KARACHI: Emphasising the need for effective implementation of genuine constitutional federalism, provincial autonomy and fair distribution of resources, speakers at a seminar urged that the historical and territorial integrity of Sindh must be protected within the federation.
They were also of the view that instead of dividingthe province,theissuesbeingfacedby public at large must be addressed through constitutional reforms, good governance and empowerment of the local bodies system.
The representatives of the legal fraternity, political leaders and a renowned economist were speaking to the lawyers at a seminar titled ‘Constitutional, Economic and Water Challenges Facing Sindh’, organised by the Sindh United Lawyers Forum at the City Courts on Saturday.
Noted economist Dr Kaiser Bengali said that the country as well as the province of Sindh were facing major challenges while it was notthe first time the issue regarding division of Sindh was raised.
He also stated that before the partition, Sindh had been attached to the Bombay Presidency and separated from it after a major struggle while Karachi had also been handed over to the federal government at one stage, but was subsequently restored through considerable efforts.
He was of the view that Sindh was ready to contest for its rights, but people within the province came up to oppose the struggle.
‘According to the Constitution, provinces had a right over general sales tax (GST), but the federal government had taken it over with the support of all political parties and later returned it to the provinces’, he added.
Dr Bengali cautioned the provinces to remain vigilant about the agreements being made with the federal government since the influential people in Sindh often entered into compromises.
Sindh United Party President Syed Zain Shah contended that attempts made by the federal government to gain control over the resources of provinces hadbeen continuingforlong.
He alleged that the sea, agricultural land, coal, gas and the Indus River were being subjected to direct or indirect control and despite being constitutionally empowered, the provinces have continued to face pressure about their resources.
He also claimed that attempts were beingmade to revive the proposed canal system in Sindh which had previously been abandoned as work has begun on certain canals despite the cancellation while new canals were being constructed notwithstanding severe water shortages.
Demanding withdrawal of the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments, Mr Shah also urged the federal government to change its foreign and economic policies and prioritise regional peace and friendly economic relations with neighbouring countries.
Senior lawyer Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed said that the creation of new provinces was not a solution to the problems being faced by the masses and instead of doing such irresponsible experiments, genuine resolutions to public problems should be sought.
After the enactment of the 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments, he said, the judiciary had been severely weakened and it was almost impossible to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and protection of people’s rights without an independent and strengthened judiciary.
Barrister Ahmed, who is also a member of the Pakistan Bar Council, also stated that it was not appropriate to link the issues of local bodies’ empowerment, natural resources, agriculture and water with the creation of new provinces or administrative units.
President of the Sindh High Court BarAssociation Haseeb Jamali said that fundamental rights of citizens as guaranteed under the Constitution and an independent judiciary were not fully available in the country since the Constitution was also not being entirely implemented.
The Karachi Bar Association president Amir Nawaz Warraich and general secretary Arshad Shar, central leader of the Sindh United Party Khawaja Naveed Amin and others also spoke on the occasion.
According to a resolution adopted at the seminar, constitutional equality among all federating units, constitutional safeguard of all historical and cultural identities including Sindh, meaningful implementation of provincial autonomy, fair distribution of financial as well as natural resources and empowered local governments were the fundamental principles of a new federal social contract.
The resolution also urged the protection of agricultural, residential, environmental and culturally significant land of Sindh and opposed large-scale transfers of agricultural land and corporate farming projects which could affect rights of local farmers and communities.
It further demanded protection of the Indus River, its whole course and delta as well as water share of the province and called upon the federal government to review new canals and water projects which could disturb Sindh’s water rights.