly. Her eldest son recently completed matriculation but has been unable to find work. “What’s the point of making them study?” she asks. “They then become arrogant and they don’t work in the fields.”This seems typical of all the young men who have studied up to matriculation or intermediate. They consider field work demeaning and unable to find jobs, simply while away their time. Azizah’s son Munir takes a different view.“What’s the point of working in the field for so little?” he questions. So instead, he sells kulfis and makes Rs70 a day, enough only to pay for his own expenses. “In poverty, your heart breaks and when you know you will miss a meal, your enthusiasm for studying dies. So now maybe I will join the army.”Deedar Ali, 23, knows the feeling. He studied till matriculation but when he couldn’t get a job and didn’t get accepted by the army, he started working for a landowning family’s fruit farm in the village. He gets about Rs5000 for the whole year for tending the mango trees and guava plants but considers the work to be a step above agriculture labour.The problem, of course, is that even if young students shun agriculture labour, no environment has been created to foster successful trade. When Abdul Sattar, 23, finished intermediate a few years ago, he decided to open a small provisions store in the village. He used a room at the front of his parents’ house, decorating the walls with posters of Indian film stars and stocking up on essentials.But over the years, Sattar has grown disillusioned. Inside the dark, airless store, Sattar’s vest sticks to his body as he irritably shoos away the kids who linger at his counter eyeing the few jars of sweets and biscuits. “I sell things worth Rs1000 a day but my profit is just Rs50 a day,” he says. “The journey of life is just ongoing. That’s all.”Health indicators worseningThe village of Khairo Dero has one basic health unit set up by the government employing five lady health workers, two dispensers and one doctor. The nearest hospital is over 30 kilometers away in the city of Larkana. The seven rooms of the health unit, which cost Rs400,000 to build, are mostly barren with the exception of a few wooden benches.The dispensary’s supplies are limited to a cardboard box filled with oral rehydration salts and another of Calpol syrup. There are no antibiotics on site and just 100 disposable syringes are allocated to the unit every month compared to the need of 400.Dispenser Hafiz Siraj says an average of 35 patients visit the health unit every day and the most common complaints are malaria, gastroenteritis and chest infections. “If we have medicines, we give them to the patients but most of the time we tell them to buy their own,” he says.The five lady health workers who earn Rs1700 per month, distribute contraceptives door-to-door and aim to educate the women about family planning. “The men don’t listen but we try to talk to the women,” says Zamira. So far, their work has shown no results.Poor hygiene and inadequate sanitation makes health problems worse. And when the local doctor is unable to diagnose or treat a condition, he can do little but advise patients to travel to Larkana for treatment. Most of them can’t afford the bus fare or the working hours lost.Zareena, for example, rocks her two month old baby restlessly in her arms. He hardly seems to have the strength to cry and she shows me what appears to be several small holes in his scalp. “Our children are dying, we are getting poorer everyday, how will things get better for us?” she sobs into her dupatta.In the Sher Village (located in the deh of Sharhi, union council in Bungel Dero, Taluka Rato Dero, district Larkana), Arbab, the middle-aged mother of eight lifts her shirt to show me a hernia, the size of a small football sticking out on her upper abdomen. “I have had this since my third child and it makes it very hard for me to breathe, especially when I am bent over in the field all day,” she says. “The doctor here told me it needs an operation but how can I travel to Larkana for an operation? How will my kids eat if I don’t earn?”Most villagers here seem to be losing the strength to continue their struggle. Zahida, the wife of a hari is worried her thatched house will fall. “People pray for rains but we can’t even do that because then we worry about where we will take our kids if the roof falls,” she says. “Where is the prosperity you speak off? The prosperity in Pakistan must be for the leaders themselves.”Yet many still hold on to their aspirations. Sheherbano, a young mother of seven, shows me the lavatory in her home, with no roof and a frayed cloth as a door. “How can my young daughters live like this?” she says quietly. “I don’t even have walls or money to make walls. So do you think I will be eating fish and mangoes? We eat onions and potatoes on good days. Sometimes we eat one day and then not the next. But I am a mother and like others, I also wish my daughters could wear good clothes and study so they can become teachers.”But many of the old residents see little hope ahead. One old dweller and a medium sized land owner of Khairo Dero remembers better times. “There used to be picnics in the mango season, boys shouting to one another and playing in the fruit farms,” he recalls sadly. “Now the humour is gone, everyone is desperate and fed up.”But not jaded enough yet to forget their traditional welcome for visitors. Every visit to every home is met with a generous spreading of the cleanest, newest rilli onto a charpai and enthusiastic fanning with hand-held fans by several young girls to cool you off in the sweltering heat. Maybe it’s the paddy sowing season that has these villagers hoping, yet again, for better times ahead.
http://dawn.com/2005/07/04/ebr3.htm
http://dawn.com/2005/07/11/ebr2.htm

How Sindh and Sindhis can be saved

2005-07-11T07:55:00.000-07:00

Very well said! I am delighted to see such positive suggestions. Now we have to really work hard to make sure that these are implemented.

