Travel Experience of Sindh Province, lot of learning, Diversified Community, lot of Peace

1. 2013
Mujahid Arain
Voice of New Generation
1/1/2013
Study Tour Report

2. It was 6th
February 2013 when I left Multan for a study trip of Sindh province with my friends
Mr.Shahzad Murtaza, Zaheer Bhatti, Muhammad Zulfiqar, Abid Hussain, Manzar Khan and Ms. Sadia
Maqsood of Punjab province. We reached Hyderabad at 11am on 7th
February 2013 and CSSP manager
Mr. Akbar Dars was there to welcome us. He brings us to CSSP-TRF Hyderabad we take some rest after
taking breakfast. It was the evening of 7th
February when we met the youth, poets and intellectuals of
Sindh and start sharing of ideology of both provinces regarding hot issues like Sariki Province, water
problems of Sindh, opportunities of youth and diversity of cultures in provinces.
On February 8th
2013 we left for TRDP office Mithi where we know about the working of TRDP and the
culture of this particular desert of Thar. After brief discussion with Dr. Ashoke at TRDP office we left for
Thar Youth Festival at Mithi but it was over as we reached there. We met VNGs there and discuss about
the youth festival than we left for the Mithi city and checked in a restaurant at evening we play cricket
with VNG Mithi and at night timing there was a gathering with them we also visit the Gadi Bhit from
where you can see the whole city. After a complete entertaining gathering with our VNG friends we go to
sleep and we get up early in the morning at 9th
February 2013 as Mr. Akbar Dars was on the door to get
up we are getting late. So we all have to get ready before 7:30 that we have a delicious breakfast with
VNGs and it was really enjoying bypassing comments to make joke of friends. The taste of breakfast was
not like that as we take in Punjab it was to oily and heavy food in breakfast.
We were on our way to Tharcoal and there were lot of jokes and singing among the team we make many
photographs and reached at Thar Coal where we met admin officer Mr. Dileep Doshi who was also a
VNG member. Dileep took us to plant 5 that was a gasification plant. We met the staff and their head give
us a brief orientation on the working of this plant. After the presentation some questions were asked by
the VNGs and we take tea with the team of Thar-coal. We also visit the different sections of the plant, I
was really very impressed by the team of engineers because the work in a desert by taking challenges and
to know about the natural resource that are very helpful for the economy of Pakistan but at the same time
I was surprised to know that our government is not taking initiative to fully utilize these resources, funds
allocation and issue funds have much difference among them. There was also a miss management to not
employed local people at this site and no use of advance technology at that particular plan. We visit
drilling area and also saw the artificial lake that had been watered by the drilling water. Mr. Engineer told
that this water in Thar Desert is a great source of animal and birds drinking water.
After this visit we left for Umerkot for lunch, we were happy to know about the Thar-coal and we were
discussing with Mr. Dileep about this than we come back to the Thar-coal guest house to drop Mr. Dileep
and we move towards Ningerparker a beautiful place to visit that. There was lot of excitement and
adventures there a small boy came and told that he will climb a mountain in 3 mints and will come back
to us in 2 mints we were amazed to know that but he climbed the mountain in 2 mints and come back to
us in 1.16 mints we tried our best but can`t climb that mountain but Mr. Zulfiqar was the winner among
us. We spent almost 1 hour there than start our journey towards Mithi. When I reached Mithi I came to
know that there is a musical night that has been organized by VNG Mithi for us, we were very happy to
know about that. The singer was really good he sang songs in Urdu, Sindhi and Sariki but all the songs
were outstanding but the Sindhi song “Ajab chokri” was the best. Although I don’t know the Sindhi but
the music and translation by Mr. Akbar make it much easy for me. Mithi city left a good impact on my
mind because there were different religions living together but having no conflict with one another. There
were Hindus and Muslims sitting together and we were unable to know who Hindu was and who is

