Knitting nationalists together
By Hashim Abro
Sindh is going through turbulent times because of incompetence, mal-governance, mismanagement, corruption both in administration and politics and tribal feuds and near-starvation, hitting of deadly Congo Virus and Bird Flu are as clear as day. As the ruling alliance of Arbab-MQM and the largest opposition in the Assembly PPP (Parliamentarian) lock their horns both inside and outside the assembly, the only victims of their self-gratifying behavior are the downtrodden and deprived people of the province. As the PPP (P) is being pushed to the wall and the MQM- Arbab government is mum over the genuine issues of the province such as NFC Award, construction of KBD, implementation of specified job quota of Sindh in the federation, frustration and resentment amongst Sindh is on the rise. Consequently the nationalist parties who were inactive are in action nowadays. Efforts for a new alliance are in full swing.
Realistically speaking, this is the sixth attempt during the last twenty years to unite the scattered nationalist leaders of the province. The fisrt attempt was made by the late GM Sayed in 1987, which formed, the famous Sindh National Alliance (SNA). This was the first and rare time in the history of nationalist politics in the province when all of them sank their deep seated differences and sat together to resolve for collective struggle. That alliance emerged as a strong force on the political landscape of the province. It pushed the populist PPP to the walls. PPP was on the decline.
It gave tough time to the PPP in the polls of 1988 but unfortunately, it could not brave the fluctuations of politics and ended in fiasco. As a result, most of the turn-coasts entered into the fold of victorious PPP.
Hoping against hope, Mumtaz Bhutto again rose from the ashes to form an alliance known as the United National Alliance (UNA). This alliance too died a premature death. It was in 1997 another alliance known as ‘Anti- Kalabagh dam Committee (AKBDC) came on the fore. This committee was composed of PPP and all nationalist and religious parties and factions in the province. It has come into being to oppose the construction of controversial Kalabagh dam. Sindhis considers the construction of Kalabagh dam a conspiracy to turn Sindh into sea of sand and ruins. Despite having rounds of meetings this Committee has yet not come up with any tangible anti- KBD strategy. It is still intact but sounds like a defunct body. It was in 2000, once again, Mumtaz Bhutto, tried to assemble all feudal lords, pirs and influential peoples of the province, inter alia, politico- religious leaders, on a single platform known as Sindh Solidarity Council (SSC).
This SSC convened a historic conference in the provincial capital and port city, Karachi. Attended by all prominent players of national and political politics such as Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, former caretaker Prime Minister, Yousaf Haroon, former speaker Provincial Assembly, Illahi Bux Soomro, former speaker National Assembly, raised a ray of hope among the deprived and downtrodden people of the province. It was during this conference, Mumtaz Bhutto and architect of the Constitution 1973, Hafeez Pirzada, has warned the wizards of Establishment saying, “ if the Establishment continues denial of constitutional rights to Sindh as enshrined in the Constitution of 1973, then a case will be filed with the international legal and arbitrary bodies to stanch our long- denied rights.” The nationalists of this alliance tried to contact nationalist parties and groups of other provinces too and it was in the end of 2000 a conference was arranged in London which was attended by Baluch leader Attaullah Mengal and others. Resultantly, the PONAM was brought to the fore. Except Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) all parties inclusive in it. The tug of war between Nawaz Sharif, the then prime minister, and the Awami National Party (ANP) played a pivotal role in the creation of this alliance. The role of veteran politician, Mr. Ajmal Khattak, can also not be underestimated in it. The ANP struggled with them and after sometime parted its ways. The PONAM under the headman-ship of veteran politician Attaullah Mengal is present but there is no warmth in its struggle.
In 2003, anti- Thal Committee was formed and in 2005 the Sindh National Front (SNF) and Sindh National Party (SNP) initiated for “ SIndh Unity Alliance.” The need for alliance amongst the Sindhi nationalist is always felt but this time too much because there is no one voices the concern of SIndh in the corridor of power and politics. Corruption, crime and cable culture, after Kalashnikov culture, has ruined Sindh.
