Dedication:

Death ends a life, but it never ends a relationship, which struggles on in the
survivor's mind towards some resolution which it may never find.
In the loving memory of My Father "Mr.Gul Hassan Nizamani".

1
‘Is Poverty in Thar in Aspect of Government Negligence in Village Malanhore Khanji

U.C Malanhore Vena Taluka Mithi District Tharparker?’

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED

BY

Mr. Jahanzeb S/O Gul Hassan Nizamani

TO

The University Of Sindh Jamshoro

For

THE DEGREE OF MASTERS IN SOCIOLOGY

SUPERVISOR

Mr. Aijaz Ali Wassan

2
 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

UNIVERSITY OF SINDH JAMSHORO

------------

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this research work entitled ‘Poverty in Thar in Aspect of Government Negligence in
Village Malanhore Khanji U.C Malanhore Vena Taluka Mithi Districkt Tharparker’ embodied in this thesis
has been carried out by Jahanzeb and guidance for partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of
Masters in Sociology. I have examined this thesis and have found that it is complete and satisfactory in all
aspects.

Mr. Aijaz Ali Wassan. (Supervisor)

Professor Department of Sociology,
University of Sindh Jamshoro.

Madam Tanveer Junejo. (Chair Person),

Department of Sociology
University of Sindh Jamshoro.

3
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First of all I bow my head before Almighty Allah, with humble thanks for the completion
of my Research.

There are lots of people I would like to thanks for a huge variety of reason. My special
appreciation and thankful to my whole family, for their warm support, encouragement
and keen interest in my studies. I would like to thank my supervisor who enabled me to
write this dissertation and all those who encouraged and support me the process of
research.

Jahanzeb Nizamani

4
 List of Contents

Title page

Acknowledgement
Table of Contents
Abstract

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Definition of The Problem
1.2 Rational of The Study
1.3 Scope of The Study
1.4 Objectives of The Study

Chapter 2 Review of Literature

Chapter 3 Research Methodology

3.1 Types of Study

3.2 Universe of the Study
3.3 Sample Size
3.4 The Methods of Sampling
3.5 Methods of Data Collection

Chapter 4 Analysis and Interpretation of Data

4.1 Simple tables
4.2 Findings of the Simple Tables

5
Chapter 5 Conclusion
5.1 Conclusion
5.2 Recommendations
Bibliography
Questionnaire/Interview Schedule

6
Abstract of Study:

The study of stratification is a foremost concern of sociologists. Historical engagement

with this topic creates a distinct conceptual lens on poverty and inequality and a
voluminous body of empirical work that set sociology apart from economics and to some
degree, geography. At the same time, the discipline is limited in developing a spatial
understanding of stratification processes. In this article, we put forth a critique of
sociological research on poverty and other inequalities across space. We address how
sociologists are making inroads against this impasse, in an emergent body of work.

7
Chapter 1:

Introduction

8
 Introduction

Poverty is the deprivation of common necessities such as food, clothing, shelter and safe
drinking water, all of which determine our quality of life. It may also include the lack of
access to opportunities such as education and employment which aid the escape from
poverty and/or allow one to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens. According to Mollie
Orshansky, "to be poor is to be deprived of those goods and services and pleasures which
others around us take for granted.” Ongoing debates over causes, effects and best ways to
measure poverty, directly influence the design and implementation of poverty-reduction
programs and are therefore relevant to the fields of public administration and
international development.

Although poverty is mainly considered to be undesirable due to the pain and suffering it
may cause, in certain spiritual contexts "voluntary poverty," involving the renunciation of
material goods is seen by some as virtuous.

Poverty may affect individuals or groups, and is not confined to the developing nations.
Poverty in developed countries is manifest in a set of social problems including
homelessness and the persistence of "ghetto" housing clusters.

