Mai Jori, a peasant women contesting the Baluchistan Assembly by-elections has embarked upon an eight day Huqooq March (March for Rights) journey across her constituency by foot rallying voters to stand up for their rights and be a part of the change. Mai Jori started on the 1st of March from the village Ghulam Muhammad Jamali to Gandakha and visited several villages on the way and will continue to march across the region till the 8th of March. Men and women of the area joined this March for Rights in hundreds.
Adil Najam at Pakistaniat did a detailed investigation on the contesting candidates – “The candidates in question are Mir Atta Ullah Bulledi – seemingly the front-runner who is an independent candidate, who seemingly has past links to the PPP but is now supported by the Muslim League (N), Sardar Fateh Ali Umrani, Ex-Federal Minister Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind and Sardar Dhani Bux Lashari – and Abdul Hakeem Memon of JUI (Fazal) who claim “that voters are being threatened with arms and large number of armed men are arriving in the constituency to intimidate the voters, thus increasing chances of tribal clash in the region.”
All reports suggest that Mir Atta Ullah Bulledi remains the front-runner and his most likely threat will come from Nasir Khan Jamali of PPP. However, no matter what the result is we will be keeping a close eye on and rooting for Mai Jori. For the stand that she is taking, and for all that she stands for!
We here on this blog will keep a close eye on this election campaign and hope that some serious in roads are made in upsetting the traditional feualistic clulture that preavils
Comments
8 responses to “Mai Jori leads the Huqooq March”
If I am not technically wrong then go to depth that we are handling opposite type crisis in different ways.
Haqooq march is being done for basic rights and Mai jori cant do all even coming to provincial assembly as locals are quite unaware of their basic rights there.
What ever money is trying to generate for her support can be diverted to social projects which can solve their problems but it cant the done unless its feudal system get cracks form majority of Public.
Baluchistan has very strange culture where even killing of bugti like sardar was not felt as they fully ignored the brutal killing of three women by a state minister .
For the last 2 years unaccounted mysterious target killing specially to non balochis is on high side there without any check from state agencies.
We know that FC men are controlling Baluchistan since the time of Musharraf.This is the same FC under General saleem Nawaz can locate whole jundullah group from Baluchistan on the harsh request of Iran but cant figure out one single criminal who are involved in target killing of pure Pakistanis for last many years.
So I dont think that teeth or Adil najam while living thousand miles away from land of Baluchistan can help that lady to understand her real cause and problems.
Nazia the killing of sardar bugti and the three women was surely felt – you speak as if the people of the region don't feel any resentment against any of the opressors and opression they've feel every single day – you speak of their "strange culture" as if you come from a superior culture. STOP looking at these people from a colonial/superior lens and start acknowledging the fact that there are people in baluchistan who want change to take place, who are against the sardari-system, who are againt BLA/BLO and Jundullah, and who want to save the province to becoming even more chaotic and full of mayhem. I don't think neither you or I need to explain Mai Jori what her real problems are – for God's sake that woman lives in the poorest region of Pakistan, she walks miles and miles everyday to get water etc.she knows what the problems are. This Huqooq march she is undertaking to so many villages will atleast show women and others that they can and have every right to a life of dignity. Don't underestimate the power of civil society – you write "target killing of pure Pakistanis for last many years" – is Mai Jori and her kin not pure Pakistani? I'm just wondering about the terms you use – for your information not just "pure" pakistanis but the rest are also suffering due to political establishment (not only Punjabis get killed but also Balochs that have stood up against sardars and corrupt leaders) The problems in Balochistan are not just for what you call pure Pakistani but every single inhabitant in that region who is middleclass and below.
Sogul
Mai jori characters are not considered on human level by our ruling and strongest groups.
These are placed on disposable standard, use their energy as per demand of masters and then throw it without seeing their miseries.
So if civil society even try to gather the lost courage of lower class, same tyrannical group camouflage themselves in civic society and then try to halt the movement through hook and crook.
You see that sentiments of Jori are very easy to divert by awarding her money or little piece of land and she might retrieve from her stand as 9 children are her main weak points which can anytime be targeted for changing her motive.
thank God it was not "hudood" march.
Dont be afraid dr
She has no hint of huddood like laws are present in our state matters.
Hudood laws for poor are only activated if some educated group take stand behind victim, other wise they all know the authenticity of honor killings through their men or powerful groups in their areas.
I am sure that mai jori was even unaware of this word and its validation in our system of elites.
I think this real change of the society and Mai Jori Jamali is the leading role playing.
If any Civil Society is living in the coutry then kindly comeout the ground now and help this brave doughter of balochistan.
If she is illiterate than how can she stand in elections ?
@Sogul
I totally agree with you and support Mai Jori
At this stage Pakistan need friends not masters. This country has been damaged by Literate people, then why don't we give chance to Illiterate who at least understand the common problems when our feudal lords born with gold spoon have no idea about issues of a common country men.
And yes, if Mai Jori's supporters do know that they are supporting a Positive change not Mai Jori. And if she goes to parliament at least she can spend the funds to the real deserving people instead of buying property and sending the money to Swiss banks.
If Pakistan can be run by thump-stamper leaders then why not by Mai Jori?
It is a positive change we should support although we cant travel all the way to Baluchistan but yes we can support this idea