Sindhis in Pakistan hold freedom march demanding separate homeland

Karachi: Thousands of Sindhis living across Pakistan held a protest march from Gulshan-e-Hadeed to the Karachi Press Club on Sunday to demand a free 'Sindhudesh' or a separate homeland.

The movement was conceived by the Sindhi political leader GM Syed, who gave a new direction to Sindhi nationalism. He founded the Jeay Sindh Mahaz in 1972 and gave the idea of 'Sindhudesh.'

The protesters on motorbikes, cars and other vehicles waived red flags of 'Sindhudesh'.

The protest was organised by Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), a nationalist political party in the Sindh province of Pakistan, demanding a separate country called Sindhudesh.

The JSQM party was founded in 1995 post the death of GM Syed, a prominent Sindhi politician.

JSQM Chairman Sunan Qureshi and other nationalist leaders addressed the protesters and demanded their right for freedom.

The protestors noted that Sindh is an independent nation and is forcefully occupied by Punjabis of Pakistan. They alleged that their land and resources were being exploited and human rights violations are rampant.

They further stated that the Sindhi language and culture is in danger because of outsiders dominating the Sindh region.