1.1 Definition of The Problem

Everyone has some idea about what it means to be poor, but there is
sufficient variation in the concept to make public discourse
occasionally confusing and nonproductive. The current poverty
measure was developed in the 1960s and consists of a set of lines or
thresholds that are compared with families’ resources to determine
whether or not they are poor. The thresholds differ by family size and
composition and are adjusted annually for inflation. The measure of
resources used is annual before-tax family money income (cash
earnings, unemployment insurance benefits, cash benefits from other
programs, and other sources of regular no earnings cash income). The

9
inequality of earnings among workers has increased over the past 30
years, resulting in higher poverty rates in the population and an
increase in the poverty rate among those with relatively low levels of
education. For two-parent families, this trend has been offset
somewhat by the dramatic growth in the number of women in the
workforce during the same period. Another much-discussed factor
associated with the growth in child poverty in recent years is the
growth in single-parent, mother-only families. The high divorce rate
and the growing rate of no marital births have contributed to a decline
in the number of adults per child in poor families. With fewer adults, a
family’s earning potential is reduced, increasing the likelihood that
children in these families will be poor. It is estimated that children in
mother-only families are five times more likely to be poor than are
children in two-parent families and that the growth in the proportion of
children living in mother-only families combined with slow growth in
wages and rising inequality of earnings account for much of the
increase in child poverty in recent years.
http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/vol7no2ART1.pdf

10
Chapter 2:

Review of Literature:

11
2.1 Review of Literature:

“Thar and my heart are the two names of the same desert”, once
wrote Mazhar-ul-Islam, the world-renowned short story writer and pioneer of a new
school of short story in Urdu, Pakistan’s national language. He belongs to Punjab
province, writes in Urdu, and most of his admirers belong to Sindh province of which
Tharparkar district is one of the major parts with a total area of 28,170 sq. k.m.

Times back, there was a sea where the Thar is now. The geologists believe that the sea
turned to a desert because of some big earthquake and stormy winds created sand dunes.
But, the wrinkled-faces of old folks of Thar are there to tell the travelers a centuries old
tale of a Rishi (worshiper) whose buddua (asking something from god against someone)
turned the sea dry.

• Topography:
Tharparkar consists of two words; Thar means ‘desert’ while Parkar stands for
‘the other side’. Years back, it was known as Thar and Parkar but subsequently
became just one word ‘Tharparkar’ for the two distinct parts of Sindh province.
On the western side, Parkar is the irrigated area whereas Thar, the eastern part, is
known as the largest desert of Pakistan with a rich multifaceted culture, heritage,
traditions, folk tales, dances and music due to its inhabitants who belong to
different religions, sects and casts. The Parkar area has been formed by the
alluvial deposits of river Indus while Thar mostly consists of barren tracts of sand
dunes covered with thorny bushes. The only hills of the district, named Karon-
Jhar, are in the extreme south-east corner of Nagar Parkar Taluka, a part of Thar.
These hills are spread over about 20 kilometers in length and attain a height of
300 meters. Covered with sparse jungle and pasturage, they give rise to two
perennial springs as well as streams caused after rain.

12
 • Climate:

The Thar area has a tropical desert climate. The months of April, May and June are the
hottest ones during the day. The average maximum and minimum temperatures during
this period remain 41 centigrade to 24 centigrade respectively while December, January
and February are the comparatively coldest months with average maximum and
minimum temperatures 28 centigrade to 9 centigrade respectively. Rainfall varies from
year to year. Most of the rain falls in the monsoon months between June and September
whereas the winter rains are insignificant.

• Water and housing in the desert:

The rains play a vital role in the life of all parts of Thar as the water deposits in tobas
(small ponds) are used for drinking, washing and other purposes. These tobas are the only
source of water for animals and human in most of the desert area. Just for this reason,
major portion of the population lives like gypsies. When a toba comes to dry, they move
to the next destination around the water-filled toba. The human settlements are mostly
found near the Karon-Jhar hills where two seasonal streams flow but not in all the
seasons. The underground water is rarely found in Thar desert. If luckily found, after
digging a very deep well, it comes out quite sour and putrid. Simply undrinkable.
Sometimes fortunes do knock the doors of the Thar inhabitants, when sweet water comes
out of a very deeply dug well. Then the housing units start increasing around that well.
Digging the well is not so easy a number of times, it claims the lives of the well-diggers.
According to 1980 housing census, there were 241,326 housing units of one or two very
small rooms. The degree of crowding was six persons per housing unit and three persons
per room. For most of the housing units (approximately 76 per cent), the main
construction material of outer walls is unbaked bricks whereas wood is used in 10 per
cent and baked bricks or stones with mud bonding in 8 per cent housing units. A large
number of families still live in jhugis (one room housing units formed with straws and
thin wood-sticks). The wind storm proves these jhugis unsustainable all the times. But the
poverty leaves no other option to these jhugiwalas (people living in jhugis).

