Pakistan is once again facing unrest. Karachi has turned into a battleground after massive protests demanding a separate Sindhudesh escalated into violence. What began as a cultural celebration turned into a huge clash by Sindhi nationalists on Sunday, December 7.
On Sunday, thousands of protesters gathered on Sindhi Culture Day. The rally, led by the Sindhi nationalist outfit Jiye Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSSM), soon shifted from celebration to confrontation as demonstrators demanded an independent Sindhudesh.
Chants of “Azadi” and “Pakistan Murdabad” echoed through the streets. The term Sindhudesh refers to the Sindh region, historically linked to the Indus Valley and part of Pakistan since the 1947 Partition.
When authorities diverted the protest route, tempers flared. Stone pelting, vandalism and clashes with police broke out across several parts of Karachi. Dawn reported five police personnel injured.
Protests in Karachi
For decades, Sindhi nationalist groups have accused Pakistan’s government and military of discrimination, political suppression and enforced disappearances. JSSM, whose chairperson Shafi Burfat lives in exile, recently appealed to the United Nations to recognise Sindhudesh as an independent nation.
The group has even urged India to support their cause, citing cultural ties. Nationalist groups argue that Sindh’s distinct language, history and identity are being undermined. The call for Sindhudesh first took shape in 1967 under GM Syed and Pir Ali Mohammed Rashdi, and grew stronger after Bangladesh’s liberation in 1971.
India on Sindhudesh
The latest unrest surged after a Pakistani TV channel broadcast a discussion claiming that MQM leader Altaf Hussain once told former Sindh home minister Zulfiqar Mirza that after the 18th Amendment, “the Sindhudesh card is now in our hands.”
The issue has also entered Indian political discourse. Last month, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said that many Sindhi Hindus of his generation “never fully accepted” Sindh’s separation from India after Partition. He hinted that “Sindh may return to India again,” referring to cultural and civilisational links tied to the Indus River.