Sindhudesh: Why Pakistan's Sindh Wants a New Country
The Sindhudesh movement demands an independent homeland for Sindhis. Protests were held in May 2025 against Pakistan’s actions. People are asking for human rights and justice.
ISH News earlier told you how the people of Balochistan in Pakistan are protesting for an independent country. Now, similar protests are happening in Sindh, where Sindhi people are demanding a separate country called Sindhudesh.
But are these Sindhis the same as the Sindhi people in India? Let’s understand the history.
A Long History of Sindhudesh
The history of Sindhudesh goes back thousands of years. It is even mentioned in the Mahabharata. In the epic, Jayadratha, who was married to Duryodhana’s sister, was the king of the Sindhus.
Fast forward to 1947, when India and Pakistan got independence and were divided. Many Hindu Sindhis left Sindh and came to India, leaving behind their homes and property. There were about 14 lakh Hindu Sindhis at the time, living in cities like Hyderabad, Karachi, and Sukkur.
Many Indian Sindhis today still have an emotional connection with Sindh and support the idea of Sindhudesh.
Beginning of the Movement
After Bangladesh got independence, a political leader named G. M. Syed started the Sindhudesh movement in 1972 by forming the Jeay Sindh Tehreek. He felt that Sindhis were not getting proper importance in Pakistan and wrote books demanding Sindh’s freedom.
However, no Sindhi nationalist party has ever won elections in Pakistan. Many Sindhi groups don’t believe in using the Parliament and continue their struggle outside the system.
Some of these groups, like Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) and Sindhudesh Liberation Army (SLA), are banned by the Pakistani government for alleged "anti-state" activities.
Recent Protests
On 16th May 2025, JSFM and other groups held a peaceful protest on a highway in Sindh. They demanded the release of missing and jailed Sindhi activists. They also warned Hyderabad (Pakistan) jail officers against mistreating prisoners.
They raised slogans, stopped traffic, and urged international bodies like the UN, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch to help stop Pakistan’s human rights violations in Sindh and Balochistan.
Human Rights Concerns
A 2022 US report mentioned illegal killings and mutilated bodies in Sindh. In 2024, a Hindu girl named Priya Kumari went missing—another case linked to forced conversions in Pakistan.
Many Sindhis feel their culture is being attacked. They say Urdu is being forced on them and lands like Karachi are being taken away from Sindh.
Shafi Burfat, chairman of the JSMM, who lives in exile, strongly criticised the Pakistani military. He said it acts like a mafia and supports terrorism and extremism. He also accused the military of stealing Sindh’s resources for its own benefit.
Burfat appealed to the world, especially the USA, to stop supporting Pakistan and to monitor its nuclear weapons for global safety.
Stay tuned with ISH News for more updates on Sindh, Balochistan, and other regions demanding freedom.