13
 • What attract you most?

The life is miserable and uncertain in Thar but full of action and thrill for those tourists
and visitors who take pains to discover and see new cultures, lifestyle and traditions.
Right from a travel on kaikra (the 2nd world war army truck) which is the only
transportation for people and animals together to reach inside Thar and to the sun-rising
and sun-setting scenes, camel caravans, grazing and traveling herds, big and small sand
dunes with thorny bushes, traditional dresses and jewelry of women, folk music and
dances may attract you for their richness and originality.

• Some worth-seeing places:

Though sand is all around in Thar. But, in the Nangarparkar, the egg-shaped hills of
Karon-Jhar and the charm of its valleys coupled with some sacred places for Hindus may
give unforgettable memories. A few kilometers away in the north-western side from
Nangarparkar, Hindus’ holy place Saroharo attracts its believers as hindus denote this
temple to their Mahadev (the biggest god). Saroharo is on the brink of a seasonal stream
and a all-season-pond where Hindus come for their rituals. Since they have faith on the
presence of these hills and pond in their holy books, they throw the bones and ashes of
dead bodies into whirlpool of this pond after burning them. They also celebrate Shorateri
fair here every March. Above Saroharo, there is the Rishi’s aasthan (a very small room
used for worship) and ten impressions of his fingers of feet. According to a belief that
Rishi worshipped here for thousand years but finally lost his invocation by touching a
young girl. (He is the same Rishi whose request to the god turned the sea into a desert.)
Gaomakhi is another aasthan, just a kilometer away in the north of Saroharo. Here the
tips of two hills join each other, making the shape of a cow. A 30-feet high waterfall may
be witnessed here during the monsoon season. Hindus come here too for their rituals. At
the distance of a few yards in the south of Gaomakhi, here is a very deep pond named
Bhemgoda. It is 20 feet wide and around 30 feet long pond that never dries up. Inchlas is
another aasthan towards the south-western of Nangarparkar. Here, three streams come
out of different hills. Water flows from these natural streams all the year. A tavern is here

14
for the travelers and Hindus who visit Inchlas aasthan. Chandan Gud is a fort, built by
Rana Chandan, one of the Parkar rulers, in 1859. Now, only its remains are there.

• Some customs and traditions:

The common life style in Thar is based on joint family system. All three generations;
grand-parents, parents and children prefer to live under one roof. However, the men and
women have divided out-door and domestic responsibilities among themselves according
to their ages and skills. Main duties of the men in the family are ploughing the fields,
animal-grazing, weaving and house-construction or other money-earning actvities
whereas the women responsibilities include bringing water from the well or pond,
cooking, washing, maintenance of house, thread-making, embroidering, knitting etc. The
money earned through any means by anyone is the common property of the family.

The daughter is given more respect and honor. If someone swear upon his daughter’s
head, it considered more valid than any other swear. The Hindus and other non-Muslims
settle down the engagement of their daughter in her childhood where Muslims go for
daughter’s wedding in her adult age without giving any importance to her consent, age-
difference or financial status. Mostly close relatives, family circle or caste is preferred for
weddings even in Muslims too. Muslims have also acquired another tradition from
Hindus that they wed their daughter and son in the same family together. If a daughter is
married to a family with no girl, it has to pay some money to daughter’s father. If a
family has no son to get married in replication then daughter’s father gets married with
bride’s sister. Boy’s family celebrates the wedding by singing songs and beating dhol (the
traditional drum) while girl’s family remains grim and no such activity is seen there. The
wedding procession goes on well-decorated camels to girl’s house. In case of Muslim
bridegroom’s death, the younger brother weds to the bride whereas Hindus have no such
tradition and the widow cannot have her other marriage rest of his life.

