(With due apologies, I am reproducing, with minor editing, an email that I sent to some lists on 1st April, 2004. Looks not much have changed since. A.N.)
My dear friends,
The present situation as I see it:
Pakistan: It is getting worse and rapidly moving towards a blind alley -- a cul de sac. A dismissed general, who usurped power few years back, is continuing his (mis)rule with the support of the Pakistan Army Party and its agents in the civil society. He is following policies that are extremely damaging to all the citizens as well as the integrity of the country. They are creating deep wounds, which may never heal and will only get painful with the passage of time.
Sindh: As I have said in some of my mails earlier, Sindh is in double jeopardy. Its people have been marginalized and denied the right to self-rule. They don't have their voice in the decision-making forums – namely the Corps Commanders 'Club' and the kitchen cabinet of the present rulers. Government agencies' have made inroads in all the sections of the society making it impossible for rule of law and democracy.
There is a long list of grievances and injustices meted out to the people in all the areas. There has been strong opposition to different government policies but it is being ruthlessly suppressed and ignored. Much has been written about these things. Here I present only a few examples:
Water issue:
Sindh is being grossly wronged on this issue. The recent injustices started with the creation of Pakistan when the government of Punjab refused to abide by the 1945 Water Agreement, the only agreement reached between the two provinces without any duress or coercion. The lower riparian was gradually denied its due share and today the position is that even the 1991 Water Accord is not being adhered to, which was forced upon Sindh under the one-man rule of a turncoat CM. The injustices are evident from the fact that the agriculture in the province has been ruined due to multiple factors, water shortage being the major one.
Sindh Assembly passed two resolutions against the illegal and immoral construction of the Greater Thal Canal. The masses have launched a popular movement against the project but the federal government, the government of Punjab and WAPDA have refused to listen. The construction goes on and the waters will flow in the canal in a couple of years.
The assembly has repeatedly passed resolutions against the proposed Kalabagh Dam and the people are holding rallies, protests, and hunger strikes against the construction of any mega water projects, as they will devastate the economy of Sindh. Again the voice of Sindh is being ignored and the federal government is all set to start the construction of at least one mega dam in near future.
NFC:
Sindh has been crying against the unjust distribution of resources. The province that contributes the most receives the least (proportionally). This has ruined the economy and impoverished the people. Please read this scribe's two letters in daily Dawn on the issue:
http://www.dawn.com/2004/02/05/letted.htm#1
http://www.dawn.com/2004/03/30/letted.htm#1
Turn Sindhis in minority in their province:
This is the most dangerous plan being carried out by dictator Musharraf with the collaboration of some groups. They are the people who the other day raised the demands in the National Assembly to give citizenship to around 3 million aliens illegally living in Sindh.
This will hasten the process of turning the indigenous people of Sindh into a minority in their own province. Sindhis are harassed in their province already. They are robbed of education and economic opportunities; their language and culture are denied their rightful place even in their own province; and their political and other rights are taken away from them.
Sindhis will be the latest and actually the first people in the history of nations to lose majority in their own land in one lifetime. In the case of other 'aborigines', in Americas, Australia and New Zealand, it had taken a few lifetimes to turn them into 'natives'. But this is the new world and everything is happening in 'fast forward'!
What is the right approach to tackle the issues?
Some people have taken an isolationist approach. They condemn and hate the other people in Pakistan. I have witnessed hatred against Sindhis in Pakistan but I think it is not the right approach to fight hatred with some more hatred. It is never going to solve anything.
In my opinion, dialogue, better communication with all the people and presentation of our case in a positive manner would be the right approach.
We are up against a lot of odds but I think that it is our fault too that our compatriots have problems understanding our concerns.
Why haven't we been able to bring home the point that any new mega water projects can only be started if there is consensus among the federating units and for that the rulers have to undertake some confidence building measures? New projects shouldn't benefit some at the cost of others.
Why people are not alarmed that while water shortage in the country as a whole is 12.3 per cent, in Sindh it is up to 70 per cent?
