Back in mid-April, Prime Minister Imran Khan announced a Rs446-billion development package for Sindh, with the promise that it would be implemented in a month. This development initiative, termed as an historic package, includes construction of the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway and the Naj Gaj Dam. Naturally, the prime objective for all this is to garner political sympathies in interior Sindh. It seems unlikely that the PTI leadership will win on this front.
The very next day, April 17, Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah dismissed the package as an eyewash, while adding that all the projects included in the initiative were already incorporated in the federal budget and had been held up due to lack of funds. He went on to point out that the motorway project was conceived under CPEC (Chinese-Pakistan Economic Corridor) by the last PMLN government and the dam project was first floated in 2013. Nevertheless, Nasir Hussain stressed that despite the Centre failing to take the Sindh government into confidence – it would cooperate with the PTI.
In the 2018 general elections, the PTI emerged as the leading party Sindh’s metropolis only. The party grabbed 13 National Assembly seats from Karachi and only one seat from Jacobabad district of interior Sindh. It won win 21 provincial seats from Karachi and only two from rural Sindh. While, Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P) secured 4 National Assembly seats from Karachi and two from Hyderabad and 16 provincial seats from the two cities. In rural Sindh, the PTI and the MQM-P had supported each other’s candidates. In February, 2019, PM Khan proclaimed that the two parties could set-up an electoral alliance in the future.
Had the PTI been serious about providing the Sindhi people with alternative political leadership — it should have announced a long-term programme for the people of interior Sindh. Instead, the PM supported the division of the province
The PTI, however, has shown itself to be completely incompetent, offering no real political alternative in Sindh. Because of its policies and fault lines, the party had reduced its electoral strength in Sindh. On April 13, 2019, when the MQM-P convener and the then federal minister for Information Technology demanded the division of Sindh, the PTI chairman fully supported this. Thereby causing immense anger and exasperation not only among ethnic Sindhis but also among the PTI supporters in Sindh. In reality, the people of Sindh are divided in numerous ways but they become united and speak with one voice against any talk of dividing their province. Thus, a great majority the people view the PTI through hostile eyes.
Since 2008, the PPP has been ruled Sindh without interruption. Yet the people have suffered many socio-economic problems. They therefore welcomed political change. After the PTI scored victory in the 2018 elections and formed a government in the Centre – they hoped that the PTI government would pull Sindh and the country out of the enduring social, political and economic quagmire. But within months, the PTI leadership had exasperated and disheartened them.
From 2008-2018, Sindh’s rural and urban politics revolved around the PPP and the MQM. The parties remained unchallenged in the past two general elections. Only in the recent past did Sindh’s urban politics undergo a serious reversal, following the collapse of the MQM’s political supremacy. In the 2018 polls, out of a total of 130 seats in Sindh Assembly – the party only managed to secure 16 provincial seats. Sindh’s rural politics remained unchallenged and unchanged and continued to revolve around the PPP. The party did not face strong and robust political opponents in the elections. Having won 76 provincial seats, it once again proved to be a strong political entity in the province. However, it has made no sincere efforts to resolve the problems faced by the people.
If the PTI was serious about providing the people of Sindh with alternative political leadership and to credibly give a tough time to the PPP and bring about real change in the province, the party should have announced a long-term programme for the betterment and well-being of the people of interior Sindh. It should have formulated a policy to create confidence and hope among the people; to resolve all outstanding problems while introducing improvements to the education and healthcare sectors and overall good governance. Instead, the PM supported the division of Sindh.
It is therefore unlikely that this development initiative will bring about productive and fruitful results for the PTI. After all, it is expected that the current political situation in rural Sindh will not see any change in near future and the PPP will face no threat in the coming general elections.
The writer is an academic, and can be reached on Twitter @ARShykh