If someone passes away in a Muslim family, they put on black dresses; women break

15
their bangles and start weep-n-cry together. They mourn for three days. The Hindus
shave their heads and mustaches and put on an unstitched cloth on their heads for 12 days

of mourning. At the end of mourning in both religions, meal is served to family, relatives
and neighbours after offering some prayers for the soul of dead one. Muslims have their
graveyards but Hindus burn the dead-bodies and throw aches into sacred ponds and
whirlpools.

Adopting a son by issueless families is common in Thari Hindus. They celebrate it like
weddings by singing songs and beating drum in a crowd of relatives. The ownership
rights of man’s property go to the boy, adopted by him.

• Main Professions:
Woodwork, wool-weaving, leather work, jewelry-making, cloth-dyeing, embroidery,
snake-charming, agriculture (in a few parts), herd-grazing About music, dance and
festivals:

Thar is a cultural island in the mid of Sindhi, Rajhestani and Gujrati ocean of cultures.
The Rajhestani culture overshadows the other two cultures. Thari music seems to be more
inspired by the Rajhestani music traditions but with its own emotional rhythm and
colours.

An old Thari musician believes that most of the Thari music is based on Mandh beat of
Rajhestani music even the women on a death weep-n-cry in the same rhythm. Thari
music is considered to be of vital importance in folk music of Pakistan. Often used as
background music for TV plays and serials because of its simplicity of emotional
expressions, oneness and oddity.

The Thari musicians are especially invited to all folk concerts and fairs all over Pakistan
as they are considered as best in Kafi singing. Kafi is a kind of poetic expression with a
blend of mysticism. Most of the kafis are written by the great sufis (mystics) of the Sindh

16
province. They have their own regional and folk songs too what they sing on their
weddings and other happy occasions like fairs and when the rain falls. Mostly the each
verse of their folk songs are divided into four rhythmic beats but the frame of
composition remains the same. The folk music and dance are the living traditions of Thar.
If asked to any woman or man to dance or sing, they can. Pain, agony, solitude and
deprivation are the basic components of Thari music, perhaps, because of their miserable
life-style. Even their melodies are sung on sorrowing rhythmic beats. Thari male singers
are commonly known as faqirs (the person devoted himself to saint’s tomb). Among the
six popular singers from Thar five are men including Murad Faqir, Budhu Faqir, Kalu
Faqir, Shaadi Faqir Dhadhi and Bhgru Bhel. Mai Bhagi was the only female singer who
got recognized herself on national level. Her songs were recorded by radio and TV and
later on released on cassettes.

Kamacha, sitar, tabla, sarinda, harmonium and shahnai are the main musical instruments
of Thar. But Kamacha is the identity of Thar, it cannot be found anywhere else in the
province. Playing Kamacha is not a joke, only a master musician with years of practice
can.

Like other parts of Pakistan, Thar also has a few folk dances including dandan rand,
mitco, chakar rand and rasooro. The dandan rand is performed by eight or ten men,
having one small stick in one hand and silk handkerchief in the other one, on the dhol
beat in a circle. The dhol player also sings the songs while rest of the men dance. The
mitco is the solo performance by a male dancer. It is also performed by women in their
houses on weddings of their sons alone. The chakar rand dance is the traditions Thari
Muslims. The male dancer performs it holding a sword in his hand on dhol beat. The
rasooro is a stick dance by women even dhol is played by women and some women also
sing song on the dhol beat.

The festivals are a significant part of Thar's cultural life. Since the life of people is quite
miserable and they feel starved for recreational activities, the festivals provide them a
source of delight and joy. Mostly the Muslims’ festivals.

17
Chapter 3:

Research Methodology:

18
Problem:
?????
Focus Research Question:
‘Is Poverty in village Malanhore Khanji, U.C Malanhore Vena, Taluka Mithi and
District Tharparkar due to Government Negligence?

