Karachi civil society declares support to struggle of Malir villagers

KARACHI (June 10, 2021): The civil society of Karachi expressed full support and solidarity of those who are struggling to save resources, lands and villages, and reaffirms the pledge that the participating organizations and individuals continue to speak out against the occupation mafia.

A joint meeting of civil society and trade union representatives was held on Wednesday, at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan Karachi office in which various aspects of Bahria Town were reviewed and discussed.

The participants of the meeting agreed that the sit-in of Bahria Town on June 6 against the occupation of Goths was for peaceful purposes and people of every language, race and nation participated in the sit-in to express solidarity with the oppressed local population and made it successful.

The sit-in was organized in solidarity with the ongoing struggle of these poor local residents of Malir villages against the forcible occupation of their lands and goths and construction on them for commercial purposes.

The June 6 protest rally was peaceful, but before the end of the sit-in, there were sudden incidents of vandalism and arson. The leaders kept on appealing to the perpetrators to stop and arrest these people. But mysteriously, the police and Bahria Town’s own security personnel remained criminally silent spectators.

The meeting also expressed concern over the fact that the police had unjustifiably arrested hundreds of innocent, peaceful political activists involved in the sit-in and charged them under anti-terrorism, which is reprehensible.

The meeting demanded to withdraw terrorism charges against the innocent people.

The meeting expressed concerned about the illegal arrest of the attacker on the residence of Sanaan Qureshi, chairman of Jai Sindh Qaumi Mahaz. Strongly condemns the prosecution of Jalal Shah, Zain Shah, Qadir Magsi and other leaders under anti-terrorism.

The meeting strongly condemned the recent incident in Bahria Town by some anti-people, anti-Sindh and reactionary forces in the guise of racial, linguistic and sectarian differences and once again pushed Sindh into bloodshed. There is a dangerous trend which will be resisted in any case.

This meeting understands that the doors of peaceful political struggle are being closed on those who fight for rights under a planned conspiracy, the logical consequence of which is that society is becoming more fragmented and chaotic. Today’s meeting declares the full support and solidarity of those who are struggling to save resources, lands and villages, and reaffirms the pledge that the participating organizations and individuals continue to speak out against the occupation mafia.

Among others Asad Iqbal Butt (HRCP), Karamat Ali (Pillar), Nasir Mansoor (National Trade Union Federation), Mehnaz Rehman (Aurat Foundation),

Sheema Kirmani (Tehreek Niswan), Prof. Tauseef Ahmed Khan, Dr. Riaz Sheikh (progressive intellectuals), Anis Haroon (Women’s Action Forum), Gul Hassan Kalmati (Indigenous Rights Alliance), Comrade Wahid Baloch (Lyari Awami Front), Qazi Khizar (HRCP), Dr. Asghar Dashti (Progressive Intellectual), Saeed Baloch (Fisher Folk Forum), Anita Panjani (Women’s Front), Zahra Khan (Home Based Women Workers Federation), Shirin Ijaz (Human Rights Defender), Azmi Noorani (Women’s Action Forum), Nasreen (Women’s Action Forum), Anwar Ahmed (Women’s Movement), Abdul Hai (HRCP), Farhat Parveen (National Organization for Working Women), Comrade Sajjad Zaheer (Progressive Writers Association), Sasi Solangi (social activist), Kaleem Durrani (HRCP), Sarman Brohi (Jeay Sindh Students Federation), Makhdoom Ayub Qureshi (senior trade union leader), Hanif Dil Murad (Social Leader), Mir Zulfiqar (Vero).