Bahria Town all work should be stopped, immediately and such project is part of colonization to make Sindhis as minorities and control the land and coastal area in the province, demanded at APC.
Sindh Indigenous Rights Alliance held the second “All Parties Conference” at Hadi Bux Gabol Goth Kathore on Sunday, May 23rd, 2021 – almost 50 Sindhi, Baloch Nationalist parties, Human Rights organization, activist, and others joint APC. SIRA (Sindh Indigenous Rights Alliance) and the locals had been struggling to protect land and voicing against Bahria Town (BT) – in the same village, an incident erupted in the first week of May, 2021 when Bahria Town’s armed-men attacked people in order to evict them from their inherited homes.
Bahria Town is said to have illegally grabbed the land of residents. One of affectees shared his experience of how BT’s armed-men ran amok in the village. “We were weaponless and they had state’s police few of them were Sindhis, rest of them Urdu and Punjabi speaking who were beating us. None of political parties supported us, then.” He urged political parties that “Please, save our Sindh – Please, protect our homes.”
Political parties and activists castigated the role of army establishment and the ruling party in Sindh, Pakistan People’s Party that both encouraged Malik Riaz; otherwise, he had no courage to grab our land. Bahria Town is not a development project, it is a colonization, instead. Moreover, Bahria Town is said to have control the coastal area and the sea.
Dr. Abdul Hai Baloch, National Democratic Party, spoke emotionally that what they had done in Gawadar and Khuzdar in Balochistan. Now, they were doing the same in Sindh. “What kind of development they talk about,” he asks. By throwing locals out of their ancestral homes.
“We are salve, and we live in colonial system for more than 70 years. Establishment wants Sindh and Balochistan’s resources and the land.” He emphasized that our struggle should be based on the public then would be able to save our land.
On other hand, outsider and refugees’ issues were under discussion that how Sindh had been carrying the burden of them since the day when Pakistan was created. Nawaz Khan Zaour, Chairman, Jeay Sindh Qaumi Party, narrated historical fact that Punjab was said to have borne the burden of refugees – fact was, three lakhs refugees from Punjab, were settled down in Sindh, province.
The Land Acquistion Act, 1894 is represented colonial area which is completely based on unfair and it helps authoritarian rulers grab the land of locals. We should discuss this black law “The Land Acquistion Act” and make a demand for rescinding it.
One of columnists heard saying; he could pen a column on The Land Acquistion Act without publishing Bahria Town name. Media organizations also avoid writing or calling Bahria Town name then how people’s voices will be heard who are going through tough times.
Dr. Malik Baloch, National Party, could not join APC, but sent message that Sindh and Balochistan should join one platform on which both collectively struggle against illegal actions.
Dr. Qadir Magsi, Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party asked Sindh to decide whether you fight or live as slave. Sindh has been affected badly, further lambasted, Riaz Malik was so close to Pandi GHQ and Mr. Asif Zardari supported him because of GHQ. “Now, we have to say enough is enough. We won’t let them insult our families and women.” “First, in Karachi, outsiders were settled in the name of Islam, and second, now, outsiders will be settled in the name of development.”
Speakers: Yousaf Mosti Khan, President at SIRA, Sayed Jalal Shah, Dr. Qadir Magsi, Abdul Hai Baloch, Asad Butt, Taj Mari, Amina Baloch, Khaliq Junejo, Gul Hasan Kalmati, and others. On 6th June, sit-in to be held at Bahria Town Karachi and five points resolution was passed at conference.
Gul Hasan Kalmati, Historian and member at Sindh Indigenous Rights Alliance said that SIRA would continue its struggle until Bahria Town completely stops its work. BT had extended its work to Hyderabad and in future, it would be extended, gradually across Sindh. Therefore, Supreme Court 2018 judgement must be implemented in which SC declared Bahria Town as illegal project.
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