Daily Times

Sindh being in the grip of the self-centered oligarchs and the shortsighted nationalists is engulfed by multiple threats which are progressively renting asunder its political, economic and social fabric and rendering its administrative apparatus dysfunctional. The most disquieting factor is that the informed sons and daughters of the province continue to ignore the impending dangers to the very existence of their land as the second big and the resource-endowed federal constituent of Pakistan. This apathy to their land’s growing woes is unprecedented and painful.

Sindh has been politically stagnated since decades. The traditional politicians and the landed gentry have been strengthening their hold on the political power under the banner of Pakistan People’s Party since its inception. The circumstances helped the party frequently capture power in the center and the province of Sindh. The landed gentry in Pakistan worship the rising sun. So, they firmly nestled on the party’s perch, discouraging and resisting the emergence of any political party which could pose a challenge to their political monopoly. This situation has gone too long in increasing the apathy the educated middle class has been falling in. This political shackle is to be broken. If left to prolong, the people would further ensconce into this political bondage and fatalism.

Though the successive leadership of the party talked of masses, what actually they did was to strengthen landed gentry giving them political power, recruiting their sons and nephews to powerful posts and helping them access to the economic resources of the province from agriculture inputs to irrigation water, bank loans, local government resources, contracts leaving the common man to fend for himself. This has enhanced the economic disparity, permanently dividing the society of Sindh into lower class living under the poverty line, middle class just making the both ends meet and the so called elite. The economic resources of the province are also divided on this pattern with the elite taking the lion’s share, the middle class crumbs condescendingly thrown to it, and the lower class living with the pangs of deprivation.

Should we, as a disinterested crowd, see our province being turned into a land of ‘aliens’ or throw the gauntlet down and stand to the oligarchs and their abettors to take our people out of the dark shadows of disillusionment and despondency

This stale and stinking system perpetuated by the oligarchs has destroyed the social fabric of the province with the underprivileged segment of the population resorting to crimes including kidnapping for ransom, robbery, drug peddling and theft. They are chased, and, sometimes, patronized by police; their children remain out of school; their sick die without medical service; their young are killed in fake police encounters or fill the ranks of religious militants. The entwined poverty and crime keep creating highway robbers like Paroo Chandio, Muhib Sheedi and Nazaru Narejo who came to be known as symbols of terror and fright for the affluent.

Sindh has never been like this. I feel sad while reviving the reminiscences of political and cultural ethos and human values that once prevailed supreme in this land where help came without strings; commitment to merit and fair play counted as an inviolable norm of life; professionalism and honesty were articles of faith; politics was a means to public service; political office and public funds were sacred trust and where it was an unforgiveable sin to think of auctioning lucrative jobs, promotions and posting to high political or financial bidders. The oligarchs have defaced and disgraced my land.

An old colleague, Ambassador Raana while commenting on the first part of my article says that Sindh needs a dynamic leader to galvanize the silent majority to challenge the ruling oligarchs. Being from Punjab, she does not know that the nationalists of this unfortunate province who all hail from the middle class are divided into many factions. They are so well entrenched into this factionalism that the idea of leaguing into one political party for the sake of their land never crosses their mind. Either their political shortsightedness or the fear of losing their limited political clout holds them back or they have been deliberately abetting the political machinations of the oligarchs to stem the emergence of a broad-based political platform as an alternative choice for voters. Because of their political inertia, the religious political entities are making inroads in this land.

The oligarchs have been auctioning the precious lands of the province in mega cities and along the Super Highway to estate developers. The middle class of Sindh has no resources to buy a house in modern mega housing schemes being developed along the Highway or the so called posh regions of DHA and Clifton in Karachi. Now the federal authority has conceived the expensive project of constructing skyscrapers on the Islands of Sindh. These schemes will further deepen the social stratification in the province. It seems some powers have been following a deliberate policy of changing the demography of Sindh turning the indigenous population into a minority. That will be the most unfortunate day for this land and its people.

We are simply trustees of the lands of the province which belong to our future generation. What are we leaving for them? The Punjab and KPK are saturated. Will they go and settle down in the barren deserts of Balochistan? We have to grasp the impending menace and its consequences which are dreadful enough to shake any dimwit out of slumber barring dead souls. We are constitutionally empowered to fight for the preservation of our lands, resources and rights. No power on earth can deny us this right. They can only mislead us into acquiescence by coercion, deception and inducement. This is what is going on, and the oligarchs are aiding and abetting this shameful game.

Should we, as a disinterested crowd, see our province being turned into a land of ‘aliens’ or throw the gauntlet down and stand to the oligarchs and their abettors to take our people out of the dark shadows of disillusionment and despondency. The daring men and women have changed the destiny of nations. Sindh is waiting for such daring sons and daughters.

The writer was a member of the Foreign Service of Pakistan and he has authored two books