Why they are not alarmed at the fact that CJ and TP link canals remain in operation illegally throughout the year and the mega projects like the GTC are started without taking our concerns into account?
Why haven't we been able to convince everybody that it is in the interest of the country to reduce unnecessary federal expenditure, military and civil, and distribute the resources in a just manner?
Why we haven't been able to emphasize that it was not in the scheme of things at the time of the partition that we will be inundated by a sea of immigrants that will one day threaten our existence as a distinct people?
Pakistan just couldn't have an open door policy. No country can afford it. The 1951 Liaquat-Nehru Pact on immigration (?) should have settled this issue.
I don't blame our brethren in Punjab, the NWFP and Balochistan for not understanding our problem. They can't because they don't know how one feels when outnumbered by outsiders in one's own province.
They would understand the issue only when:
In Punjab's case: say the Punjabi speaking population there is 50 million. They would only understand our problem if there would be 60 million Sindhi 'Muslim' refugees permanently settling in Punjab. We will only know of their sense of Muslim brotherhood and magnanimity if they allowed that many and another stream of 'Sindhi Muslim refugees' continuously coming in.
In case of the NWFP: lets say the Pushto speaking population there is 18 million. Let them allow 20 million 'Punjabi Muslims' to immigrate to the province.
In the case of Balochistan: lets say the Balochi speaking population is 6 million. Let them allow 7 million 'Punjabi or Bihari Muslims'. Lets see what their reaction would be.
Giving citizenship to these 3 million illegal aliens in Sindh may mean around 15 National Assembly and 30 provincial assembly seats. With the problems the province is already facing, what would be the situation in the aftermath of such a decision? It is not that hard to guess.
If Punjab or any other province has any soft corner for these illegal aliens, why don't they offer them home and make sure that they stay there? They can take some more of our 'Muslim' guests if they want to.
Friends, I think we can argue and we can quarrel with each other but should never forget that we live in the same country and there should be some understanding and communication with each other. And we all should make an honest effort to understand each other's point of view.
Regards,
Aziz Narejo
The present situation as I see it:
Pakistan: It is getting worse and rapidly moving towards a blind alley -- a cul de sac. A dismissed general, who usurped power few years back, is continuing his (mis)rule with the support of the Pakistan Army Party and its agents in the civil society. He is following policies that are extremely damaging to all the citizens as well as the integrity of the country. They are creating deep wounds, which may never heal and will only get painful with the passage of time.
Sindh: As I have said in some of my mails earlier, Sindh is in double jeopardy. Its people have been marginalized and denied the right to self-rule. They don't have their voice in the decision-making forums – namely the Corps Commanders 'Club' and the kitchen cabinet of the present rulers. Government agencies' have made inroads in all the sections of the society making it impossible for rule of law and democracy.
There is a long list of grievances and injustices meted out to the people in all the areas. There has been strong opposition to different government policies but it is being ruthlessly suppressed and ignored. Much has been written about these things. Here I present only a few examples:
Water issue:
Sindh is being grossly wronged on this issue. The recent injustices started with the creation of Pakistan when the government of Punjab refused to abide by the 1945 Water Agreement, the only agreement reached between the two provinces without any duress or coercion. The lower riparian was gradually denied its due share and today the position is that even the 1991 Water Accord is not being adhered to, which was forced upon Sindh under the one-man rule of a turncoat CM. The injustices are evident from the fact that the agriculture in the province has been ruined due to multiple factors, water shortage being the major one.
Sindh Assembly passed two resolutions against the illegal and immoral construction of the Greater Thal Canal. The masses have launched a popular movement against the project but the federal government, the government of Punjab and WAPDA have refused to listen. The construction goes on and the waters will flow in the canal in a couple of years.
The assembly has repeatedly passed resolutions against the proposed Kalabagh Dam and the people are holding rallies, protests, and hunger strikes against the construction of any mega water projects, as they will devastate the economy of Sindh. Again the voice of Sindh is being ignored and the federal government is all set to start the construction of at least one mega dam in near future.