How do we do it? Let us know how we all can help.

In the meantime, I am taking the liberty of posting some of your suggestions on http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/

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

----Original Message Follows----From: "ayazlatif@gmail.com" <psrc@HYD.PAKNET.COM.PK>Reply-To: ayazlatif@gmail.comTo: SINDH-L@listserv.uiuc.eduSubject: Re: How Sindh & Sindhis can be saved.....Practical things to do?Date: Mon, 11 Jul 2005 16:31:46 +0500
Dear Friends,

I have been reading the mails of Ada Khalid Hashmani,Mahjabeen Agha, Fiza, Amicus etc. For bringing a real change we have toconcentrate on our youth, so i would like to write few lines in this regard.It is an established fact that for centuries there have been 7/8 basic humancommitments / devotions including the following:1- Money or Power 2-Romance & Biological Needs3- Family and Friends 4- Profession / Career & Knowledge5- Ideology (Politics, Philosophy or Religion or Sect) 6-Identification,Charity & Fame etc

If you analyze the current mental and physical status of our youth andthe prevailing environment you would find that in majority case ofyoungsters have been concentrating and emphasizing on 1st three categoriesand neglecting the last three. They have been trying their level best tocopy the western youth in first three but have almost forgotten theexceptional commitment and input of European and American youth towardsprofession, politics and human rights.

Our teenagers know about Sidney Sheldon, Jeffrey Archer, John Grisham,Daniel Steel, and Frederick Forsyth but these have a little knowledge ofFaiz Ahmed Faiz, Shah Latif, Shaikh Ayaz, Ghalib, Rajinder Singh Bedi,Naseem Kharal, Perveen Shakir, Amar Jaleel, Faraz, Ustad Bukhari, AmartaPreetam, Noor ul Huda Shah, Sundri Uttamchandani, Mushtaq Yousifi, KirshanChander, Mantoo etc. They talk about Matrix, Dumb and Dumber, Terminator andHarry Potter but they never prefer to watch Dotoevisky's Insulted &Humiliated , Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities, Richard Gere's Sommersby,Alpacino's Scent of a Woman, Dr. Zhivago, Pride and Prejudice, Sense andSensibility, With Honours, Bazar, Kaalka, Ijazat, Aakrosh, Silsila etc. Theyproudly talk about Michael Bolton, Julio Igluses, Kenny Rogers, Celine Dion,Mary J. Blige, Bob Dylan, Suzane Vega, Toni Braxton, Tracy Chapman, BobMarley, Lauryn Hill, Fiona Apple, Alanis Morrisette etc but they feelinferior while referring to Lata, Ustad Juman, Beero Faqeer, Seengar AliSaleem, Pankhaj Udhas, Abida Parveen,Mahdi Hasan, Sarmad Sindhi, Mukesh, Ahmed Rushdi & Kishore Kumar.... Theydiscuss and praise the art of Van Gog, Picasso, & Claude Monet but havenever heard of Sadqain, Gul Mohd Khatri, Shagufta Shah, Abro, Zafar Kazmietc.

In early eighties and nineties our teenagers were very enthusiasticabout getting admissions in Medical and Engineering Colleges, but when thejob saturation touched its maximum height they switched over to foreignvisas and education abroad. Unfortunately after nine eleven North Americanand European Countries redesigned their visa policies and now after 7/7Britain is about to do the same, nowadays getting avisit or study visa for developed countries is almost impossible.

What has to be done now? Lets inform our youth, our future, that onceagain we have to rely on study and career opportunities available inKarachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Islamabad, Dubai, Kualalumpore andBangkok. Those who afford can and shouldget admissions in IBA, CBM, Agha Khan University, NED, Mehran University,LUMS, QU, LMC, ICA,Indus Valley Arts Institute etc. but those who cant afford can also move toHyderabad and Karachi by getting jobs in multinationals and corporate sectorand by investing in small business of real estate, IT centers, carshowrooms, franchise outlets, ice cream parlors,chaat and CD stalls at Saddar, Boat Basin, Clifton, Empress Market, or bygetting small, odd but well paid jobs at Pizza Hut, KFC, McDonald, Nandos,Dominos, call centers, telemarketing, net cafés, shopping malls, securityagencies etc. Lets tell our youth that in coming years the priority ofprofessional fields will rapidly change and following professions,industries and fields would be able to accommodate thousands of trulyqualified and skilled persons:Readymade Garments, Automobile & Electronics (cellular phones etc), Law,Information Technology, Media & TV, Sports material, Income TaxConsultation, Petroleum and Gas engineering, Business Administration etc.

