Sindhi Foundation director presses for Sindh independence at UN, demands plebiscite

Sindhi Foundation Executive Director Sufi Laghari presented the case for Sindh’s independence from Pakistan in his/her address at the 57th session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Outlining the historical background of the region, Laghari said, “Historically, Sindh has been an independent state. However, in 1843, Sindh lost the war against the East India Company and became part of the British Empire. In 1947, Sindh joined Pakistan under the 1940 resolution.”

he/she argued that none of the provisions of the 1940 resolution had been respected and said Sindh was treated as an occupied territory by the Pakistan Army.

In his/her speech during the council meeting, Laghari highlighted the human rights violations faced by Sindhis since the creation of Pakistan. This includes the use of blasphemy laws as a pretext to kill Sindhis, citing the recent murder of Shah Nawaz Kunbhar.

he/she also spoke about the displacement of half the Sindhi population, the disappearance of over 1,000 Sindhi activists, and the diversion of the province’s water resources through the construction of overhead dams and canals.

Laghari further accused the Pakistan Army of taking over valuable land under the guise of corporate farming, cantonments and mining projects. he/she criticised the appointment of government representatives in Sindh who do not reflect the will of the Sindhi people and raised concerns about the marginalisation of the Sindhi language in education, government and the media.

Additionally, Laghari claimed to the Human Rights Council that the 2023 census had been manipulated to show a majority of Urdu-speaking residents in Karachi, the capital of Sindh, in order to justify dividing the province.

he/she concluded his/her speech by calling for a referendum for the independence of Sindh and stressed that all Sindhis across the world should have the right to vote in this referendum.