HYDERABAD: National Party’s Senator Mir Hasil Bizenjo has said that security establishment has enjoyed supremacy over the past 40 years and it has remained intact to date regardless of who rules the country.

He said at a condolence meeting organised by Jam Saqi Yadgar Committee to pay tribute to democratic and political struggle waged by Saqi at Sindh Museum on Thursday night that security establishment was giving a message that it was a party.

He said that political conditions in Ayub regime were difficult but Zia made them poisonous. Remnants of Zia had fanned sectarianism across the country and those involved in spreading sectarianism today were being protected by the elements, who had nurtured them in dictatorial regimes, he said, adding that even this day outfits like Jamaatud Dawa were being launched.

He said that political forces should understand that the question did not involve Punjab alone.

It was the need of the hour that political forces should build their narrative based on truth and pro-people agenda to drive their message home.

If political and progressive forces did not come up with their own narrative, the one being spread by terrorists and thieves would come to haunt them, he said.

Pakistan Peoples Party leader Taj Hyder said that Saqi was a Marxist Sufi. Today’s political conditions were far better and one should not be pessimist because people were more aware and society had witnessed a big change, he said.

Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party chairman Dr Qadir Magsi said that Saqi led a successful movement for publication of voter lists in Sindhi language.

Qaumi Awami Tehreek president Ayaz Latif Palijo said that although Saqi was a big political figure he worked as an insurance company agent and ran a shop to make both ends meet.

He said that the culture of accusations introduced in ’70s continued till this day. Sindh needed politics of enlightenment, practiced by G.M. Syed, Rasool Bux Palijo, Jam Saqi and Hyder Bux Jatoi, he said.

TV analyst Imtiaz Alam said that there was no liberal and democratic movement in Pakistan. People like him and Saqi tried to change the map of subcontinent but in vain.

The country where peasants, students and labourers were imprisoned could not progress, he said.

TV anchor Hamid Mir said that Saqi never aspired for power. Today, the society was witnessing the onset of de-politicisation, which had begun from Senate election, he said.

He said that Bizenjo had referred to “Senate tragedy” and those who claimed to be democrats had contributed to this de-politicisation. Unless the three big political parties introduced democracy in their ranks, democracy could not become strong in the country, he said.

If someone thought powerful institutions and forces could help one win election, he was mistaken. Unless attitudes changed another Sadiq Sanjrani would be ready to clinch the office of prime minister, he said.

PML-N leader Syed Shah Moh­am­mad Shah said that as long as civil and military bureaucracy exis­ted, democracy could not be streng­thened because they both sought to usurp rights of the oppressed.

Dur Mohammad Jakhrani, You­suf Leghari, Iqbal Tareen, Imdad Chandio, Noorul Huda Shah, Jami Chandio, Bakhshal Thalho, late Saqi’s daughter Bakhtawar Jam and others also spoke at the reference.

Saqi remembered

LARKANA: Speakers paid tribute to unshaken commitment of late Saqi at a gathering organised by Awami Workers Party (AWP) at Abdul Latif Nizamani labour hall on Friday.

Comrade Asar Imam, vice president AWP Sindh chapter; Roshan Kalhoro, central leader of Pakis­tan Trade Union; Mujeeb Pirzado, Munir Kumbhar and others said that Saqi never bowed to pressures and remained true to his philosophy — rule of workers — in the face of all odds.

He was symbol of courage and conviction. He braved hardships, remained underground for years together and was thrown into jail but no amount of difficulties could budge him from his cause, he said.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2018