HYDER ABAD: Paying tributes to leftwing leader late comrade Jam Saqi for his democratic struggle, speakers said he had earned a name in political literature and history.

They were speaking at his fifth death anniversary held at the local press club here on Sunday.

Imdad Chandio, a contemporary of Jam Saqi, said he had a strong character.

He clarified that no friend of Saqi had become approver during his (Saqi) trial.

He had braved torture in Shahi Qila of Lahore to emerge victorious. Jam did not bargain over principles and his friends also did not leave him alone, he said, adding that his struggle was a beacon light for everyone.

He said that it was necessary to study his political thoughts for political struggle.

Mr Chandio said he had shown the path as to how to rid of the capitalist system. He said: `Today`s conditions provethat Jam Saqi`s path would lead to emancipation.

He said people had apprehensions over digital census. The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) should allay those fears and put an end to the conspiracy to convert Sindhis into minority, he said, adding that Sindh faced influx of outsiders.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Tarraqi-pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi said that even a protest by 10 people during the comrade`s era always caused ripples in right quarters, which was reflective of the influence of politics at that time. He said Saqi had launched a movement for writing the voters list in Sindhi language at a time when writing `Sindh` was considered a crime. He said Saqi was born to a worker`s family and that was why he faced torture courageously in Shahi Qila, but did not bow.

He said the PPP had given the term of `de facto census` in 2017 and PPP leader Taj Hyder was distributing a book on that subject to claim that every individual should be counted on `where is basis`as it would lead to more financial share for Sindh in the NFC Award.

Mr Magsi said a census should be held in line with its parameters. He said the `de facto census` meant that every outsider should be counted in Sindh and that was why that conspiracy was hatched by the PPP to have more share in the NFC.

He accused the PPP of counting peopie from Wana and Waziristan to treat them as Sindh`s residents. He said Taj Hyder wanted to have every outsider settied here illegally counted in Sindh. He asked who would account for billions of funds released as a result of 18th amendment while people did not get medicines in hospitals.

PPP leader Senator Taj Hyder recalled that PPP leader Benazir Bhutto used to tall( about Jam Saqi`s simplicity. Saqi was never complaining about anything.

About the census, he said he wrote a book on the census held in 2017 and Sindh`s population was undercounted in it although it supposed to be 30pc morethan what was counted.

He said that after the PPP`s protests, its results were withheld and now new census was being held. He said working paper of the past and present census remained the same and added that once again injustice was being done with Sindh in the census.

He said the PPP had demanded that a `de facto census` should be held. He said that there were 34 such constituencies where voters were more than the total population. Awami Workers Party leader Dr Bukhshal Thallu said that uniting workers was a realistic slogan of the third world. That slogan meant that workers should unite against capitalists and launch struggle against them, he said, adding that Jam was the leader of many and his ideology and struggle `is an asset today`.

Others who also spoke on the occasion included Sindh Hari Committee leader Samar Jatoi, Women rights activist and writer Amar Sindhu, Iqbal Mallah, Veerji Kohli and Dr Hameed Soomro.