The MQM leadership, with the exception of its self-exiled leader Altaf Hussein, does not consider woes of SIndh are their own woes and pains of SIndhis are their own pains. Some Sindhi intellectual like the late Ali Ahmed Brohi, brother of late great jurist AK Brohi, and Tajal Bewas has pinned hopes in the MQM leadership to challenge the status quo and ameliorate the lot of people of Sindh but all has gone otherwise. In addition to this, whenever the-so-called nationalist leaders have ferried around the province, the poverty-stricken and traumatized people of Sindh have posed one question to them: Why not an alliance amongst the all nationalist parties?”
They have always come with insipid explanations to this eighty billion dollar question but of avail to the people of Sindh. Of course, whenever there is an alliance on the fore, the people of Sindh are always skeptical about its survival. Same is the case with the alliance in the offing. Reasons are simple. The nationalist alliances do not have strong and stable track record in the history of the province.
Even now in the expected alliance six parties of nationalist are in and the six are yet out. The parties which are out these include: Awami Tehrik of Rasool Bux Palejo, Sindh National Party ( SNP) of Amir Bhmabro, Qaumparast Party of Qamar Bhatti, Jamiat-e- Uelema-i- Islam, SIndh, and Sindh Sagar Party. Rumour mill is rife about rift between the SNF and SNP. The leadership of PONAM has already predicted that it would be a futile attempt saying, “in the presence of PONAM there is no need of another alliance.” To this the Consultative Council (CC) has said that there was no room for any conflict in the emerging alliance. The spiritual leader of Hur Group and the President of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) Pir Pagaro has said that the emerging alliance would not cut any ice. But Bhutto seems to be determined even to go to the Pir and bring him round the point to join them to save Sindh and Sindhis. The leadership of the alliance is trying its utmost to revive hope and confidence among the people of Sindh saying that this alliance would not let them down and was able enough to survive the viscidities of politics and conspiracies of anti- Sindh and Sindhis.
The analysts hope that this alliance would play decisive role in the history of Sindh because in the past race for party positions gobbled up the alliances but this time it is not the bone of contention. This time the soul issue is ‘Save Sindh and Sinhis.” One has just to follow Policy of “wait and watch” and has to see whether it delivers or goes to the dogs. It is an axiomatic truth that as long as all the nationalist parties are not sewn into an alliance, one can not keep fingers crossed. It is only time to tell the truth whether it is the last ditch effort or the last war of the nationalist forces?
Sindh is going through turbulent times because of incompetence, mal-governance, mismanagement, corruption both in administration and politics and tribal feuds and near-starvation, hitting of deadly Congo Virus and Bird Flu are as clear as day. As the ruling alliance of Arbab-MQM and the largest opposition in the Assembly PPP (Parliamentarian) lock their horns both inside and outside the assembly, the only victims of their self-gratifying behavior are the downtrodden and deprived people of the province. As the PPP (P) is being pushed to the wall and the MQM- Arbab government is mum over the genuine issues of the province such as NFC Award, construction of KBD, implementation of specified job quota of Sindh in the federation, frustration and resentment amongst Sindh is on the rise. Consequently the nationalist parties who were inactive are in action nowadays. Efforts for a new alliance are in full swing.
Realistically speaking, this is the sixth attempt during the last twenty years to unite the scattered nationalist leaders of the province. The fisrt attempt was made by the late GM Sayed in 1987, which formed, the famous Sindh National Alliance (SNA). This was the first and rare time in the history of nationalist politics in the province when all of them sank their deep seated differences and sat together to resolve for collective struggle. That alliance emerged as a strong force on the political landscape of the province. It pushed the populist PPP to the walls. PPP was on the decline.
It gave tough time to the PPP in the polls of 1988 but unfortunately, it could not brave the fluctuations of politics and ended in fiasco. As a result, most of the turn-coasts entered into the fold of victorious PPP.
Hoping against hope, Mumtaz Bhutto again rose from the ashes to form an alliance known as the United National Alliance (UNA). This alliance too died a premature death. It was in 1997 another alliance known as ‘Anti- Kalabagh dam Committee (AKBDC) came on the fore. This committee was composed of PPP and all nationalist and religious parties and factions in the province. It has come into being to oppose the construction of controversial Kalabagh dam. Sindhis considers the construction of Kalabagh dam a conspiracy to turn Sindh into sea of sand and ruins. Despite having rounds of meetings this Committee has yet not come up with any tangible anti- KBD strategy. It is still intact but sounds like a defunct body. It was in 2000, once again, Mumtaz Bhutto, tried to assemble all feudal lords, pirs and influential peoples of the province, inter alia, politico- religious leaders, on a single platform known as Sindh Solidarity Council (SSC).
