Left Politics
By Shahid Rizvi
Conspicuous by their absence have been genuine nationalists of Sindh during the recent political activities in the country. Since long they have not been heard of. Sindh has a reputation of safeguarding the left and its parties during the last half-century.
Whenever the left parties were attacked banned or persecuted, Punjab and NWFP showed their vacillations, it was Sindh alone that gave shelter and provided motherly love to the Left parties against all repressions. It kept alive the last politics. Left especially the Communist Party in Sindh was a brainchild of nationalism, which had the majority strength of Sindhi youth fighting for their rights.
There is no denial to this fact. The left in Sindh is inactive and we see that there is not a single indication of left politics in Punjab, NWFP, and Baluchistan. The big names of socialism communism labor movements all those loudmouths of left in other provinces have gone into oblivion. Everyone will show its existence as soon as left politics in Sindh revives. Though strange a phenomenon, yet it exists.
The struggle of Sindhi youth was strengthened and diverted towards socialism by the communists. But the tide of passion of Sindhi youth was fully exploited by Bhutto who emerged as one of the biggest leaders of the Muslim world.
As the most powerful party of Sind. Vocal Sindhi youth transcended to power-sharing with Punjab for the solution of its national problems. It was not at all acceptable to the ruling clique as they wanted to keep the major revenue-earning province under them. To tie the hand of PPP, Every other party stood as one against the PPP to date every election has seen different United friends with different names but with one aim to oppose the tooth and nail the PPP.
The main issue of Sindhi nationalism was subdued by this power-sharing formula. Sindhi nationalism coloured by the Left demanded revolutionary agricultural reforms and industrial development. The power-sharing tendency of the PPP forced it to have the cooperation of landlords thus ignoring revolutionary hands reforms.
The lack of agriculture reforms affected the pace of industrial development, and even after 50 years, the province has a very low profile for industrial development. There was a deep conspiracy to destroy whatever industrial sector existed in Sindh through terrorism. The conspiracy was to check the growth of the Sindhi middle class, besides, destroying the revenue-earning city and making it a hostage. The most affected areas were the industrial areas of Karachi and Hyderabad.
Why Zia ul Haq did not create a terrorist organization in Punjab. Who are the supporters of terrorism in Sindh. Sindhi nationalism has to turn to socialism-cum-nationalism again if it wants to solve its national problems. It is the only option available. All other roads lead to where we stand today. Sindh will have to fight for socialist democracy. A party of left is badly needed. Sindh and Pakistan can never be a democratic country without Sindhi youth rising for their national rights through a genuine left party.
