Pakistan: PPP demands security for Pashtuns in Sindh amid seething ethnic tensions

Amid seething ethnic tensions between Pakhtuns and Sindhis, Pakistan Peoples Party has called on the Sindh government to treat the matter with utter seriousness and provide security to Pashtuns who are residing in different parts of the province, local media reported.

Citing the big contribution of Pashtuns in the development of the province, Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former federal minister Khawaja Mohammad Khan Hoti urged the Sindh government to provide protection to them.

He made this request in talks with mediapersons at the Mardan Press Club on Friday, Dawn reported. Moreover, condemning the alleged acts to stop Pashtuns from running businesses and their forced expulsion from the Sindh province, Hoti stressed the PPP leadership and the Sindh government should deal with the matter seriously.

Hoti warned that if the fire of ethnic hatred is not stopped it will spread to other parts of the country as well. He further demanded Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government and the Sindh government take strict action against those behind fanning ethnic tensions, reported Dawn.

Highlighting the grave financial situation that Pakistan is undergoing the leader said that at this juncture the country will not be able to deal with such instances of ethnic hatred.

Notably, shops and hotels, owned by Pashtuns, were forcibly closed by Sindhis as ethnic tensions flared up in several districts in Sindh province following the killing of 35-year-old Bilal Kaka at a hotel in Hyderabad a couple of days ago, media reports said.

Bilal Kaka, a Sindhi youth was shot dead by Pathans at a restaurant over a food bill during Eid-ul-Azah. According to the media reports, the hotel owners allegedly shot dead Bilal Kaka and injured his two friends after a dispute over a food bill at the Super Salateen Hotel near Wadhu Wah near Hyderabad bypass - one of the most popular areas in Hyderabad.

In the aftermath of the killing, there were massive protests registered across the Sindh province. The leaders from across the political spectrum unanimously called for calm, urging people not to let rogue elements disturb the social harmony of the province, reported Dawn.

Several violent incidents were reported in the province on Thursday. Several political parties, including JI, MQM-Pakistan, Awami National Party, and nationalist leaders Jalal Mehmood Shah and Ayaz Latif Palijo issued statements, urging both Sindhis and Pashtuns -- the two groups at the heart of these tensions -- to demonstrate restraint.

The political parties also demanded the government to take prompt action to defuse the tensions.

According to the local media, illegal Afghan residents are involved in narcotics and money lending at a heavy rate of interest. It further noted that they were also involved in killing the Sindhi youths.

Local media further pointed out that police authorities and others in law-enforcement departments do not act against such elements.

They said Balal Kaka's case is not just one isolated case but it is the result of an influx of outsiders into Sindh. They said peaceful political movements are the only way out to get rid of outsiders' influx into Sindh.

Meanwhile, Sindh United Party Chairman and Convener of Sindh Action Committee, Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah said that the law-and-order problem in Sindh is increasing because of the Afghans living in Sindh and others coming to Sindh from elsewhere.Hundreds of protesters from the Kaka tribe took to the national highway in Sindh province to protest against the killing of Balal Kaka.

Rallies were held at Qambar, Jacobabad, Nawabashah, Tando Mohammad Khan, Halan, and at Kariyo Ghunoor by different groups including nationalist Jiye Sindh Quami Mahaz and Awami Tehreek, Sindh Tarqui Pasand's Students' Federation and Sindh United Party.

Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) has announced demonstrations across Sindh Friday on July 15 demanding the ouster of outsiders in Sindh, reported local media.

JSQM chairman said that Afghans staying in Sindh are the major reason for ruining Sindh.Taking a dig at authorities, he said that the Afghans also seem to have got licences now to kill Sindhi youth in Karachi and Hyderabad.

( With inputs from ANI )

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