Latest news with #Sindhis
News18
4 days ago
- Politics
- News18
‘Sindh Never Voted for Partition': Amanad Slams Pakistan Sindhudesh Rising
'Sindh Never Voted for Partition': Amanad Slams Pakistan | Sindhudesh Rising | The Right Stand Last Updated: India Videos | 'Sindh never voted for Partition' In a powerful appearance on The Right Stand with Anand Narasimhan, Amanad, Sindhi nationalist and Founder & Central Chief Organizer of the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (@JSFMOfficial), exposes what he calls Pakistan's decades-long exploitation of the historical betrayal of the Sapta Sindhu civilization to the modern economic and cultural suppression of Sindhis, Amanad claims Pakistan's balkanisation is inevitable. He accuses Islamabad of looting Sindh's natural wealth while denying its people basic rights and representation. Mobile App -
Business Recorder
14-06-2025
- Business Recorder
The Indus under siege
The Egyptian and Indus Valley civilizations, though separated by the chasm of time and geography, are linked by the remarkable parallels in their histories. These ancient societies flourished under the lifeblood of their respective rivers—the Nile in Egypt and the Indus in South Asia—both of which nurtured their existence and fueled their development. The Nile and the Indus were not merely rivers; they were the arteries of thriving civilizations, ensuring agricultural success, enabling trade, and forming the bedrock of their prosperity. For ancient Egyptians, the Nile was indispensable. It enriched their lands with fertile soil, sustained complex irrigation systems, and provided reliable transportation. However, the Nile's importance extended beyond the practical — it became the spiritual essence of their civilization. The Egyptians revered the river as a divine gift, integral to their identity and central to their beliefs and rituals. As historians from institutions such as the Carnegie Museum of Natural History have noted, the Nile influenced every aspect of Egyptian life, making it not just a source of sustenance but also a spiritual anchor. Even today, Egyptians honor the river's origins at Lake Victoria and Lake Tana, often referred to as the 'mothers of the Nile.' Visiting these lakes has become a cultural tradition, a testament to the unbroken bond between the people and their cherished river. The Indus River (Sindhu) held an equally pivotal role in shaping the Indus Valley Civilization and, later, the culture of Sindh, now a province of Pakistan. Like the Nile, the Indus provided the foundation for advanced agricultural practices, the development of bustling urban centers, and robust trade networks. The very name 'Sindh' derives from the ancient Sanskrit word Sindhu, meaning 'river,' underscoring how deeply the region's identity is tied to this waterway. The Indus originates from the sacred Lake Mansarovar in Tibet, yet unlike Egyptians, who honour the Nile's sources, Sindhis have not developed cultural or spiritual traditions around the origins of their river. Nevertheless, Sindhis have consistently demonstrated their devotion to protecting the Indus. A vivid example of this commitment was witnessed during the relentless protests and unwavering resolve to seek agreed water share in accordance with the 1991 Water Accord. The protests proved determination to safeguard the health and flow of the river. This unity and dedication are a powerful reminder of how deeply the Indus is intertwined with their cultural and economic survival. However, in a tragic and alarming turn of events, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on April 24, 2025, escalating tensions over water rights. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has long been a cornerstone of water-sharing agreements between India and Pakistan, governing the use of the Indus and its tributaries. Yet, the geography of the Indus poses a complex challenge: the river flows for approximately 500 kilometers through the Ladakh region, which is under Indian control. According to the IWT, India is permitted to store up to 0.25 million acre-feet (MAF) of water for general and power storage in the Ladakh region, but recent developments indicate plans far exceeding these limits. Over the years, India has constructed several hydropower projects on the Indus in Ladakh, including Nimoo Bazgo and Chutak, with capacities of 45 MW and 44 MW, respectively. Now, India has unveiled plans for 10 new mega hydropower projects in Ladakh, including Achinthang-Sanjak, Parfila, Sunit (Batalik), and Khalsti. These projects not only exceed the storage capacities allowed under the treaty but also raise significant concerns about the diversion and reduction of water flow into Pakistan. Perhaps even more troubling is India's development of a 45-kilometer inland water transport route on the Indus in Ladakh, stretching from Upshi village to Shey village (NW-46). This project involves constructing barrages to maintain water levels, with one weir already completed at Ugu village. While these initiatives are framed as efforts to improve transportation and energy production, their strategic implications cannot be overlooked. The question that arises is whether Ladakh truly needs such projects. Ladakh is one of the most sparsely populated regions in India, with a thinly distributed population that experiences high energy losses during transmission. During winter, the Indus often