Hardly a day of the great murder of the history of Sindh passed by, that 72 years back, Hindu mystic singer, Bhaghat Kanwar Ram, was killed near Shikarpur, that we always remember him on his anniversary day, 1st Nov. We have got a blow due to another shock that three Hindu doctors have been killed by the Bhayo Tribe in Shikarpur.

Prima Facie it is due to the fact that recently the persons of this tribe had kidnapped a Hindu girl and wanted to convert her religion to escape from the crime of kidnapping.

The Hindu community, who was in majority prior partition of India, is still living by about 50000 houses, in Shikarpur. They couldn’t let this happen and they got the girl back from the Bhayo tribe. In the tribal context it was little shameful for Bhayos that Hindus, the most weak people, forced Bhayos and got the girl back. In a ray of revenge on very Eid day, just to send a loud and clear message to the Hindu community, three Hindu doctors in Shikarpur were killed, in relation they were brother to each other, while they were performing their routine professional work in their respective clinics.

This is that Shikarpur where the great leader of Sindh, Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro was murdered on same grounds of communal riots, almost 68 years back. Shikarpur was Hub of trade and commerce, which even Karl Marx has acknowledged on his notes on India as colony of British Empire. Prior partition it was either Karachi or Shikarpur which had colleges and best education institutions and hospitals that even Hyderabad and Sukkur was far behind it.

Shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro was first Chief Minister of Sindh, who was against the formation of Pakistan, was from Shikarpur city. This was due to this fact that communal riots of Manzil Masjid Gah were spread. His rival was Ayub Khuro, he was also belonging to the same region. This was Allah Bux as middle class Sindhi that to feudal Sindh it was not acceptable. This was the rising power in trade of Hindus that to the feudal of Sindh not acceptable.

Bhaghat Kanwar that great mystic singer was murdered at that time. Allah Bux soomro another symbol of religious harmony and secularism was murdered at that time. People like AyuB khuro took refuge in riots on religion basis, and got there leadership shine on it . Ayub Khuro was charged in the murder of Allah Bux. Pirs of Bharchondi were charged in the murders of Bhaghat Kanwar. And now Bhayos are charged, who are this time in PPP, not because PPP is good party, but they are in, partly due to the power structuring of that area to compete with other tribes.

This is yet another story of trader whose brther was murdered in Jacobabad under the patronage of Babul Jakharani, father of Aijaz jakharani, minister ppp, that the family was forced to compel to migrate to India. Small children of hindu community are kidnapped in Kashmore, near Shikarpur, by the Mazari Tribe, for ransom.

This Sindh from north to South is increasingly become miserable for schedule castes and upper castes of Hindus. Ayub Khuro was succeded by Bhuttos and that Bhuttos made the symbol of secularism and tolerance revive back.

This is a test case for Asif Zardari, the transitional successor of the Bhuttos to prove himself and bring the culprits to the task so that the justice could be made.

That Shikarpur, which was seat of renaissance of Sindh, which gave great entrepreneur to India, in the name of Bajaj and Hinduja family, is dilapidated. It is a land of wilderness now. Karo Kari, tribal fueds, kidnapping, murders are the order of day.

Shikarpur is a land of my friend late Junaid Soomro, that on his murder thousands of people gathered, that it was a unique example that despite the fact this grandson of Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro was not in PPP, but since he was always friend of people, he always stood by the common men in their all thick and thin, people by assembling in such a way was an acknowledgement of this secular grand son of Secular shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro, who always was saver of minority and the poor.

It is a high time for the civil society of Sindh to give support to this feeble and fragile minority of Sindh. That not only the feudal, there is also a rising chunk of fundamentalist wahabis over there who is also gaining a clout in Shikarpur.

It is times to let us all make Shikarpur to come and gain its position as history tells us that it had a 100 percent literacy rate prior partition. People like AK Brohi, Sarki who despite children of poor people, have got a highly good education in ordinary schools of Shikarpur. This is that Shikarpur, which gave us a great poet Shaikh Ayaz. Shikarpur has given us a great and vibrant middle class as well.

It was indeed an honour for us when last year Asma Jahangir, renowned human right activist came herself to the Ruk Station (Shikarpur) to pay homage to Bhaghat Kanawar Ram. The civil Society activist did not say me no and paid a visit to Shikarpur to pay homage to Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro.

Let us stand up irrespective of any differences and issues, together against this crime. Never let criminals to escape this time.

Source: Javed Ahmed Qazi

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