This SSC convened a historic conference in the provincial capital and port city, Karachi. Attended by all prominent players of national and political politics such as Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, former caretaker Prime Minister, Yousaf Haroon, former speaker Provincial Assembly, Illahi Bux Soomro, former speaker National Assembly, raised a ray of hope among the deprived and downtrodden people of the province. It was during this conference, Mumtaz Bhutto and architect of the Constitution 1973, Hafeez Pirzada, has warned the wizards of Establishment saying, “ if the Establishment continues denial of constitutional rights to Sindh as enshrined in the Constitution of 1973, then a case will be filed with the international legal and arbitrary bodies to stanch our long- denied rights.” The nationalists of this alliance tried to contact nationalist parties and groups of other provinces too and it was in the end of 2000 a conference was arranged in London which was attended by Baluch leader Attaullah Mengal and others. Resultantly, the PONAM was brought to the fore. Except Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) all parties inclusive in it. The tug of war between Nawaz Sharif, the then prime minister, and the Awami National Party (ANP) played a pivotal role in the creation of this alliance. The role of veteran politician, Mr. Ajmal Khattak, can also not be underestimated in it. The ANP struggled with them and after sometime parted its ways. The PONAM under the headman-ship of veteran politician Attaullah Mengal is present but there is no warmth in its struggle.
In 2003, anti- Thal Committee was formed and in 2005 the Sindh National Front (SNF) and Sindh National Party (SNP) initiated for “ SIndh Unity Alliance.” The need for alliance amongst the Sindhi nationalist is always felt but this time too much because there is no one voices the concern of SIndh in the corridor of power and politics. Corruption, crime and cable culture, after Kalashnikov culture, has ruined Sindh.
The MQM leadership, with the exception of its self-exiled leader Altaf Hussein, does not consider woes of SIndh are their own woes and pains of SIndhis are their own pains. Some Sindhi intellectual like the late Ali Ahmed Brohi, brother of late great jurist AK Brohi, and Tajal Bewas has pinned hopes in the MQM leadership to challenge the status quo and ameliorate the lot of people of Sindh but all has gone otherwise. In addition to this, whenever the-so-called nationalist leaders have ferried around the province, the poverty-stricken and traumatized people of Sindh have posed one question to them: Why not an alliance amongst the all nationalist parties?”
They have always come with insipid explanations to this eighty billion dollar question but of avail to the people of Sindh. Of course, whenever there is an alliance on the fore, the people of Sindh are always skeptical about its survival. Same is the case with the alliance in the offing. Reasons are simple. The nationalist alliances do not have strong and stable track record in the history of the province.
Even now in the expected alliance six parties of nationalist are in and the six are yet out. The parties which are out these include: Awami Tehrik of Rasool Bux Palejo, Sindh National Party ( SNP) of Amir Bhmabro, Qaumparast Party of Qamar Bhatti, Jamiat-e- Uelema-i- Islam, SIndh, and Sindh Sagar Party. Rumour mill is rife about rift between the SNF and SNP. The leadership of PONAM has already predicted that it would be a futile attempt saying, “in the presence of PONAM there is no need of another alliance.” To this the Consultative Council (CC) has said that there was no room for any conflict in the emerging alliance. The spiritual leader of Hur Group and the President of Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) Pir Pagaro has said that the emerging alliance would not cut any ice. But Bhutto seems to be determined even to go to the Pir and bring him round the point to join them to save Sindh and Sindhis. The leadership of the alliance is trying its utmost to revive hope and confidence among the people of Sindh saying that this alliance would not let them down and was able enough to survive the viscidities of politics and conspiracies of anti- Sindh and Sindhis.
The analysts hope that this alliance would play decisive role in the history of Sindh because in the past race for party positions gobbled up the alliances but this time it is not the bone of contention. This time the soul issue is ‘Save Sindh and Sinhis.” One has just to follow Policy of “wait and watch” and has to see whether it delivers or goes to the dogs. It is an axiomatic truth that as long as all the nationalist parties are not sewn into an alliance, one can not keep fingers crossed. It is only time to tell the truth whether it is the last ditch effort or the last war of the nationalist forces?
-Pakistan Observer
posted by zaicha | Friday, December 09, 2005
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