The Sindhi youth is afflicted with pervasive poverty, chronic unemployment, drug addiction and limited recreational avenues. Due to these problems, the youth has become susceptible to anger, disillusionment and suicide in the upper and lower Sindh districts. The suicide of two young party workers of the PPP, both from the home district of the chief minister of the province, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Kahirpur Mirs, in protest of rising unemployment and the showing of a shoe by an angry unemployed young man to the provincial law minister Mr Muhammad Ayaz Soomro, in the function in Hyderabad is a reminder of the fact that the Sindhi youth is in a deep crisis. Their reservoir of patience is over now because the incumbent provincial rulers have virtually done nothing to change the lot of the deprived. Reliable statistics available with this scribe and a few other research-oriented NGOs testify to the fact that there is very high incidence of suicides among teenagers in upper and lower Sindh districts. The growing trend of suicides among the educated and skilled youths is a matter of urgent concern.
The incumbent rulers are requested to take concrete measures to prevent the lot of the youth in the province. In this connection, the government is requested to set up economic zones in the upper and lower Sindh districts, preferably in Larkano, Shikarpur, Sanghar, Naushero Feroz. NGOs and other independent organisation that help the youth are requested to establish youth development centres for their counselling and put them on right track so that such youth can have some hope.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad