Sindh Health Minister, Syed Sardar Ahmed has called for elimination of loopholes that were and still are hampering any attempts for land reforms in the country. At a seminar 'Land Reforms Prerequisite for Democratic Society', organised by Action Aid here on Tuesday.
The Minister suggested concerted efforts to create a conducive environment in which the cultivators with small holdings could make optimum use of the land at their disposal. According to him, the 1973 land reforms were unable to make a difference because small cultivators had to seek loans from middlemen to acquire seeds, fertiliser and other accessories.
Syed Sardar highlighted the importance of abolition of abiaana for the small landholders, which forced them to reach a point where their land was no longer remains theirs. In his opinion, they should be provided with monetary support for purchasing fertilisers and seeds at subsidised rates to eliminate dependency on unscrupulous elements.
He said that a collective voice from several platforms should be raised to ensure that the limit for agricultural land ownership does not exceed 100,000 acres and 50000 acres for non-agricultural land.
The Minister who previously had the portfolio of finance suggested that the excess land should be distributed among cultivators with no land of their own. He also remarked that the theme of the seminar could more appropriately be 'Land Reforms Prerequisite for Democracy'. He commented that the country's majority comprises of people from the middle and lower income groups and they need to forge unity in their ranks.
The session was also addressed by senior politicians Mairaj Mohammad Khan, Taj Haider, Senior Program Officer - Action Aid, Adam Malik and Tariq Farooq, a civil rights activist. They called for genuine efforts to bring about equity and justice among all sections of the society. The need for changing the feudalistic mindset prevalent among almost all segments of society was strongly recommended by the speakers. Activists from different parts of the country presented their research papers on the issues of land reforms, poverty, etc.