freezes, rendering hydropower projects ineffective. On the other hand, Ladakh is uniquely positioned to harness solar energy, receiving over 300 sunny days annually. Leh, the capital of Ladakh, enjoys more than 320 clear, sunny days each year, making the region an ideal location for solar energy generation. With an average output of 5.29 kWh/kWp daily, Ladakh has the potential to generate significantly more solar energy than areas like Delhi, which average 4.0 kWh/kWp. Yet, despite this abundant solar wealth, India's focus on hydropower and water transport projects on the Indus appears to serve a different agenda. This agenda became starkly evident in Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech on May 12, 2025, in which he declared that 'water and blood cannot flow together,' vowing to reduce the Indus River's flow into Pakistan to zero. This chilling statement, combined with the expansion of hydropower and inland water transport projects, signals an intent to weaponize the river as part of an economic and strategic campaign against Pakistan. If fully implemented, these plans could reduce the Indus's flow by over 23 MAF, a catastrophic blow to Pakistan's agriculture, economy, and water security. Such an outcome would have consequences far graver than the Six Canal issue, threatening the very survival of millions in Sindh and Pakistan as a whole. In the face of this looming crisis, the question is whether the Sindhi people, who have so valiantly defended the Indus in the past, can extend their resistance beyond their borders. Can they take their protests beyond the Sukkur Barrage all the way to Frano, the last Pakistani village where the Indus crosses into Pakistan from India? Can they draw inspiration from the Egyptians, who have guarded the Nile all the way to Lake Victoria, and take similar action to protect the Indus up to Lake Mansarovar-China? This is not merely a battle for water; it is a battle for survival, sovereignty, and the preservation of a civilization's heritage. The Sindhis must now rise with the same unity and determination they showed during protests over the just and fair water distribution as agreed per Water Accord 1991. The Indus has been their cradle of civilization, the source of their culture, and the foundation of their identity. To safeguard its flow is to safeguard their future. The Indus River has sustained life and nurtured civilizations for millennia. Now, it is calling on the Sindhis to defend it once more—not just for themselves but for future generations of Pakistan who will depend on its life-giving waters. Let this be a rallying cry for action, for resilience, and for the enduring spirit of a people who have always stood by their river. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Time of India
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
US Congressman raises Sindh human rights concerns with Pakistan delegation
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel In a significant diplomatic development, critical issues affecting the people of Sindh were raised during recent discussions between US Congressman Brad Sherman and a visiting Pakistani Congressman, a senior member of the US House of Representatives, voiced strong concerns over water scarcity, enforced disappearances, and systemic repression of the Sindhi Sherman took to social media to share that he had highlighted the urgent need to protect the Indus River -- the lifeline for tens of millions of Sindhis -- during his meeting with the delegation. "Protecting this vital water resource is essential," he stated, underscoring the environmental and humanitarian crisis unfolding in also expressed alarm over recent unrest in Moro, a city in Sindh, where two protesters, Irfan and Zahid Laghari, were reportedly killed while demanding water rights. "For years, Sindhis have faced political repression through enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings," Sherman said, citing Pakistan's Human Rights Commission's documentation of over 8,000 enforced disappearances since 2011 -- many of which have never been properly assured that he had raised the issue of enforced disappearances directly with Pakistani officials and pledged to continue pressing for accountability and Washington-based Sindhi Foundation welcomed Sherman's intervention and praised his advocacy for the people of organization in a press statement confirmed that it had also written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, drawing attention to multiple threats to the very survival of Sindh and its to the Foundation, these threats include the illegal construction of canals over the Indus River to enable corporate farming, systematic enforced disappearances of political activists, and alleged manipulation of the 2023 census aimed at altering Karachi's demography -- all part of an effort, they claim, to divide Sindh along linguistic lines. The marginalization of the Sindhi language was also cited as a serious cultural concern."The Sindhi Foundation will continue to raise these pressing issues in political corridors across the U.S. and the world until the freedom and rights of the Sindhi people are fully realized," the organization development marks a rare instance of Sindh-related human rights concerns being raised at the highest levels of US policymaking, drawing international attention to the long-standing grievances of the Sindhi population.
