All Parties Conference on ‘Hyderabad City Government Issue’ by the Sindh Democratic Forum held on Thursday, July 20th, 2006 at the Hyderabad Press Club

DECLARATION :

We the representatives of political parties, civil society forums, human rights organizations and concerned citizens gathered together in this APC and declare that :

1. The proposal of converting Hyderabad district government in to Hyderabad City Government is based on no other reason except the most wild and dangerous intention of breaking the home land of Sindhi people, on ethnic lines. This ill-intention move is based to create an extremely wounding and long-lasting conflict and disharmony in between the people of Sindh, speaking various languages and is therefore totally rejected by the house.

2. The joining of thickly populated five districts of Karachi to form on mammoth district of 15 million people, at the same time breaking of Hyderabad district of only 2.7 million population, in to four pieces, on the one hand and opening of Khokhro Par route with out active and representative consultation of Sindhi people, the plan to divide Thatta district in to two parts with new Bhambhor district and attempts at turning Mirpur Khas district in to a city government, on the other hand are all nefarious steps of justifying the breakup of Sindhi people’s home land at a later date.

3. APC is of the view that this designed divide formulas are made to settle non-Sindhi population in Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, and Mirpur Khas, to change the demographic composition, greatly reducing the indigenous population. This act will not only harm the peace and harmony of the province but will also threaten national integrity of Pakistan.

4. Since the establishment gave birth to a fascist and terrorist political group in urban Sindh or the sole purpose of breaking the opposition and resistance of the people of Sindh against anti people, anti Sindh and anti state policies of the establishment of Pakistan. Sindh has been a constant target of terror, murder, lawlessness and political instability.

5. While installing the terrorist group in power in Sindh, against all democratic norms, the godfather of this group, General Pervez Musharraf had said that he had "BOUGHT" peace for Sindh. The APC is firmly convinced that the proposal of converting Hyderabad district government in to City Government is yet another bribe for the terrorist organization, which will effects on the law and order situation and governance in Sindh, as the result of the "buying" of peace.

6. APC is of the firm believe that first by dividing and now converting, Hyderabad in to City Government, the motive is to control the precious lands, natural resources, revenue generation, buildings, parks, stadiums, historical and heritage buildings and tax system of the district into a hegemonic control thereby depriving indigenous of possession and ownership of basically what belongs to them.

7. APC feels that another very important but hidden agenda behind the formation of City Government is to discourage genuine movement of Sindhi people, that could have resulted in the "structural transformation" from the rural agro-based economy to industrial and urban sectors. And that aims to keep the real owners of the land, the Sindhis into permanent minority in Hyderabad. The case of Karachi and the marginalization of the rural areas of Karachi is the worst recent example of this conspiracy.

8. This APC declares that General Musharraf is a usurper and his present military rule is illegal and un-constitutional. All the constitutional amendments and ordinances including The Local Government Ordinance 2001, under which districts and city governments are formulated, are illegitimate and unlawful.

9. The APC does not recognise the legitimacy of Musharraf government and his fraudulently installed Sindh government and does not accept the break-up of Hyderabad in to four districts, and will resist all moves for turning Hyderabad in to City Government. All the parties present in today’s APC declare that whenever any of them come into power, the original district of Hyderabad will be restored and action will be taken against all such officials who help fritter away the property and the resources of Hyderabad in the garb of City Government.

10. The APC appeals to all the democratic, peace loving and just people of Sindh, Pakistan and of the whole world, to take note of the nefarious and unholy designs of General Musharraf and his terrorist group to divide the homeland of Sindhi people, who are the custodian of centuries’ old glorious civilization of the world, and raise their collective voice against all schemes and conspiracies against the homeland of Sindhi people.