Tag Archives: unholy

Current Issues, Islamabad, News, Pakistan, Politics, Sindh, Sindhi

Resistance in Sindh

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After legislating over the highly controversial and popularly rejected local government bill, which according to majority population of Sindh is a virtual attempt to divide Sindh, has caused an abrupt resistance movement in the province.

Four activists have been killed so far by the police in the streets or through torture at police station. Hundreds of activists are detained. Street battles have been reported in the various towns including the Nawabshah, the hometown of president Zardari.

Almost all cities and towns are protesting every day. On October 1, 2012, whole province was on the strike, and thereafter, strike has lasted for fifth day in many towns until October 5, 20012. On October 4, thousands of the people blocked the national highway for six hours. The highway connects rest of the country with major ports of Pakistan in Karachi.

The people’s resistance started on October 1, when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) jointly legislated over highly controversial and popularly rejected Sindh Local Government Ordinance 2012.

Read more » Links of selected news and articles on ongoing people’s resistance movement against local government act and for Right to Rule their Historical Motherland

History, Pakistan, Politics

Whither Pakistan

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by Syed Ehtisham

Excerpt:

The leadership of the Muslim League came mostly from provinces which were not parts of Pakistan. Jinnah, like all autocrats did not tolerate difference of opinion and had excluded the bright and the intelligent like Suharwardy and Fazal Haque while promoting Liaquat and Nazimuddin …

…. Jinnah, in a singularly misconceived move towards national integration, declared that Urdu and only Urdu will be the official language of Pakistan. That, I believe, was the first nail.

Jinnah, while he lived, kept all the levers of power in his hands. Liaquat, PM in name, did not even enjoy the powers White House chief of the staff does.

Jinnah died. Liaquat did not have the authority to embrace his legacy. The power brokers in West Pakistan would not allow the drafting of a constitution which would give representation proportional to the population of East Pakistan. I recall mullahs gave the argument that if you took out 20% of the population of the East who were Hindus, the numbers between the two wings would be equal. Some even suggested that Hindus be made to pay Jazya. Finance minister Ghulam Muhammad pointed out that they would in that case be exempt from taxes. That shut the mouth of the religious lobby.

Liaquat was reduced to offering a basic principles resolution (Qarardad e Maqasid), which declared Pakistan to be an Islamic State. That put paid to Jinnah’s legacy of separation of faith and state. ….

…. Yahya arranged an election on the basis of adult franchise. Mujib got overall majority and could garner two third majority with the help of smaller provinces. There was no problem with making Mujib the PM, except personally to Bhutto, but he wanted autonomy of the kind Jinnah had insisted on in pre-independence India. ….

….. Pakistan was further burdened by immense military expenditure, which necessitated an unholy mass of debt. All nation building measures remained in the limbo. Infra-structure, education, health, research and industry remained stunted. ….

To read complete article : ViewPoint