| LETTERS TO EDITOR |
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A Good omen I felt an ocean of good fortunes
and heavenly pleasure to watch at Sindh TV on 4-5-2007 showing
a picture of gathering of cream of Sindhi literary intellectuals
including Sain Dr. Allana, Inayat Baloch, Hameed Sindhi and others
in Dr. Habibullah Siddiqui’s House at Jamshoro. The credit of
this gathering goes to our sophisticated and great educationist
and Scholar Dr. Habibullah Siddiqui who always think and do for
the betterment of Sindhi
language, culture, economic status of people and literature of
Sindh. Now it can be estimated that there is no any danger to
Sindhi, culture and language and even existence to our Sindh province
if such non-political and non-profit movement prevails in the
practical and pragmatic activities of our scholars and high caliber
intellectuals. Sindh and Sindhis have been neglected and ignored
since the independence of the country when there was no voice
and struggle from the side of such collective and joint forums
of intellectuals. Sindhi language has
the vast literary and historical field for which no social
and cultural utility has been created, it
why the outsiders settled in this unfortunate but civilized
and ever green province, say that why they take trouble to speak
and learn Sindhi language. Even it is sorry on the part of so
many Sindhi people settled in the urban towns and cities have
started to advice their children not to speak in Sindhi and resultantly
their children do not speak Sindhi and feel proud of their children
to speak in other language ignoring their own mother language.
Even those Sindhis who live in big cities do not care their children
to speak grammatically correct and with appropriate pronunciation.
it is a good start and it should be made
a regular practice to arrange such gatherings not only at Jamshoro and No political and profit motive. For this purpose about 100
acres of land may be purchased where first of all buildings for
gathering places, conference auditorium and information and technology,
MBA and ICM etc university may be constructed. 2. For commercial purpose,
excellence Centers for arts and small occupations may be established. 3. For awareness of people
of Sindh, FM Radio and TV channel may be started. 4. For funds, a campaign may
be stared throughout Sindh through various media and man practices. 5. For employment purpose,
commercial centers at Distt. HQs maybe built-up. 6. A private Bank for Sindh
development is must. Necessary plans may be started. 7. For assimilation of knowledge
and information, publications in Sindhis and English may be published.
Dr Ali Akbar M. Dhakkan Fatwas galore The failure of the federal
cabinet to condemn the fatwas being delivered across the country,
even when one of its own members has been targeted, roves the
government is in fact part of the extremist problem. It cannot
hope to solve the current crisis. We condemn the collusion between
these obscurantist forces and the government, and the complete
abdication of responsibility when it comes to combating the growing
trend of fatwas threatening political leaders, activists and now
even sitting minister. Further proof of this collusion
comes in the fact that despite bans on jirgas, the federal minister
for religious affairs has openly suggested that such a forum,
which has no legal standing, be set up to resolve the issue of
the Lal Masjid and the violence inflicted by madrassah students
on hapless citizens. The refusal to take any kind
of action against those delivering fatwas that threaten the life
and welfare of activists, including HRCP leaders, organizations
engaged in charitable work and even government members can only
encourage those engaged in these activities. Indeed, it is the
failure to act that has led to the menace of extremism stretching
its tentacles to more and more parts of the country and posing
a genuine risk to many law-abiding citizens. The rapid growth of extremism,
even as the government sits and waits, is endangering the survival
of the country and harmony within it. Already, the collapse of
what semblance remained of the rule of law has plunged society
into a state of anarchy. Clerics have been given a free rein to
act as judges in matters of morality, seminary students rampage
through streets, edicts of all kinds are delivered regularly and
citizens are convinced the State lacks the means and will to offer
them safety and security . as such, the
credibility of the current regime and its claims to legitimacy
have vanished amidst the haze of the lies and untruths told by
its representatives. This situation can only bode
ill for the future as greater and great chaos spreads through
villages, towns and cities across the country, and underscores
the need for an immediate return to meaningful democracy before
further havoc is inflicted. Iqbal Haider
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