Civil Society Statement on Crisis in Sindh

 

Civil Society Statement on the current crisis in Sindh,Pakistan The carnage perpetrated in Karachi on 22nd May against a peaceful rally is nothing but a most barbaric and inhuman act the sole purpose of which was to initiate an ethnic war in the peaceful province of Sindh. This was stated by an urgently called meeting of civil society activists, writers and thinker, who condemned this act of dangerous mischief in the strongest possible terms and express their heartfelt sympathies with the victims of massacre. Meeting was held today on 23rd, May, 2012 at the residence of SDF leader Zulfiqar Halepoto and attended by Abrar Kazi, Zulfiqar Halepoto, Suleman Abro, Punhal Sario, Mustafa Balouch, Veerjee Kolhi, Abass khoso, Mohsin Joyo, Jabbar Bhatti, Javed Soz Halai, Shoukat memon, Aslam Balouch and others. Meeting considers the PPP government squarely responsible for this tragedy terming it a continuation of the worst possible government in the history of the province. The gross negligence of the government was evident firm the fact that it allowed provocative slogans, hoardings, billboards and banners demanding division of Sindh quietly without understanding the implication of such a dangerous provocation. Despite the fact that MQM claims otherwise, everybody knows that proliferation of such poisonous billboards and banners cannot take place without the consent and knowledge of MQM. Its quiet acquiescence in this treachery towards Sindh will bring nothing but grief to MQM itself. The participants of the meeting were of the firm opinion through a deliberate and extremely devious plan the seeds of hatred and discard are being sown between the peace loving Sindh people and other ethnic minorities, especially Urdu speaking people of the province. This divide is being exploited by MQM for its electoral advantage because the party has very little to show to its voters and erstwhile failed to deliver to the people despite being in power for the last 25 years. The meeting condemned the biased reporting and tacit support to anti-Sindh sentiments and said that subjective coverage of the events will increase ethnic hatred and divide. It appealed to the Urdu speaking intelligentsia, civil society and concerned citizens who profess Sindh to be their homeland, to play a pro-active role in curbing MQMs hidden mischief and the Urdu press's encouragement to anti-Sindh and anti-Sindhi designs. Meeting appealed to the entire Sindhi nation and specially the nationalist parties to not be provoked un-necessarily by few people raising the slogans of division of Sindh because we as nation should have more confidence in our and Sindh's destiny. The meeting expresses deep sadness over the extra judicial killing of Muzaffar Bhutto and reminds the Sindhi nation that it is such an act of cruelty and humiliation with which the establishment has always treated Sindh and which we as a nation must fight and overcome. Meeting appealed to all progressive and democratic forces, civil society of other provinces and concerned citizens to support Sindh's peaceful stand on the current political turmoil and crisis.