KARACHI: Voters of energy-basket Sanghar district have come up with rare pamphlets inscribed with ‘thenga’ – a gesture to express defiant refusal for votes to political parties for repeated broken promises on development work.
One such poster displayed by residents of Union Council-II, a poor locality in the center city, reads, “Vote lenay hen toe gas ka masla hal karo, road banwao, Bakhoro water pipeline mukamal karo Werna thenga. (If you want votes then solve the (low pressure) gas problem, construct the roads, complete the Bakhoro water supply pipeline).
“Due to water shortage there is joblessness,” said Abdul Latif, a washerman (dhobi) in the locality. “Take my profession. There is massive decline in my work. Often we dhobis face starvation,” he added.
Another resident Muhammad Ramzan Ali Haidri said that the area was deprived of drinking water since months.
Liaquat Bhatti, newly appointed Deputy Commissioner Sanghar also acknowledged the water shortage stating that “Scarcity is linked with reduced water supply from Indus River system. Despite that there are many ‘issues’ in Irrigation Department.
Officials of Sanghar’s Irrigation Department sell water and deprive drinking water to the locals,” he said.
10-years delay in laying pipelines project from Bakhoro Canal also affects water supply.
Sindh’s Sanghar district contributes six percent in country’s overall oil and gas production.
It is among the country’s top cotton producing districts and earns value foreign exchange.
Sanghar district receives Rs.150 million annually in terms of oil and gas royalty.
However, locals complain that district headquarters lacks basic amenities including drinking water, improved sewage, street roads, gas and healthcare.
In the past, Sanghar has been a stronghold of Pir Pagara-led Pakistan Muslim League Functional(PML-F) as district has been getting heavy mandate.
After PMLF, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) too could not change the area’s fate despite remaining five times in power – more recently ten consecutive years in Sindh government.
Not far away from UC-II, residents of Muslim Town, Dhak Para, Shafi Colony and Maalhi Para have also displayed a banner. “Road benga, gas ki pipeline bichay gi tab vote den ge werna thenga! (When roads will be constructed, gas pipeline will be laid, only then we will cast votes otherwise ‘thenga’).
Sanghar, despite being a major supplier of natural gas to the country, its district headquarter city is facing low gas pressure problem.
The residents of Dhak Para complain of getting very low gas pressure since years.
“In 2016 November, we were promised for provision of new pipeline in one month time. It has been one and half year but the promise was not fulfilled,” said Muhammad Tufail, an area elder.
“For more than fifty years, Sanghar has chosen PML-F. But Sanghar’s condition has gone from bad to worse. Enough is enough. So this time when PML-F candidate would turn up in the area for the votes, we will ask him why his party couldn’t do anything for us. Similarly when PPP candidate will visit our area, we will take him accountable for his party’s two-consecutive terms in Sindh government” added the elder.
Not only seniors, first time voters have also learnt the art of bargaining. A bunch of young people have formed a group called ‘Young Itehad’ in Mughal Mohalla at Al-Mansoora Colony.
The ”Young Itehad” also displayed a banner reading ‘3 Kaam Karo, 200 Votes Lo. Family Park banwao. Water Filter Plant lagwao. Sewerage system theek Karo’.
Muhammad Raza, a representative of Young Itehad, a graphics designer by profession said that during local bodies elections 2016, the residents of Al-Mansoora Colony gave vote to PPP candidate who won. “Although the water pipeline was laid but there is no water.”
During a visit, it was observed that the area’s family park could not be built despite the approval. The plot has been turned into a garbage dumping site where children are often seen playing.
The vote-to-development bargain idea came after we saw voters’ activism in other parts of the country. “Our objective is very clear. We want change. We want public representatives to do practical things for development work rather than doing lip service,” Raza added.