Demand for Provincial Sindh Coal Authority

We, the undersigned demand that the recent announcement by the Government of Pakistan to establish an Islamabad-based Sindh Coal Authority be retracted immediately. We believe that the rightful owners of the vast coal deposits in the Thar area in the province of Sindh are the people of Sindh and the recent action of the federal governments is an illegal action.


We further demand that the head office of the authority must continue to be based in the provincial capital and the majority of members should be appointed by the provincial government. The proposed composition of the authority that four out of the five members of the authority Federal Government appointees is totally unacceptable.


We consider the Federal governmentвs action a serious violation of the constitution of Pakistan and an attempt to secure control over the provincially owned natural resources. The people of Sindh reject this undue interference in the provincial jurisdiction and consider it an illegal action that counter to the 1940 Lahore Resolution that forms the basis of the creation of the country of Pakistan.


Those interested in the background and other facts in support of this petition are referred to the following public web sites:

http://iaoj.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/provincial-govt-resists-sindh-coal-authority-main-office-in-islamabad/

http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Business/12-Jul-2008/Provincial--govt-resists-Sindh-Coal-Authority-main-office-in-Islamabad


http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Regional/Karachi/20-Jul-2008/Ministers-reject-Opp-White-Sheet-terming-it-absurd

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=116980

http://www.wikio.com/news/Thar+Coal

http://www.aaj.tv/news/National/110963_detail.html


All indications are that the provincial government will not approve any decisions taken by a federally appointed agency. Even if the provincial governments surrenders to the pressure of the federal government, the people of Sindh will oppose any decisions taken that do not protect Sindhi interests by holding public demonstrations and conducting hunger strikes. The international companies must realize the immense risk they would be taking by engaging with a federally appointed agency as the formation of such an authority may be declared illegal in Pakistani courts in future.


Lastly, we appeal to all citizens of the world that believe and support the rights of native people to own the natural resources in their homelands to sign this petition and send a loud message to the federal government of Pakistan that they must respect rights of provinces.