3. Muslim. At mid night we go to sleep and early in the morning there was a knock at the door and Mr.
Akbar talking to us “Mujahid bhai bohat late ho gy hn hum 5 mints hn aap sub k pass jaldi ready ho
jao”
Everybody was in hurry to take bath and get ready we take breakfast with the VNG members of Sindh
who were in Mithi for the TOT, after the breakfast we take our luggage and a long journey started to
wards Karachi via Badin and Thaata. At Badin we met the official of Young Shedi Development
organization and also the VNGs of Badin. We were very excited to discuss the VNG status in our districts
and the working of VNG groups in different districts. VNG Badin tell us the consequences and hurdles
that are faced by them in their district also the education status is very low in that area and the
landlordism that is a major cause of these problems. It was shocking to know that there are many schools
but there are no teachers there while teachers not go to schools because of security problems. Officials of
YSDO give us the orientation of their working and history of their organization. We leave Badin near
about 12 o clock and start our journey for Thatta. We reached Thatta at 3pm and take our 2 VNG female
members with us and went to Plan Pakistan office. We take lunch at Plan Pakistan office and then there
was a good meeting with the staff of Plan Pakistan. After detail discussion and question answer session
with Plan Pakistan International we left for the largest graveyard of the Asia as said by Mr. Akbar than we
went to Kinger Lake and we taste fish that was taken by Akasha for us. Taste was good and then we left
for a great mosque. The engineering of this beautiful mosque was outstanding there are 100 pillars but
when any body count there comes 99 or 101 in counting. One other great thing is the sound rotate in the
whole mosque when only one person spoke in the mehrab of the mosque. We take tea at the lawn of the
mosque than a long journey towards Karachi started.
When we reach Karachi we were much tired and there was another adventure because hotel was not
booked there and we were wandering here and there for hotels at last we get rooms in Shalamar hotel and
go to sleep this was the best sleep during our study trip.
At 11th
of February we get up early in the morning and get ready for BBSYDP (Benazir Bhutto Shaheed
Youth Development Programme) office. The director of BBSYDP and his team welcome us in his office
and give a briefing of the objectives and working of programme. He told us that how this programme can
be useful for the youth but he don`t satisfy us during questions answer session. It was a long meeting of
almost 2 hours than we left for Lunch after lunch we visited Goal mosque the engineering of this beautiful
mosque is great. Its look beautiful and have one large round gumbat. It was almost 01:30 pm and we
reached Mazar-e-Quaid. We spend one and half hour there than we were on the way to Sea. It was lot of
fun at sea we put our shoes, purse and valets into the van and we were in the water of Sea. Horse riding
and Camel riding at sea was really great. We enjoy a lot and take coffee than we were in van and taking
about the whole day visits. It was delicious dinner at Defense and we met the Family of our leader Mr.
Akbar Dars. We go back to hotel and go to sleep.
12th
February 2013 we get up left for SoL (School of Leadership) Karachi office at 10am. People with me
like Shahzad and Zaheer were much excited to meet the team of school of leadership. The representative
of SoL told us how Sol established and what the core area of their work are. School of Leadership
working on youth development, they conducts conferences and youth is the only segment that is
participated in that conference, the main message they give to youth is “you are much important and you

4. can do all that others can do, people with lot of achievements are nothing but they have the will to do that
things so we can also do that what we wish to do if we have skills and willing to do that”.
When we left for PILER (Pakistan Institute for Labor, Education and Research) it was almost 12:45pm
and we reached its office at 01:45pm. The PILER team was waiting at lunch and we join them. After the
lunch head of the institute gave us a presentation on their working. He discuss about current situation of
their working. How they are working on the accident of Baldiya Town Karachi and what kind of
difficulties are faced by the stakeholders. Many of the people are there who have not yet paid their claims
and there are also some missing dead bodies. This presentation left an impact of government working and
their bad governess in the country. With a detail discussion and questioning this session come to an end
and we were on the way to Hyderabad. At 9:00pm we reached Hyderabad TRF-Hyderabad. We take
dinner and go to sleep.
It was 13th
Feb 2013 early in the morning my team was busy in pressing their cloths and making them
ready to visit the University of Sindh Jamshoro. We take breakfast and went to the University. Mr. Akbar
told us that it is a one of biggest university of Pakistan having 27000 students. The sindhialogy
department art gallery was really outstanding showing the cultures of belonging to different walks of life.
This art gallery has a great collection of antiques. I was really happy to know how they people are loyal
with their culture and language and trying to improve it as compare to our universities in Multan.
We met to assistant professor of sociology department he told us the working of university in the Sindh.
He told that Sindh University was the 1st
that started working in Jamshoro than other universities came
and start working in this area. He also told that study criteria in Punjab are much better than Sindh. He
also tells about the political influence in universities, I was really very shocked to see the environment of
University. There was so much wall chalking; a group of student was busy to protest about something and
in favor of a political party. After visiting Sindh University we are moving towards Liaquat
University of Medical Sciences where LUMS was celebrating Fun fair. We also became a part of
this fun fair and enjoyed a lot, one of our friend get chance to perform in fun fair after half hour
we left LUMS.
When we reached SPO office it was 2pm. We take lunch with Mr. Ghulam Muhammad Balouch (Director
SPO) and discuss the working of SPO. Mr. Balouch told us about working of SPO and the achievements
of his organization. He also discusses a fear that the people of Sindh are afraid of religious war of
different sects in Punjab, Baluchistan and KPK. He said if this war start in Sindh there would be a disaster
because many religion and sects live together having no conflict with each other, you can see the Hindus,
Christians and Muslims living in same locality and all respects all sects and religions if there start
conflicts than there would be a hate and problems door to door.
On 14th
February at 9:20am we depart from Hyderabad to Bhit Shah and reached there at
10:40 am. In Bhit Shah we visited the Tomb of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai who was the poet of
Sindh and Saint Personality in the history of Sindh. People all around the country visit the area
for spiritual inspiration and beliefs. His poetry addresses peace and harmony. After the stay of
one hour we left the place and at 2:45 we did lunch at Moro after a rest of one and half hour we
moved toward Sehwan Sharif and arrived there at 6:00 pm. There we visited another Saint
Personality Hazrat Shahbaz Qalandar’s tomb. He was also a famous, pious, and Saint person in
the history of Sindh, Pakistan and Islam as well. A lot of rush of people was there even the

