Sindhudesh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Flag used by Sindhi nationalists
Flag used by Sindhi nationalists

Sindhudesh (Sindhi: سنڌو ديش, literally 'Sindhi Land') is a concept floated around by Sindhi nationalists in Pakistan, for the creation of a Sindhi state. It was conceived by senior Sindhi political leader G. M. Syed. A Sindhi literary movement emerged in 1967 under the leadership of Syed and Pir Ali Mohammed Rushdi, in opposition to the One Unit policy and imposition of Urdu by the central government. During the 1970 national election campaign, Syed proposed the formation of an autonomous Sindhudesh within a loosely federated Pakistan. The movement for Sindhi language and identity led by Syed drew inspiration from the Bengali language movement, but the emerging Sindhi nationalism was marginalized as the populist agenda of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's Islamic socialism drew mass support amongst Sindhi people opposed to the previous regimes.[1][2]

With his political base largely weakened, Syed later advanced his position, towards openly demanding separation from Pakistan and build-up of an independent Sindhudesh in his books Heenyar Pakistan khey tuttan khappey (Now Pakistan Should Disintegrate) and Sindhu Desh - A Nation in Chains.[3]

However, the Sindhudesh concept does not enjoy a widespread support among the Sindhi people, and is confined mainly to a small band of dissident activists and students.

Contents

[edit] Background

Despite the fact that Sindh was the very first region of British India to support the Pakistan Resolution, Jinnah had problems uniting all Sindhis to form a Pakistan.[4] In 1936, Jinnah tried to create a League Parliamentary Board in Sindh but failed.[5] School textbooks of Pakistan that Raja Dahir, the last Hindu ruler of Sindh was cruel and evil[6] and although most Sindhis are Muslims, many nationalists, especially Hindus, treat Raja Dahir as a nationalist who fought Arab imperialists.[1]

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Wright, Theodore P., Jr. Center-Periphery Relations and Ethnic Conflict in Pakistan: Sindhis, Muhajirs, and Punjabis, in Comparative Politics, Vol. 23, No. 3. (Apr., 1991), pp. 299-312.
  2. ^ Rahman, Tariq. Language and Ethnicity in Pakistan, in Asian Survey, Vol. 37, No. 9. (Sep., 1997), pp. 833-839.
  3. ^ Jalal, Ayesha. Conjuring Pakistan: History as Official Imagining, in International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 27, No. 1. (Feb., 1995), pp. 73-89.
  4. ^ P. 28, The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan By Ayesha Jalal
  5. ^ P. 28, The Sole Spokesman: Jinnah, the Muslim League and the Demand for Pakistan By Ayesha Jalal
  6. ^ The Subtle Subversion, "The State of Curricula and Textbooks in Pakistan"

[edit] External links

 This Pakistan-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.