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Human rights, plight of Sindhis, in Pak raised in Congress
Washington, May 14: The plight of Sindhis in Pakistan was the subject of much concern at a US Congressional human rights hearing with some participants urging secretary of state Colin Powell to declare the South Asian nation a `country of particular concern.`
Washington, May 14: The plight of Sindhis in Pakistan was the subject of much concern at a US Congressional human rights hearing with some participants urging secretary
of state Colin Powell to declare the South Asian nation a "country of particular concern."
Hamid Hussain of the World Sindhi Institute told the hearing that for the last 55 years, Pakistan's military had gradually achieved complete dominance over civil society and
the lack of true democracy had a direct and crippling impact on the human rights of all living in the country, particularly the largely unrepresented Sindhis.
"In the place of democracy exists a complex network of state-sponsored terrorist groups who are empowered with a right to rule by whatever means," he said. "In the chaos of Pakistan, it is no surprise that crime gangs composed of government members and comrades to the government have organised themselves often times beyond the capacity of the named 'government.'
"As a result, Sindhis and other minorities suffer from job loss, loss of land, cultural intimidation, and general racism," he pointed out.
Hussain said that Pakistan receives 67 per cent of its revenue from Sindh but Sindhi poverty rates stand at twice the national average. A majority of Sindhi girls are denied even basic schooling. "Yet Pakistan continues to allocate a majority of its budgetary resources to its military," he said.
Speaking at the hearing, Richard D Land, commissiner of the US commission on international religious freedom, pointed out that the administration had been repeatedly urged to declare Pakistan a "country of particular concern."
Bureau Report
"In the place of democracy exists a complex network of state-sponsored terrorist groups who are empowered with a right to rule by whatever means," he said. "In the chaos of Pakistan, it is no surprise that crime gangs composed of government members and comrades to the government have organised themselves often times beyond the capacity of the named 'government.'
"As a result, Sindhis and other minorities suffer from job loss, loss of land, cultural intimidation, and general racism," he pointed out.
Hussain said that Pakistan receives 67 per cent of its revenue from Sindh but Sindhi poverty rates stand at twice the national average. A majority of Sindhi girls are denied even basic schooling. "Yet Pakistan continues to allocate a majority of its budgetary resources to its military," he said.
Speaking at the hearing, Richard D Land, commissiner of the US commission on international religious freedom, pointed out that the administration had been repeatedly urged to declare Pakistan a "country of particular concern."
Bureau Report