Speakers at a two-day 'international human rights and Sindhiat' conference called for a joint political struggle by people from a common platform to safeguard their fundamental rights. The conference was organised by the Sindh National Council at a local hotel.
Those who addressed the conference included PPP MNA Zafar Ali Shah, former Supreme Court Bar Association president and National Workers Party chief Abid Hassan Manto, Awami Tahreek chief Rasool Bux Palejo, former Sindh Assembly deputy speaker Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, Dr Walt Landry, executive director of Think-Tank for National Self-Determination, Washington; SNC official Hussain Bux Thebo, Agriculture Scientist M.H. Panwhar, MPA Anwar Pirzado, Saussi Palejo, Ejaz Solangi, and others.
Dr Landry presiding over the conference referred to rule of monarchies and concept of right to self-determination, which was recognised in UN charter in 1945.
He also referred to dismemberment of USSR in 1991 as well as Vietnam as significant examples of right to self-determination, and said that now in Asia it is spreading fast.
Rasool Bux Palejo, while presiding over second session, said that ruling junta is treating Sindhis more ruthlessly by usurping water resources of Sindh.
He maintained that rulers wanted to destroy Sindh economically and referred to recent import of food stuff by government despite its good production in Sindh.
He criticised the President for handing over police department in Sindh to alleged terrorists.
Abid Hassan Manto said that a proper procedure had been laid down for amendment and added that provinces must have rights over their resources.
Counting Siraiki belt as fifth province, he said that over last 57 years the country had faced a dilemma in shape of struggles of farmers, labourers, nations and provinces and added that present Constitution had been badly mutilated to enable army become stakeholders for governing the country.
He said that today uniform was irrelevant as right from Karachi to Peshawar, industries, banks and leasing companies were proliferating and they enjoy monopoly to protect their corporate interests.
Under these circumstances, the question of human rights become useless, he said, adding that today neo-imperialism under the garb of globalisation of WTO is being introduced.
He said that army, investors and feudals stood as powerful players whereas masses are divided, adding that late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had given an Islamic name to Constitution having present quantum of provincial autonomy, but nobody raised this question then.
Zafar Ali Shah, MNA, supported maximum provincial autonomy and called upon army to give up politics otherwise country's future is doomed, saying all elections were rigged.
He said that under devolution plan all powers had been vested in federal government to run the districts, and alleged that agencies cultivated 'scoundrels' in rural areas whereas Waderas also deprived villagers of their rights.
Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah called for a new Constitution in the light of 1940 resolution for ensuring equal rights to all, and added that the democracy could not be strengthened unless nations' rights are protected.
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