NFC:
Sindh has been crying against the unjust distribution of resources. The province that contributes the most receives the least (proportionally). This has ruined the economy and impoverished the people. Please read this scribe's two letters in daily Dawn on the issue:
http://www.dawn.com/2004/02/05/letted.htm#1
http://www.dawn.com/2004/03/30/letted.htm#1
Turn Sindhis in minority in their province:
This is the most dangerous plan being carried out by dictator Musharraf with the collaboration of some groups. They are the people who the other day raised the demands in the National Assembly to give citizenship to around 3 million aliens illegally living in Sindh.
This will hasten the process of turning the indigenous people of Sindh into a minority in their own province. Sindhis are harassed in their province already. They are robbed of education and economic opportunities; their language and culture are denied their rightful place even in their own province; and their political and other rights are taken away from them.
Sindhis will be the latest and actually the first people in the history of nations to lose majority in their own land in one lifetime. In the case of other 'aborigines', in Americas, Australia and New Zealand, it had taken a few lifetimes to turn them into 'natives'. But this is the new world and everything is happening in 'fast forward'!
What is the right approach to tackle the issues?
Some people have taken an isolationist approach. They condemn and hate the other people in Pakistan. I have witnessed hatred against Sindhis in Pakistan but I think it is not the right approach to fight hatred with some more hatred. It is never going to solve anything.
In my opinion, dialogue, better communication with all the people and presentation of our case in a positive manner would be the right approach.
We are up against a lot of odds but I think that it is our fault too that our compatriots have problems understanding our concerns.
Why haven't we been able to bring home the point that any new mega water projects can only be started if there is consensus among the federating units and for that the rulers have to undertake some confidence building measures? New projects shouldn't benefit some at the cost of others.
Why people are not alarmed that while water shortage in the country as a whole is 12.3 per cent, in Sindh it is up to 70 per cent?
Why they are not alarmed at the fact that CJ and TP link canals remain in operation illegally throughout the year and the mega projects like the GTC are started without taking our concerns into account?
Why haven't we been able to convince everybody that it is in the interest of the country to reduce unnecessary federal expenditure, military and civil, and distribute the resources in a just manner?
Why we haven't been able to emphasize that it was not in the scheme of things at the time of the partition that we will be inundated by a sea of immigrants that will one day threaten our existence as a distinct people?
Pakistan just couldn't have an open door policy. No country can afford it. The 1951 Liaquat-Nehru Pact on immigration (?) should have settled this issue.
I don't blame our brethren in Punjab, the NWFP and Balochistan for not understanding our problem. They can't because they don't know how one feels when outnumbered by outsiders in one's own province.
They would understand the issue only when:
In Punjab's case: say the Punjabi speaking population there is 50 million. They would only understand our problem if there would be 60 million Sindhi 'Muslim' refugees permanently settling in Punjab. We will only know of their sense of Muslim brotherhood and magnanimity if they allowed that many and another stream of 'Sindhi Muslim refugees' continuously coming in.
In case of the NWFP: lets say the Pushto speaking population there is 18 million. Let them allow 20 million 'Punjabi Muslims' to immigrate to the province.
In the case of Balochistan: lets say the Balochi speaking population is 6 million. Let them allow 7 million 'Punjabi or Bihari Muslims'. Lets see what their reaction would be.
Giving citizenship to these 3 million illegal aliens in Sindh may mean around 15 National Assembly and 30 provincial assembly seats. With the problems the province is already facing, what would be the situation in the aftermath of such a decision? It is not that hard to guess.
If Punjab or any other province has any soft corner for these illegal aliens, why don't they offer them home and make sure that they stay there? They can take some more of our 'Muslim' guests if they want to.
Friends, I think we can argue and we can quarrel with each other but should never forget that we live in the same country and there should be some understanding and communication with each other. And we all should make an honest effort to understand each other's point of view.
Regards,
Aziz Narejo
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