While nothing remained safe from the curse of PPP during it’s three year ‘raaj’ in the country, it was the Sindhi topi and ajrak that gained ‘value’ more than anything else. From Pakistan Na-khappay to Pakistan Khappay to singing songs in favour of the Sindhi topi and ajrak – the only thing PPP seems to have succeeded in is fanning Sindhi sentiments.
Although I am digusted at how people choose to vote based on their castes and other associations throughout the country, the Sindh case is especially beyond my comprehension.
PPP popular as the only ‘federal’ party has its roots in the interior Sindh. Although the foundation of the Party was laid in Lahore and most of the party’s prominent leaders are/were Punjabi , PPP always retained the Sindhi flavour which worked as an opium for the Sindhi Masses.
The magical ‘Bhutto’ surname in power was, and still is, enough for Sindhis to feel ‘empowered’ and vote for the party. The fact that Sindh remains predominantly a backward area despite PPP’s rise to power several times since its inception never mattered. What seems to matter is a Sindhi-topi-ajrak-wearing head in the Presidency or the Prime Minsiter house. A head who remembers Sindh only when feels intimidated by criticism. Criticism that becomes a conspiracy against the great land of Sindh depending on the ethnic background of the critic.
When the Sindhi topi day was celebrated for the first time in 2009 , I felt disgusted at the ‘so-called’ celebrations because they came as a ‘reaction’ to a justified criticism. A tv anchor criticised his majesty Zardari Sayeen, the President of Pakistan, for wearing a Sindhi cap while attending Hamid Karzai’s swearing in ceremony in Afghanistan. His point – The President should’ve avoided expressing his ‘Sindhi’ background because he is supposed to be the head of the federation and not just Sindh. It gives out a negative message.
How dare he?
Out came the PPP’s favourite Sindh card.The issue was blown out of proportion. The criticism became an ‘attack’ on the Sindhi culture. As a result came the Sindhi topi day for the first time. Sindhis flaunted their caps and Ajraks and ‘made a point’.
One year later, this december, the Sindhi topi day acquired the status of the ‘Sindhi Culture Day’ and was celebrated on a larger scale with lesser negativity(I believe). The good for nothing Sindh government announced a public holiday and Sindhis were spotted enjoying the day, wearing sindhi caps and ajraks dancing on the tunes of Sindhi folk songs.
Despite the fact that I really dislike the history of these celebrations and am very much against a whole day off to allow people flaunt their ethnicity, It was pleasant to see people having fun with the idea. Along with these pleasant sights came some unpleasant questions related to Sindhi culture that are perhaps much more serious than the perceived insult to the Sindhi ‘caps’. Haq Bakhshish is one such evil practised in parts of Punjab and especially Sindh that the most ‘sympathetic’ government to the Sindhis must eradicate.
‘Haq Bakhshish’ or giving up the right to marry is a not so uncommon tradition followed by the feudal families of Sindh mostly- And when it is ‘feudal’ families , it is very serious because the power-structure in the Sindh is based on these very feudal families.
Following this tradition a woman is married to the Quran in a ceremony. This implies that she has given up her right to marry a man and will spend a ‘pious’ life reading the Quran her entire life. This gross insult of the religion and of human rights is carried out for the sole purpose of preventing the family wealth from going outside the family.
Islam provides a woman her property rights. If a woman according to these feudal families, marries within the family, the wealth stays within the family. If there’s no match-let alone a ‘suitable’ match- for the poor woman , she’ll have to fore go her basic human right to preserve her family wealth. Yes, wealth at the cost of human life , wealth at the cost of religious violations.
The tradition is more popular amongst Syed feudals. Syeds are the descendants of the Holy Prophet and are usually not willing to marry outside the caste because of the superiority complex their minds are infested with. (Pathetic , how people who take pride in having blood ties with the Prophet, violate and insult the religion the same Prophet spent his life preaching.)
Haq Bakshish and similar other crimes committed by the powerful, the upholders and saviours of the Sindhi culture, really prove the futility of these ‘topi’ celebrations. A day off for wearing Sindhi cap is not going to add to Sindhi honour. A day for emphasising human rights violations committed in the name of culture will perhaps save the honour of Sindhi women (read objects). But can we expect much when we know that PPP derives its power from these very feudal families?
Do we have any reason to believe serious efforts will be made to eradicate such evils when the PPP number two, Benazir’s right hand man, PPP’s de-facto leader in her absence and now a puppet party President has his four sisters married to the Book? Do we have much to expect when we know that the man who was being viewed as the only eligible person to succeed Benazir, the favourite contestant for the job of the Prime Minister and now a mere Minister for trade and Commerce treats his own sisters as trash?
Unfortunately, those who love playing the victimization card oppress their people more than anyone else. More than 60 years since the country’s birth, Sindh remains a backward area. Larrkana , the PPP power-house is still a place none of us would like to live in. No education, no basic facilities, record-breaking human rights violations and above all Feudal raaj. That’s Sindh for you.
But do the masses care?
They are happy as long as they are referred to while crying ‘Injustice to Sindh’. They are happy as long as they see a Sindhi topi in power. Happy as long as used as a tissue paper. Happy as long as they get to celebrate a Sindhi culture day. Happy to sing ‘Sindhi topi ajrak wara jiyen’.