Hypothesis:
Is poverty because of Government Negligence?

Define Universe:
Village Malanhore Khanji U.C Malanhore Vena Taluka Mithi District
Tharparker.

Size of Sampling:
16 House Holds including, out of 158 Homes;
9 Males 7 Females.
Sampling Method; Random

Sample Unit:
Taluka Mithi,
Sampling Method; Lottery
U.C Malanhore Vena,
Sampling Method; Lottery
Village Malanhore Khanji
Sampling Method; Random
House Holds;
16 individuals.
3 Members from Thakur Community / 1 Female and 2 Males

19
 And 13 Members from Bheel Community / 6Females and 7 Males.
Sampling Method:
Stratified and than Random.

Methods of data collection:

For an in depth study about Poverty in a little village of Mithi Taluka of District
Tharparkar. I used the investigatory methods to get the proper information. Data were
collected with the help of interviewing schedule. An interviewing schedule is a kind of
questionnaire where questions are asked from the respondents and the answers are
recorded by the interviewer. I used this method because it is the most appropriate method
to get the information as by visiting the respondents it is possible to have the appropriate
knowledge about the social conditions of the respondents from the conditions of the
surroundings / work place.

20
Chapter 4:

Analysis and Interpretation of Data

21
Simple Tables:

S.No Title
Primary/Sec: Higher No Any
Other

1 How much
education do you
provide to your
children?

1 0 14 1

2 Are you children Yes No

also do labor?

8 8
Yes 1,000 to 3,500 to 5,500 No
3 How much your 3,500
children earn on
monthly basis?

4 2 8
We Do Work Former Begging
4 What is your In Our Field
source of income?

2 13 1
1,000 to 6,000 6,000 to 1,1000 to Don’t
5 How much your 1,1000 16,000 Know
expenses incur
within a month

22
 including medical
expenses?

10 3 2 1
We Save Borrow from Don’t Know
6 How do you Money Form Others
manage your Our Income
expenses from Monthly wise
your income?

2 12 2
Borrow from Others Don’t Know
7 What do you do if
the need of money
abruptly arises?

14 2
Yes No We Don’t Borrow Loan
8 Do you borrow
loan?

9 5 2
Selling Any
9 How do you repay Labor Interest properties Other
your loan?

4 2 2 8
Fulfill
10 What do you do demand Can’t afford Any Other
when your
children suddenly
demand anything?

2 6 8
Mostly 1 or 2 Days In Some Days No
11 Is it happened any a Month In a Year
day, when you
were starving?

7 5 2 2
No one takes Any
12 Does the action Government NGO Other
Government or
any NGOs taken

23
 steps to alleviate
poverty?

13 0 2 1

13 What do you think Increases Decreases Don’t know

that in last 5-7
years the poverty
rate has increased
or decreased?

16 0 0

14 Did any Yes No

improvement take
place by the
discovery of coal
in Thar?

0 16

15 Is there any Yes No

employment
opportunity have
been provided to
the people of
Thar?

0 16

16 Are they satisfied Yes No

by there
employment
opportunities?

0 16

On High Little Bit Don’t Know

Level

24
17 What do you think
what is the rate of
poverty here?

13 1 2

18 What do you think Govt: not Unemployment Don’t know Any

what are the main controlling Other
reasons of poverty
here?

0
13 0 3

19 What should be Govt: take Loan Employment Any

done to solve action Other
these problems?

8 1 4 3

Findings of the Simple Tables:

25
Chapter 4:

Conclusion

CONCLUSION:

Health care is the prevention, treatment, and management of illness and the

26
preservation of mental and physical well being through the services offered by the
medical, nursing, and allied health professions.

Physical fitness is good bodily health, and is the result of regular exercise, proper
diet and nutrition, and proper rest for physical recovery. Prolonged psychological stress
may negatively impact health, such as by weakening the immune system. Health care
embraces all the goods and services designed to promote health, including “preventive,
curative and palliative interventions, whether directed to individuals or to populations”.
The organized provision of such services may constitute a health care system

A strong indicator of the health of localized population is their height/weight,

which generally increases with improved nutrition and health care. This is also influenced
by the standard of living and quality of life.