India Gazette
03-06-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
JSMM Chairman Shafi Burfat slams Pak army for using Bilawal Bhutto as anti-India propaganda tool
Munich [Germany], June 3 (ANI): Shafi Burfat, the leader of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), accused that the Pakistani military is manipulating Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as a pawn to disseminate anti-India rhetoric and distract the global community from state-sponsored terrorism and human rights abuses against marginalised groups such as Sindhis, Baloch, and Pashtuns within Pakistan. 'Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is being strategically utilised by the Pakistani military to redirect international focus. This shift seeks to overshadow the increasing awareness of the severe oppression faced by Pakistan's historical nations, including Sindhis, Baloch, Pashtuns, Seraikis, and the population of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), who endure an imposed state framework upheld by the Punjabi-dominated military establishment. These communities continue to face military occupation, systemic human rights breaches, ethnic cleansing, political oppression, and economic exploitation,' Shafi Burfat remarked. Shafi Burfat pointed out that the Pakistani military and its intelligence service, ISI, have consistently kidnapped political activists through extrajudicial actions, later abandoning their disfigured bodies in isolated locations--a regime of state terror aimed at silencing dissenting voices and stifling aspirations for freedom. 'The internal struggles of these nations for justice and liberty are being violently repressed through state fascism, as Pakistan attempts to conceal this truth from the international community,' Shafi Burfat asserted. Sending Bilawal Bhutto to the United Nations serves merely as a diplomatic facade for the military's colonial strategies, aiming to manipulate the global narrative while suppressing genuine democratic and nationalist movements internally, Burfat emphasised in his statement. 'Bilawal Bhutto is a politically inexperienced individual who is currently being exploited by the Pakistani military in its propaganda effort against India. Although he hails from Sindh, a nation with a history of oppression, the Punjabi-oriented Pakistani state and its military have long perpetrated fascist atrocities and brutally repressed all historical nations within its confines,' Burfat contended. In Balochistan, the Pakistani army--especially the ISI--is involved in the systematic abduction, torture, and enforced disappearance of political activists. Inhumane torture facilities are employed against those seeking justice, and the disfigured bodies of Sindhi, Baloch, and Pashtun activists frequently emerge in deserted areas, standing as grim evidence of state terrorism, Burfat remarked. 'Pakistan has devolved into a living nightmare for the nations confined within its borders. These communities are denied the right to exist with dignity, stripped of political liberties, and silenced through violence and intimidation. Their voices are stifled, and their aspirations for self-determination are crushed. Meanwhile, their mineral and natural resources are exploited by Punjabi imperialism, leaving these communities in a state of poverty, malnutrition, and social despair,' Burfat stated. The military establishment, largely dominated by Punjabis, has seized millions of acres of land that belong to the Sindhis. They forcibly displace entire communities and villages from their ancestral homes. Recently, in Moro City, Sindh, a coordinated operation to grab land in the village of Bajrani Laghari resulted in the brutal murder of two residents, Zahid Laghari and Irfan Laghari, by operatives from the ISI disguised as civilians. This was a deliberate tactic to instil fear, suppress opposition, and facilitate a military takeover of Sindhi territory, according to Shafi Burfat. In his remarks, Shafi Burfat stated that the military establishment in Sindh is continuing to unlawfully control river waters and extensive agricultural lands. The Sindhi population is persistently protesting against this occupation and the resulting exploitation. The historic nations confined within the borders of Pakistan are actively fighting for liberation from political oppression, economic subjugation, and forced domination. 