Ayaz Latif Palijo ( Sindhi, ur, اياز لطیف پلیجو) (born 15 November 1968,

Thatta Thatta ( sd, ٺٽو; ) is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Thatta's historic significance has yielded several monuments in and ...

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

) is a politician, lawyer, activist,

writer A writer is a person who uses written words in different writing styles and techniques to communicate ideas. Writers produce different forms of literary art and creative writing such as novels, short stories, books, poetry, travelogues, p ...

and teacher. Palijo is the current president of Qomi Awami Tahreek (Peoples National Movement), central convener and founder of the Sindh Progressive Nationalist Alliance (SPNA), one of the founders and central Secretary General of

Grand Democratic Alliance The Grand Democratic Alliance ( ur, گرانڈ جمہوری اتحاد) or GDA is a political alliance in Pakistan. It was founded on 23 October 2017 as a movement against the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) government in the Sindh accusing PPP regi ...

(GDA). Since 2007, he has represented the left, objecting to the division of the southeastern

province of

Early life and education

Palijo's mother Jeejee Zarina Baloch was a Baloch women's rights activist, founder of Sindhiani Tahreek, writer, artist and teacher. His father

Rasool Bux Palijo Rasul Bux Palejo (also spelled Rasool Bux Palijo) (, ur, ; 21 February 1930 – 7 June 2018) was a Pakistani leftist, Marxist leader from Sindh, scholar and writer. He was a human-rights lawyer and the leader and founder of Awami Tahre ...

, was a Sindhi

leftist Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...

, scholar, writer and founder of

Awami Tahreek Awami Tahreek or Qomi Awami Tehreek, formerly Sindhi Awami Tahreek ( en, Sindhi People's Movement), is a Marxist–Leninist–Maoist political party based in the Pakistani province of Sindh, and headquartered in Hyderabad. Formation Awami T ...

. At age eleven, Palijo was the central secretary-general of the Gulan Jahra Barira and the Sujag Bar Tahreek, the children's wing of the Qomi Awami Tahreek. He was then a university student activist. Palijo received a LEAD (leadership for environment and development) training in the seventh cohort.

Political activism

Palijo is the president of Qomi Awami Tahreek (QAT) of Pakistan (Peoples National Movement of Pakistan) he was central convener and founder of the Sindh Progressive Nationalist Alliance (SPANA) and is founder and central Secretary General of Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA). He said,

Kalabagh Dam

His party manifesto is based on objectives of Social justice, peace, equality, and provincial autonomy in prospering Sindh and progressive Pakistan. Ayaz Latif Palijo and QAT are strongly against the corruption, feudalism, forced conversion, terrorism and construction of

Kalabagh Dam The Kalabagh Dam ( ur, , ) is a proposed hydroelectric dam on the Indus River at Kalabagh in the Mianwali District, Punjab, Pakistan, which has been intensely debated along ethnic and regional lines for over 40 years. If constructed, the dam ...

Karachi Muhabat-e-Sindh (Love of Sindh) rally and Train March

In May 2012, Qomi Awami Tehrik (QAT) Party members and workers organised a Muhabat-e-Sindh (Love of Sindh) rally in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

against the formation of the foreign-sponsored Mohajir province. In the continuity of several Mohabbat-e-Sindh Rallies in all the districts of Sindh including Karachi, Ayaz Latif Palijo led a 03 days Mohabbat-e-Sindh Train March, which started from Karachi with the message of harmony and love for all the people of Pakistan, the march received a warm welcome at every railway station and ended with a mammoth sit-in in front of parliament house Islamabad.

Muhabat-e-Sindh rally attacked by terrorists

In 2012, women were able to attend Muhabat-e-Sindh (Love of Sindh) rally in equal numbers to men. The marchers were attacked near Nawa Lane, Pan Mandi and Juna Market. Eleven people were killed and about thirty were injured. Palijo announced to the press a peaceful strike in

to highlight the incident and said his party would stage a sit-in protest till the attackers were apprehended. Ayaz Latif Palijo declared that all the permanent residents of Sindh including Urdu-speaking Sindhis are our brothers and that they should unite for the betterment of Sindh and for unity, development and peace in Pakistan.

Lyari rally

On Saturday, 14 July 2012, two months after the Muhabat-e-Sindh Rally, Palijo announced that a Shaheedan-e-Muhabbat-e-Sindh Jalsa would take place on Sunday, 15 July at Gabol Park, Lyari. In his speech, Palijo said, "Nobody can stop us from entering Lyari and other parts of Karachi." Palijo criticised the

Sindh Government The Government of Sindh ( sd, حڪومت سنڌ) ( ur, ) is the provincial government of the province of Sindh, Pakistan. Its powers and structure are set out in the provisions of the 1973 Constitution, in which 30 Districts of 7 Divisions un ...

, saying that 4000 policemen were deployed by the Sindh government to stop his rally. After the announcement, the Sindh home minister ordered Palijo's arrest and Palijo received threats of attacks.

2013 Pakistan general election

On 11 May 2013, a general election took place. Palijo was a candidate for PS-47

Qasimabad, Hyderabad Qasimabad ( sd, ) is Town/City in the western side of Hyderabad City in Sindh province of Pakistan. History Qasimabad Town/City is named after the Arab Invader Muhammad Bin Qasim who invaded Sindh and Multan. It was formed as an extension to th ...

constituency. Palijo lost the contest with 14,901 votes. Palijo challenged the result in the

Sindh High Court The High Court of Sindh ( ur, ) is the highest judicial institution of the Pakistani province of Sindh. Established in 1906, the Court situated in the provincial capital at Karachi. Apart from being the highest Court of Appeal for Sindh in ...

and asked for a re-election. He claimed his agents at the polling booths had been harassed.

Disagreement with M. Q. M.

On 4 January 2014, Altaf Hussain and the

Muttahida Qaumi Movement Muttahida Qaumi Movement (abbreviated MQM) is a name currently claimed by two competing Pakistani political factions: * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – London, a political faction managed from the UK * Muttahida Qaumi Movement – Pakistan Muttah ...

(M.Q.M.) called for a separate province. Palijo disagreed and threatened strikes and protests. Two days later the M.Q.M sent a delegation under Wasim Akhtar and Kunwar Naveed to discuss the matter with Ayaz Latif Palijo and explained to him that they don't want the division of Sindh or a separate province, they just want powers for local government in Karachi. Palijo called off the strikes and protests.

References

External links

Kalabagh Dam

{{DEFAULTSORT:Palijo, Ayaz Latif 1968 births Awami Tahreek politicians Baloch people Living people Male feminists Muslim reformers Muslim socialists Pakistani civil rights activists Pakistani columnists Pakistani democracy activists Pakistani feminists Pakistani human rights activists Pakistani humanitarians Pakistani lawyers Pakistani legal scholars Pakistani legal writers Pakistani philanthropists Pakistani progressives Pakistani social scientists Pakistani socialists Pakistani women's rights activists People from Thatta District Proponents of Islamic feminism Sindhi-language writers Sindhi people University of Sindh alumni Writers from Sindh Alumni of Wye College