Health education is defined as the principle by which individuals and groups of

people learn to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance, or
restoration of health. Education for health begins with people. It hopes to motivate them
with whatever interests they may have in improving their living conditions. Its aim is to
develop in them a sense of responsibility for health conditions for themselves as
individuals, as members of families, and as communities.

Health education is also an effective tool that helps improve health in developing
nations. It not only teaches prevention and basic health knowledge but also conditions
ideas that re-shape everyday habits of people with unhealthy lifestyles in developing
countries. This type of conditioning not only affects the immediate recipients of such
education but also future generations will benefit from an improved and properly
cultivated ideas about health that will eventually be ingrained with widely spread health
education. Moreover, besides physical health prevention, health education can also
provide more aid and help people deal healthier with situations of extreme stress, anxiety,
depression or other emotional disturbances to lessen the impact of these sorts of mental
and emotional constituents, which can consequently lead to detrimental physical effects.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

27
 Achieving health and remaining healthy is an active process. Effective strategies
for staying healthy and improving one's health include the following elements:

 The field of nutrition also studies foods and dietary supplements that improve
performance, promote health, and cure or prevent disease, such as eating fibrous
foods to reduce the risk of colon cancer, or supplementing with vitamin C to
strengthen teeth and gums and to improve the immune system.

 One goal of sports nutrition is to maintain glycogen levels and prevent glycogen
depletion. Another is to optimize energy levels and muscle tone.

 Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component to prevention

of some of the diseases of affluence such as cancer, heart disease, cardiovascular
disease, Type 2 diabetes, obesity and back pain.

Field experiences:

28
Social scientists generally face a situation in which responses are difficult to get. Human
behavior is so complex and can’t be treated under controlled conditions as the happenings
of physical sciences. It also depends upon the researcher’s efforts and experience to get
reliable and correct information by observing and creating an atmosphere of harmony,
technically called ‘rapport’. During my empirical research, I also faced certain difficulties
to get correct information from the respondents.
I had to consume a lot of time in explaining to my respondents, motives and purpose of
present study especially to those respondents who were uneducated and were unaware of
the significance of research in social science. For example, when they were asked about
their monthly income, mostly they were not agreeing to give the exact figure. Moreover,
it was very difficult to get explanatory responses in the presence of family members
(especially males).
The respondents belonged to lower class category and their behavior was cooperative.
Therefore, it was very difficult to agree such respondents while visiting them several
times and establishing a kind of friendship with them in order to get the correct
information.
They spared time for me from their busy schedule and their responses were also very
explanatory. Therefore, I think the collected data can well be analyzed in order to help
the researchers and development planning-makers to get a clearer picture of the social
status of rural and urban working women in the family and in the society.

Bibliography
Questionnaire/Interview Schedule

‘Is Poverty in Thar in Aspect of Government Negligence in Village

29
Malanhore Khanji U.C Malanhore Vena Taluka Mithi District Tharparker?’

1. What is your name?

2. What is your age?

3. How many children do you have?

4. Do you provide education to your children?

5. How much education do you provide to your children?

6. Are you children also do labor?

7. How much your children earn on monthly basis?

8. What is your source of income?

9. How much your expenses incur within a month including medical expenses?

10. How do you manage your expenses from your income?

11. What do you do if the need of money abruptly arises?

12. Do you borrow loan?

13. How do you repay your loan?

14. What do you do when your children suddenly demand anything?

15. Is it happened any day, when you were starving?

16. Has the Government or any NGOs taken steps to alleviate poverty?

17. What do you think that in last 5-7 years the poverty rate has increased or
decreased?

18. Did any improvement take place by the discovery of coal in Thar?

30
19. Is there any employment opportunity have been provided to the people of Thar?

20. Are they satisfied by there employment opportunities?

21. What do you think what is the rate of poverty here?

22. What do you think what are the main reasons of poverty here?

23. What should be done to solve these problems?

31