'As representatives of the Sindhi nation, we vehemently denounce and express our shock at Bilawal Bhutto's involvement in supporting the deceptive propaganda of Pakistan's oppressive Punjabi ruling class and its corrupt military. His recent attempts to mislead the international community with narratives against India are nothing more than a perilous act of self-delusion and an effort to mislead the world,' stated Shafi Burfat. We are profoundly disturbed by Bilawal Bhutto's immature and irresponsible actions, as he, despite his lack of experience, is being exploited by the Pakistani state and its military to disseminate false narratives about India on global platforms. This is particularly concerning in light of the recent terrorist attacks orchestrated by Pakistan's military within Indian territory. In retaliation, India initiated Operation Sindoor, a targeted and morally justified mission aimed solely at dismantling terrorist sanctuaries within Pakistan, Burfat remarked. 'We reject the Pakistani establishment's exploitation of Bilawal Bhutto to falsely portray solidarity among oppressed nations within Pakistan, especially the Sindhis, in its antagonistic stance towards India. The Sindhi nation distinguishes itself from such deception and continues its non-violent fight for freedom and justice. The global community must recognise the reality that the nations trapped and colonised within Pakistan are struggling for liberation from its occupation, fascism, and brutality,' claimed Burfat. (ANI)
Indian Express
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Shabana Azmi was denied a flat because of her faith, Javed Akhtar reflects on bitterness of Partition: ‘Apne girebaan mein jhaanko'
In a candid conversation with The Lallantop, veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar recounted an incident from about 20–25 years ago, when his wife, actor Shabana Azmi, was denied the opportunity to purchase a flat simply because of her religion. He narrated the entire incident: 'This happened about 20–25 years ago. Shabana wanted to buy a flat as an investment in a building, and they refused. The broker clearly told us they wouldn't sell a flat to a Muslim.' Javed then reflected on the deeper reasons why such discrimination is so common: 'Who were these people? They were the ones whose parents lived in Sindh, who were expelled from Sindh, taking away their land, property, social respect, profession, everything. They were forced out and made to come here like refugees. These very Sindhis sold clothes and chhole on the streets, and through their hard work built their position. But the bitterness of what happened to them is still inside them. And that bitterness gets taken out on us. So who is responsible? You are, you who expelled them. And now you tell me they didn't give me a house? They didn't give it because you drove them from their own house. People have no idea what the real problem is.' Also Read | Javed Akhtar on Bollywood's silence over Operation Sindoor: 'Kuch log abhi abhi paisa aur naam kamane mein lage hain…' He continued: 'I ask myself, I live in Bombay, a non-Maharashtrian who came here at 19. I worked hard, made a name for myself, I got a house. But if tomorrow someone told me to leave everything in 24 hours, carrying all my belongings in a bundle, I ask, where would I go? Anywhere! If I had to leave my house, my reputation, my money, my status, my friends behind, and see my companions killed on the way, and finally be put in a tent and handed a plate, how would I feel? Toh yeh aadmi jisne tumko ghar nahi diya, usse blame kar rahi ho? Apne girebaan mein jhaanko (And now you blame the man who didn't give you a house? Look into your own conscience)' He shared this story in response to Pakistani actress Bushra Ansari's claim that 'no one in Mumbai rents homes to Muslims.' Before narrating the incident, Akhtar laughed and sarcastically said, 'Yes, of course! Shabana and I are sleeping on the streets now.' He strongly questioned who had the authority to silence him: 'Who is she to tell me when to talk and when not to? She said Naseeruddin Shah stays quiet, so I should too. But who is she to decide when I should speak? Who gave her that right?' He acknowledged the internal issues within India but refused to stay silent when criticism comes from outside: 'Yes, we Indians do have our internal issues. But when someone from outside points fingers, I am first and foremost an Indian. I won't stay silent.'
