As per the United Nations (UN) general assembly resolution 36/55, Article 4(1) mentions that ‘all states shall take effective measures to prevent and eliminate discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief. In recognition and enjoyment of human rights, the state should recognize fundamental freedoms in all fields of civil, economic, political, social and cultural life.’
Sindh is one of the four provinces of Pakistan which struggles for independence. It has a civilizational background and has roots in indigenous traditions. Due to the forceful implementation of the federal system of Pakistan, the province lacked fundamental freedom, particularly in civil, political, social and cultural life. Further, the occupation of Pakistan has discriminated against the Sindh on the grounds of belief.
Sindh has a great history which begins with the lives of the Indus civilization. This culture has made enormous contributions to the subcontinental traditions. After the invasion of Sindh by the Arabs in the 7th century, the Sindhis were kicked out of politics by imputing that the Sindhi-Hindus are good in business and not in politics. During the colonial period, Sindh became part of the Mumbai presidency till 1936 and later it became an independent province of British India. At the time of partition, many Sindh leaders refused the resolution in joining Sindh with the State of Pakistan. This was again revisited by the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM), a political organization which demands the freedom of Sindhudesh from the occupation of the artificially created state of Pakistan.
According to the norms of the UN, the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) argues that no nation can be formed on a religious basis. Instead, it should be formed on the basis of its society, traditions, culture, history and other living facts. Ghulam Hussain Shabrani who is politically known as Hussain Sindhi is the General Secretary of JSFM. In answering a few questions on the freedom movement of the Sindhudesh, Hussain Sindhi pointed out some factors which could result in a major footstep for the changing geopolitical conditions of the Indian subcontinent.
(Figure 1: Map of Sindhudesh)
According to the JSFM leader, the idea for the Independence of Sindhudesh has been directed by Sain GM Syed, who was prisoned for 33 years and was the author of many books related to the cause of Sindhudesh and Sindhi identity. Sindhi identity was not a new creation that popped up after the partition of the Indian subcontinent. Looking from a territorial perspective, we are anyway Hindus because the term ‘Hindu’ came from the Greeks which refers to ‘Sindhu’ of the ancient Indus Civilization. While ‘Hindu’ determines the demography or territory, Sanatana Dharma is the tradition to which we are bounded with.
After the forceful occupation of Sindh by the federal structure of Pakistan, GM Syed was the one who replaced Sindhi identity with its civilization backgrounds from its communal or Islamic version. Meanwhile, the revival of this civilizational identity became an emotion in Sindh and among Sindhis. This was visible from the streets to schools and to higher levels. In Sindh, 70% of the Sindhi youth who follows GM Syed would never demand their communal identity, said Hussain Sindhi. Along with the rejection of the communal identity by GM Syed, he also stated to the global community that Muhammad Bin Qasim is a foreign ruler and has nothing to do with indigenous in the history of Sindh. Further, stated that ‘Maharaja Dahir is our Hero’.
Those who consider GM Syed as their leader will not preach Islam, in fact, they support Sindudesh and its civilizational ethos— the Sanatan Dharma, continued Hussain Sindhi. At present, there are 30% of Sindhis who follows their communal identity. However, they will not survive long as the creation of Sindudesh is not so far. A notable point in this case is that the above-said 30% who preach Islam are not against the idea of Sindhudesh as well. The presence of their Islamic identity is just because of the federal structure of Pakistan and its forceful occupation of Sindh.
Pakistan has enforced the occupation of Pathans and Punjabis in Sindh to weaken the movement for Sindhudesh, which has been regaining its civilizational roots. In this case, Sindh prerequisites help from India stating that Sindh is an integral part of the Indian minds and traditions where it is mentioned in India’s National Anthem as (lines)— ‘Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat, Maratha…’ Continuing, JSFM leader Hussain Sindhi stated that ‘we wait for India’s side for whatever plan India will be having for us. We shall sit and finalize accordingly.’ In spite of this, particularly saying, we wish to get the support which Netaji Subash Chandra Bose has got at times of freedom movement (like Azad Hind Fauj), added Hussain Sindhi.
The JSFM believes that the Sindhudesh will be created similarly to the creation of Bangladesh in the 1970s. The reason stated is: Today as the world undergoes economic warfare, there are the first world like the US, Canada etc., and regional powers like India, Pakistan and China. Further, looking from a regional perspective- China wants access to the Indian Ocean, and for the execution of CPEC (China Pakistan Economic Corridor), they need Baluchistan and Sindh. In this case, if China accesses the Indian Ocean, the first world like the US goes back in the economy compared to China. As the US has to win this great game, it should stay with India for the breaking of Pakistan to prevent China’s access through CPEC. As far as the situation is concerned, while Sindh (and Baluchistan) is to be separated from Chinese-affectionate Pakistan, India, a regional power and the largest democratic nation shall play its role very well in the independence of Sindhudesh.
Sindh listens to India after its independence as India arises with her helping hands for the cause of Sindhudesh, said Hussain Sindhi. By analyzing the ongoing political scenarios, Pakistan shall disintegrate itself due to its rising crises in terms of economy. After the independence of Sindh from the occupation of Pakistan, Sindhudesh demands its existence with India itself. A form of confederation like the EU (European Union) at the subcontinental level shall connect similar minds. While India reverberates as the continuance of the Indus civilization, a Political union with India will be the demand for the newly forming civilization state, the Sindhudesh.
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