scenario of Sindh

In 1947 when the subcontinent was divided, communal carnage took place - but Sindh remained free from such massacres, as both Muslims and Hindus lived in comparative harmony. Hindus were the middle-class backbone of Sindh - the professionals, businessmen, the administrators.

That had been so even in the time of Muslim rulers prior to British conquest of Sindh in 1843. Muslims were mostly in agriculture and a few among them were big, rich landlords.

During the partition, 98 percent of Hindus were forced to emigrate to India. There, Sindhi Hindus have achieved great successes in every field, including high ranks in military.

In contrast, Sindhi Muslims have remained where they were, even after 56 years of Pakistani independence. Only 5 percent of the industry and businesses in the province are owned by Sindhi Muslims. There are no Sindhis in the top ranks of Pakistan's military.

Ever since 1947, millions of non-Sindhis have been brought in and allowed to settle in the province - to the detriment of local Sindhi Muslims. Prior to 1947, non-Sindhis were hardly 10 percent in Sindh, whereas now they have reached nearly 40 percent. Most of the major towns in Sindh have a majority of non-Sindhis.

In 1947, Karachi had a 70 percent Sindhi population (many of them Hindus); now it has only 10 percent Sindhis.

Now the province has a frightening scenario due to the deprivation regarding the Indus River waters. Too much water is being diverted into irrigation projects in the Punjab.

Sea waters are intruding into what were once fertile farmlands in the coastal areas of Sindh. Other parts of the Indus delta have been left dry - with the loss of livelihood to thousands of Sindhis. Further, irrigation channels for farms are deprived of needed waters.

Experts say the situation is due to the construction of dams and canals that have cut the flow of the Indus River.

Now, plans are under way for a major expansion of the Thal canal in the Punjab. Its construction has started even against the wishes and interests of Sindh.

The Sindh Assembly recently adopted a unanimous resolution against this project.

In fact, the Thal canal was rejected by the British government in 1871 and again in 1925 as very harmful to Sindh.

There have been massive demonstrations all over Sindh in March and April of 2002 and again in November 2002.

Over time, the record of human-rights violations has been abominable in Sindh. Dissenters have been imprisoned without trials. In '60s and again in '80s, protesting youth were mercilessly beaten, killed and thousands imprisoned.

Sindhi Muslims remain a bastion of tolerant Islam. The majority of them follow Sufism, a tolerant, peaceful variant of Islam - which once blended so well with the unorthodox devotional form practiced by Sindhi Hindus.

Even in Pakistan's recent (semi-rigged) elections, not a single candidate of religious party was elected from rural areas of Sindh. The exception to this pattern was Karachi.

In conclusion, this is an overall view of happenings in my beloved land of birth. The world must wake up to the problems there.