Freedom Movement intensifies in Pakistan; Sindhis demand separate homeland "Sindhudesh"

Thousands of Sindhi agitators took to the streets of Karachi on Sunday to protest vigorously demanding for a separate homeland. The entire city was painted red with the protestors waiving red flags of “Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz”, a nationalist political party of Sindh. The protestors marched from Gulshan-e-Hadeed to the Karachi Press Club by various means of commute demanding a free ‘Sindhudesh’.

Initiated by "Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz", the movement has been demanding independence of Sindh since 1947, ever since Pakistan came into existence. With the formation of Pakistan, protests among Sindhi speakers intensified against the forced imposition of Urdu.

Among those who raised the voice of Sindh independence was Ghulam Murtaza Shah Saeed, a prominent political leader. He was then detained by the Govt of Pakistan in 1948. By 1972, GM Saeed started an organization called Sindh Awami Mahaz, which heated up the movement for Sindhi nationality. Post the death of GM Saeed in 1995, the "Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz" party carried forward the movement. And this has gradually turned into a big movement in past 25 years.

Sunan Qureshi, president of "Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz", gave a direct challenge to the Govt of Pakistan warning it to carry forward the fight of freedom. The nationalist leaders of the party addressed the protesters and demanded their right for freedom. Calling the outsiders a threat to Sindhi language and culture, they said Sindh region is being dominated from long. It is an independent nation and is forcefully occupied by Punjabis of Pakistan. They alleged that their land and resources were being exploited and human rights violations are rampant.

Last 6 months have witnessed some big processions by "Jiye Sindh Qaumi Mahaz" in Sindh. Despite the efforts of the ISI and the army, lakhs of agitators have been participating in each procession.

Pakistan is already dealing with increasing movements of Balochistan and Pashtunistan and the movement for the independence of Sindhudesh by agitators has come across as a big threat to the existence and future of Pakistan.