Have we ever realized that during the past 18 months the prices of propertyin Karachi and Hyderabad have almost doubled and in some cases increased 4to 5 times. The plot of 500 yards in defence and Clifton Karachi is almosttouching 1 to 1.5 crore and in Qasimabad Hyderabad it has increased to 25 to40 lacs. Have our overseas friends realized that they should have boughtplots / houses or at least flats in Clifton or defence and if they could notafforded they could have preferred reasonable and Sindhi dominatedlocalities like Gulistan Johar, Bhittai Abad, Lyari, Shanti Nagar, Maleer,Ibrahim Haidri, Juma Goth, Himayati Goth, Kiamari, Sindhi Muslim Society orPECHS in Karachi and areas like Qasimabad, Hussain Abad, Wadhoo Wah, CitizenColony, Revenue Colony, Nasim Nagar, Naqash Villaz, Prince Town, GulistanSajjad, State Life Colony, Gulshan-e-Mahran, Jamshoro University Society,Memon Society, Bagh-e-Irum, Baldia Collony, Tando Wali Muhammad, KhokharMohalla, Chandni, Shelter, SRTC Plaza' s of Cant, AutoBhan Road, WahdatColony etc in Hyderabad. Considering the future importance of Hyderabad itsnot too late to think about it lets tell our rural friends and relatives toinvest in Hyderabad and Karachi all of us must have a house / flat or shopin big cities, lets ask and invite our colleagues and family friends tostart small businesses and entrepreneurships in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas,Sukkur and Karachi.

Lets decide that we will convince our relatives that at least one personfrom each rural family will have to move to Karachi, Hyderabad or Islamabadand for that purpose if they need guidance or support lets facilitate them.We can exchange web addresses of educational institutions, jobopportunities, cheap accommodations in Gulistan Johar, working women hostel,Punjab colony and Delhi colony near Clifton, Qasimabad and F-7 Markaz andRaja Bazaar Pindi etc. We can tell them that by doing 6 to 12 monthsDiplomas or degrees in IT, electronic media, editing, camera, dubbing, setdesigning, Mechanical engineering, electrical, electronics they can getscores of jobsin Karachi and Fareast and Gulf Countries. Lets ask every rural family toget one strong youngster recruited in Army or Rangers. We can also get helpfrom our youth in spreading the human rights and legal knowledge about theirrights and responsibilities. We can assist them to resist Karo Kari (honourkillings), forced marriages, child abuse, illiteracy and tribalism.

Friends, do take notice of the backwardness of our youngsters and of theserious threat to the future of millions of poor and deprived ruralteenagers. Come forward, support this noble cause, share jobs, educationalopportunities with your rural fellows.You may concentrate on Money or Power, Romance & Biological Needs, Familyand Friends but please do spare some time for Professional Knowledge,Political and National identification, charity and legal and human rightsawareness. You know, when some friends launchedSindh Research Council (SRC) few years ago, all of our friends were saying,"we are to busy to spare time for charitable work" I like to think I have adiverse bunch of friends and I think that if I got them all together in oneroom, more than one fight would break out, but at the same time cant we usethose friends for a joint nonprofit community project? So those same friendswhen persuaded and ultimately made commitment, they helped more than 1100pauper prisoners in their cases and have provided counseling to over 400victims of torture, family violence and drug and child abuse. I know we allare very busy, we have to deal with our education, official and familyresponsibilities. But cant we chain ourselves to a chair and work for halfan hour to help our nation. I think we can and we should...Dreaming when dawn's left hand was in the skyI heard a voice within the tavern cry,"Awake, my little ones, and fill the cupBefore life's liquor in its cup be dry."

regards

Ayaz Latif Palijo
Advocate High Court
ayazlatif@gmail.com, ayazpalijo@hotmail.com, ayazlatifp@yahoo.com,psrc@hyd.paknet.com.pkAddr: Office: 19 & 20, Shelter, Saddar, Cant, Hyderabad, Sindh,Pakistan-Ph: 92-222-651725, 651947 Off: 729964 Cell: 0300-3063471,0303-6140316. http://www.induspak.tk/

mahjabeen_agha@yahoo.com wrote:
. In order to rediscover the glory of Sindh few yet effective measures are desired to deliver such as;
1. Furnishing education to all

2. Establishing rhetoric society

3. Eradicating feudal perception

4. Providing all means and measures to gain feasible economic vis-à-vispolitical lobby

5. Removing dichotomy between high to low cadre civil society

6. Understanding the demands and desires of the common people

7. Last but not the least "IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY MEASURES.

Practical Thnigs to Do

2005-07-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

----- Original Message -----
From: amicusmellitus
To: sindhorg@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Saturday, July 09, 2005 10:33 PM

Subject: [sindhorg] Practical things to do?

