HYDERABAD: Thar residents on Saturday demonstrated against ‘disloyal’ political hopefuls from the region with messages written on blackboards saying ‘taleem do vote lo‘ (Give education, take vote), vowing to support only those candidates who prioritise education.
Speaking to Daily Times, Moolo, a villager from Moole Je Dhani village in Islamkot said that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) ruled Sindh for the past 10 years, and even though PPP leaders from Thar remained members of the national and provincial assembly, nothing was done to improve the standards of education.
He added that there was not even a single school in his village, adding that development would not be achieved via construction of roads if majority of the people are illiterate. Moolo added that corporate sector is claiming that they will change the scenario of Thar by introducing modern innovations, but by cutting trees and destroying the environment, it is not possible.
Another villager, Jameel, shared that he personally approached Thar Education Alliance (TEA), an organisation working for the betterment of education in Thar, and gave them all data and agreement of villagers to build a school so they can enroll their children for primary education.
“As there was no school in the village, TEA visited us and with the help of social actors and philanthropists, a building was allotted, whereas books, stationary and school uniforms were also provided to 80 students from the area,” Jameel said.
Although the political parties are visiting their constituencies for the purpose to win sympathies of voters but individuals like Moolo and Jameel among several others have decided to not vote for candidates until and unless they take measures to improve standards of education in Thar and provide people with their due rights.
More than 60 houses of Bheel community complain about unavailability of educational infrastructure and expressed that like TEA and social activists, government and political representatives have to take action and make plan to improve education.