Sindhi topi is all that seems to matter. Sindhi lives take a back seat. The ‘honour’ after all lies in what’s on the head , not what’s in the head.
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Can I ask you a question? Is ethnicity more important to you or religion or neither?
Ethnicity is not ‘important’ to me. Whatever makes you think it might be ‘more’ important? Religion is.
hmmm…. m also against to such event…they have established the culture day specially for mr.zardari and the sindhi people’s have forgotten some special people of sindh who gave them identity and honour…
jeay bhutto slogan is of no use now….the zardari is up to ruin the country….bhutto’s gone forever…
I totally agree with the SYED’s issue..bloodline! strange! The rest if the article…..you are just flogging a dead horse.
http://www.dawn.com/2010/12/16/in-depth-what-students-are-being-taught-about-the-separation-of-east-pakistan.html
Read the first article by Misha Hussain. I understand religion is more important to you. But why can’t ethnicity be more important to someone else?
what’s wrong if people want to express their ehtnicity? you may not like the way they do so. But there should be space and sensitivy to allow one to express their faith or ethnicity. Don’t you think so?
Nothing wrong with people wanting to express their ethnicity. Wrong is using ethnic cards to play ‘dirty’ politics. Wrong is choosing to live like a dog while being happy with the lolly pop that you come from a certain ethnic background.
I agree. But don’t people play dirty religious politics? sometimes identity (religious or ethnic or gender or caste) becomes more important to someone than anything else. Thats a fact. An unfortunate fact maybe.
last PPP government,u may not have to right this again .
Don’t worry Natasha. We have got results and now Insha’Allah correct our mistakes.
Telling the tale is an art and some are at the peak that they can present truth as lies and vice-versa. Celebrating Sinhdi Topi and Ajrak Day or “Ekta Day”, how can be against the message of Islam? and How can you compare this will the So-called Haq- Bakhshis!!!?
This time not only PPP but all the parties including MQM, ANP, PMl-(N, F) and Nationalist Parties celebrated Sindhi Culture Day and these parties did it for their political objectives, but “Sindh” and “Sindhi People” have given a clear – cut message to all the parties, establishment and others that Now it is Enough! We want our rights, and we are gathered at one point that WE are a Nation, from five thousand years and we have our own particular identity and we will regain our Status and power as a nation, we don’t want remain puppets, we will get our rights and our power, and all that what is Ours, we are not against any province or nation but we are against injustice, bias, wrong definitions and implementation of religion, nation, and patriotism. So where is the fault?
Did I say it is against the message of Islam? No I did not.
//and How can you compare this will the So-called Haq- Bakhshis!!!?//
Not ‘comparing’ the two. You got it all wrong.
Ofcourse all the political parties would jump in when it comes to ‘playing with the sentiments’. MQM is desperate. So all the parties participating in the so-called celebrations doesn’t ‘prove’ anything. They are all involved in Sindhi vs Muhajir/Pathan crap too . They show ‘unity’ in murdering in the name of ethnicity as well. :)
If you think you will ‘get your rights’ by wearing sindhi topi and ajrak once a year , then….good luck! May be you should wear them throughout the year. That’ll be more effective. Whatelse can I say!?
And oh wow. Giving out a clear-cut message?! Why didn’t you do that in the 70s ? 80s , 90s? You had ‘Sindhi’ leadership didn’t you? I feel sorry for such mindset.
and
‘So-called’ Haq Bakhshish. May be you need to dig more about what goes on in the province before attacking others for curbing your rights. See what your people do to your people before crying injustice by what you call the ‘others’.
:)
Natasha, May be I have got some of yours points wrong but you have surely picked only negative points that is why you say
//Of course all the political parties would jump in when it comes to ‘playing with the sentiments’//
that is good, “playing with the sentiments”… political parties, lobbies or establishment etc dare to play with people’s sentiments when there are already such sentiments.
And how such celebrations are “so-called?” Just only because political parties also celebrated?
Majority is authority and a nation with its majority celebrated these days, I’m unable to understand your objection over these celebrations.
I appreciate your advice to wear Sindhi Topi and Ajrak throughout the year.
//Why didn’t you do that in the 70s ? 80s , 90s? You had ‘Sindhi’ leadership didn’t you? I feel sorry for such mindset.//
What do you mean by this! If we have make mistakes in past then we should repeat them or We should not change our tools or ways??
And Natasha! your last point is more interesting… // ‘So-called’ Haq Bakhshish. May be you need to dig more about what goes on in the province before attacking others for curbing your rights. See what your people do to your people before crying injustice by what you call the ‘others’.//
Ya, these are our problems, Karo Kari; the so-called honor killing, tribal fighting and, rapes and many more and after these celebrations the next step to take is the movement against tribal fighting but Natasha; people engaged in such tribal fighting and criminal activities (including Waderas, Feudal lords, belonging to various parties) will call this movement as “So-called” or “foreign funded” movement!!
And for “Clear-cut message”…. Natasha, it is basically for our Sindhi leadership, not for Mian Nawaz Sharif, Imran Khan and/or Syed Munawar Hasan!!
And this message is also for the federation/ state, of which we are equal and founder part, and this is message that we don’t want status quo anymore so please change your behavior, change your mindset….
Still your are sorry for our “such mindset”, then surely it would be a matter of national security.