Rasul Bux Palejo

Rasool Bux Palijo
رسول بخش پليجو‬
Personal details
Born (1930-02-21)21 February 1930
Jungshahi, British India
Died 7 June 2018(2018-06-07) (aged 88)
Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
Resting place Jungshahi, Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan
Political party Awami Tahreek
Spouse(s) Sharifa Palijo
Ruqaiya
Naseem Thebo
Zarina Baloch (1964–2005)
Zahida Shaikh (2003–2018)[1]
Children Ayaz Latif PalejoDr noor Nabi
Residence Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
Alma mater Sindh Madrasatul Islam
Sindh Muslim Law College
Occupation Politician, Lawyer, Writer, Scholar, Poet

Rasool Bux Palijo (Urdu: رسول بخش پلیجو‎; 21 February 1930 – 7 June 2018) was a Pakistani leftist, marxist leader, scholar and writer. He was a leading human-rights lawyer and the leader of Awami Tahreek. Palijo was the founder and chairman of Awami Tahreek (People's Movement), a progressive and leftist party.[2]

Early life

Rasool Bux Palijo was born in the village Mungar Khan Palijo, Jungshahi, Thatta district, Sindh on 21 February 1930, to Ali Mohammad Palijo and Laadee Bai.[3] He received his early education at his village and the secondary education at Sindh Madressatul Islam in Karachi. Palijo did his law graduation from Sindh Law College Karachi. At the age of 15, he had become fluent in Sindhi, Urdu, and English languages, and later became conversant in Hindi, Arabic, Balochi, Bengali, Siraiki, Punjabi and Persian.

Political Work

A prolific writer and scholar, Palejo served as a Supreme Court lawyer.[4] He was jailed under political charges for more than 11 years especially during the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in Pakistan. Most of his prisoner life, he was kept on Kot Lakhpat jail, Punjab during the 1980. He declared as "Prisoner of Conscience" by Amnesty International in 1981.[5]

Palijo has earned a place in the pantheon of leaders from South Asia who earned everlasting fame in the struggle against feudalism, martial laws, colonialism and imperialism. He was one of the leading founders of the Awami National Party, Sindh Mutahida Muhaz, Sindh Qomi Itehad, Bazm-e-Sofia-e Sindh, PONM, Sindhi Adabi Sangat, MRD, Anti One-Unit Movement and 4 March Movement. He founded Awami Tahreek, Sindhi Haree Committee, Sindhiani Tahreek, Sindhi Shagird Tahreek, Sindhi Haree Tahreek, Pakistan Awami Jamhoori Itehad, Pakistan Awami Tahreek, Sindhi Mazdoor Tahreek, Sindh Intellectual Forum, Sindhi Awam Jo Qomi Itehad, Sindhi Girls Students Organization, Sujaag Bar Tahreek, Sindh Water Committee, 1940 Pakistan Resolution Implementation Committee Awami Jamhoori Tahreek and Anti Greater Thal Canal and Kalabagh Dam Action Committee.

He also launched Neelam Band Karyo and Voter Listoon Sindhi men Chapayo Tahreek. Palijo was one of the leading figures behind the Movement For Restoration of Democracy (MRD). He and his party Awami Tahreek played active role against illegal Army Operation in Bangladesh and Balochistan and in the Movement of Journalists against General Zia-ul-Haq and in Bhutto Bachayo Tahreek. He was one of the outstanding speakers of Sub-continent, top Constitutional and Criminal Lawyers of Pakistan and the first Sindhi and South Asian Politician who launched and organized the movement against Kalabagh Dam, Violence in Educational Institutions, and against Urban Based Organized Terrorism. He introduced a new non-violent trend of democratic struggles in Sindh by way of Long Marches. He is the author of more than 40 books on numerous subjects, ranging from literature to politics, prison dairies, culture and poetry etc. He became the first political prisoner who remained longest term in jail under political charges for more than 11 years and was declared as Prisoner of Conscience by Amnesty International in 1981.[6]

In October 2016, he split up from his son Ayaz Palijo’s Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) and revived Awami Tehreek - the QAT’s parent party.[7]

Personal life

He became well-versed in literature by reading Kant, Hegel, Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mao Zedong, Mohandas Gandhi and Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He was an outspoken critic of the feudal system and bureaucrats.[8]

He was married to Sindhi singer, activist and author Zarina Baloch until her death on 25 October 2006. The union yielded a son Ayaz Latif Palijo.[9]

On 7 June 2018, he died at a hospital in Karachi.[10][11] Prior to his death, he was hospitalised for a long time after suffering cardiac and respiratory complications.[12] On 8 June 2018, he was laid to rest in his native village, Mungar Khan Palijo, in Thatta district.[13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Tunio, Hafeez (January 8, 2018). "Sindhiyani Tehreek activist Zahida Shaikh passes away". Express Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  2. ↑ Ali, Z. (23 February 2012). "Awami Tehreek's Rasool Bux Palijo turns 82". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Rasool Bakhsh Palejo". profilepk.com. 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  4. ↑ Report, Bureau (11 May 2005). "HYDERABAD: Injustice in judicial appointments alleged". dawn.com. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  5. ↑ "Pakistan President Zia-ui-Haq finds himself dangerously isolated from his countrymen". India Today. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  6. ↑ "Rasool Bux Palijo". Pakistan Times. 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  7. ↑ Z, Ali (October 2, 2016). "Rasool Bux Palijo parts ways with son-led party". Express Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  8. ↑ "Imperialism behind terror: Palijo". dawn.com. 23 September 2008. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  9. ↑ "Folk singer Zarina Baloch passes away". Archived from the original on December 10, 2006. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
  10. ↑ "Veteran politician Rasool Bux Palejo passes away". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
  11. ↑ Raza, Mohammad (7 June 2018). "Awami Tehreek founder Rasool Bux Palijo passes away in Karachi". Dawn. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  12. ↑ Ali, Z (7 June 2018). "Veteran politician Rasool Bux Palijo passes away in Karachi". Express Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
  13. ↑ Ali, Z (June 8, 2018). "Nationalist icon Rasool Bux Palijo laid to rest in ancestral village". Express Tribune. Retrieved 10 June 2018.
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