5. extension and renovation was going on. We received spiritual relaxation and peace there and
visited the Bazaar and shop there. We left the Sehwan Sharif after an hour and moved toward
Sukkur and did stay of about one hour at Ranipur and then reached Sukkur at 11:00 pm. We did
dinner and reached GSF at 12:15 am.
It was a pleasant day of 15th
February; it was raining in the morning. After taking
breakfast we met the youth of Sukkur in training session of Active Citizenship at GSF. There we
stayed for 45 minutes introduced ourselves and did discussion regarding the issues of Sukkur and
motivational skills and zeal of youth for bringing change. Then we left GSF and after drive of 15
minutes we were at Sukkur-Roheri Bridge. We visited the old bridge constructed in 1889 and
now open for LTV. It was known also as “Qainchi Pull” (Seizer Bridge) as it was designed as it
can be divided into two parts when a ship has to pass through it in the history but now it is fixed
only for the movement of LTV through it. On the side there was a Tomb of Shah Sadar ud din.
We visited the Tomb for spiritual inspiration and beliefs. After 20 minutes we left the area and
moved toward Moen Jo Doro. We reached Moen Jo Doro at 1: 30 pm. Moen Jo Doro is famous
all over the world due to oldest civilization in the world. We visited the site and get information
about the place. The silence of death ruled over there. We left the area at 2:45 pm and moved
toward Larkana (City of EX – Prime minister of Pakistan). We did lunch there and reach in room
at 6:00 pm.
February 16, it was the final day of our study visit in Sindh. We left the city Larkana at
9:30am. After a drive of 60 minutes we reached at Garhi Khuda Bakhsh at the Tomb of Great
leaders of the History of Pakistan namely Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto
Shaheed. We pray at the grave of great leaders (The leaders of democracy). After an hour we left
Garhi Khuda Bakhsh and moved toward Sukkur. We reached Sukkur at 1:45pm. We did lunch at
Pizza Town Sukkur and reached Daewoo terminal at 3:00pm. At 4:50pm we depart from Sukkur
to Multan and reached Multan at 12:45am and 01:15 am I reached at my room.
Key learning of the trip:
Living of the people of Tharparkar Desert totally based on agriculture and agriculture in
Thar is Arid based. People moved in the desert in search of water with the passage of time and
suffered a lot for the sake of agriculture which is key source of their income, socially Tharparkar
is purely secular society and values existing in Thar are same like of all over the Pakistan.
Tharparkar whole area is peaceful and not a single act of theft, robbery or snatching occurred
there, as Thar is mixed society of religions but no conflict arise among them. Thar is rich of
resources like coal and in Thar coal project up to BS-15 job are given to the residents of Sindh
with ratio 40 and 60. Due to negligence and ignorance the project is unable to start production
and give benefits to the locality and Pakistan as well.
Badin is rich in natural resources like petroleum but due to geographical as well as
political negligence the people are not able to improve their living standards as educational status
in the area is very poor. In coastal areas like Badin and Thatta social and economical status of the
people is miserable. Whereas Thatta is rich for tourism but no proper attention for the places
push the area in the darks, but organizations like PLAN Intl. are doing several welfare and
developmental activities for children and youth of Sindh. Although Karachi is the largest city of
Pakistan and a city of business which run the economy of Pakistan where many organizations
like BBSYDP, PILER, SOL etc. are working for youth, labor and economic development, peace

6. and harmony as well as career building. Most of the areas in the city of lights are also neglected
like Machhar Colony while Sheedi community is also neglect due to certain political issues.
Jamshoro is known as the city of education where 3 biggest universities are delivering
quality education like University of Sind, LUMS and Mehran University. Everyone should have
the knowledge about culture, history and social set ups and should be preserved and presented
for sharing knowledge and information same like of Institute of Sindhialogy. Whereas youth in
the institutes and in organizations are involved in research and developmental activities (SPO
and Sociology Dep’t.). Students in the institutes of Sindh are multi diverse and from whole
country as well as from abroad receiving education there.
Sindh is the land of Sufis, philosopher, writers, poets, great leaders and Saints who delivered and
addressed the message of peace and social harmony through their preaching and writings. Sindh
is the oldest civilization of the history like Moen Jo Doro. While working as team and a group
one should be humble and remain cool as through internal harmony and sharing we can perform
better and have to polish our leadership skills as well.