On the edge of doom, here are some practical things we can do, pleaseadd to the list if you like:

1. SPEAK SINDHI while in SINDH or when even one Sindhi is around you.

2. Help your Sindhi brother because he is he is your Sindhi brother,please go out of way to do so, don't just make false claims ofSindhiyat.

3. Be NICE to your brother, do not bark at him, take his side, givehim support, hide his faults, encourage him

4. SPEAK for Sindh, don't be apologetic and diplomatic about it.

5. Don't be jealous if a brother gets into a better position, showyour happiness over it, give him support, do not pull his leg.

6. Even in the face of provocation, avoid confrontation among brothers.

7. Support nationalist parties, even though you may find them menacingsyndicates of goondas (i.e. until we have better nationalist parties).

8. Help save our universities, in any manner and form if you can helpplease do so.

9. Buy Sindhi books and magazines, pay CASH. Order for your office ifyou can.

10. Try and Honour our Shaheeds, it is so sad Sindhis have COMPLETELYforgotten those who gave their lives for Sindh. ------------

Now your turn to add more :)

Amicus Mellitus

More practical things for SINDHIS to do:

11. Strive for excellence and creativity in every activity and deed -- show the world that Sindhis are as good as any one.

12. Don't allow petty issues to divide you from your fellow Sindhis
-- Your survival as a people depends on it.13. Be fair and honest to yourself and all others. Protect Sindh's
assets and do your best to ensure all Sindhis benefit from
those resources.14. Fight for Sindhi rights, where ever you are. There is plenty you can no matter where you live. Win over a student, a
fellow co-worker, a social worker, or a leader to the Sindhi cause.

14. Abhor corruption. Discourage any one steeling from Sindh's national resources or profit at the expense of other Sindhis.15. Do not accept feudal domination and don't let any one deny you your basic human rights.

16. Support anyone and any political party that supports Sindhi cause -- forcefully oppose any one who denies you your rights.
17. Believe in equal rights for women and that women are as capable as men in any field.18. Gather factual information on how Sindhis and Sindh's resources are being exploited for the benefit of others. Share that data with other fellow Sindhis and supporters who can join the struggle to put a stop to that.
Khalid Hashmani

SINDH: SHRINKING ECONOMY AND RISING POVERTY

2005-06-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Donor agencies are now confirming what people of Sindh have known all along in their daily lives. ECONOMY OF SINDH IS SHRINKING WHILE THE POVERTY PARTICULARLY IN RURAL AREAS IS INCREASING.

I like to highlight some approximate numbers which are well known to the Government of Sindh and the Government of Pakistan.

Average growth rate of agriculture for the last five years has been 1.8% for Pakistan; 2.5% for Punjab and MINUS 0.1% for Sindh. NOTE IT HAS BEEN NEGATIVE GROWTH OF AGRICULTURE IN SINDH.

Poverty rate for Pakistan as a whole has decreased from about 47% in 1983/84 to 38% in 2001/02. In 1983/83, Sindh had lower poverty rate than Pakistan as a whole. It was about 38%. However, by 2001/02, Sindh's poverty has become worse than that of Pakistan as a whole and became 42%.

The urban rural differences have become shocking during the period. Urban poverty in Sindh was 30% in 83/84 and has come down to 25% in 2001/02. While the rural poverty which was about 47% in 83/84; decreased to 35% in 1996/97 (PPP period); but jumped to about 52% in 2001/2002. THE PERIOD FROM 1996/97 WHEN SINDHIS WERE EFFECTIVELY THROWN OUT OF DECISION MAKING PROCESS, HAS SEEN TREMENDIOUS INCREASE IN PVERTY OF SINDH.

I find this eye opening information. I believe that every justice loving citizen of the world, every Pakistani and every Sindhi should ask WHY HAS THIS HAPPENED.

I DRAW ATTENTION OF PRESIDENT MUSHARAF AND PARTICULARLY SO CALLED SINDHI CHIEF MINISTER OF SINDH TO THIS INJUSTICE. All those who are party to this SHRINKING ECONOMY AND RISING POVERTY in Sindh during a period of rising economy and shrinking of poverty in Pakistan should explain their actions to people of Sindh.

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

Ali Nawaz Memon
Sindh Development Institute
7204 Antares Drive
Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA 20879
http://sindhdevelopmentinstitute.blogspot.com/
sindhhouse@hotmail.com