Re: Pakistan Day: JSQM leader demands freedom for Sindh and Balochistan
The Sindhudesh Freedom March was a peaceful and civilized protest; saying things like “bunch of thugs” and “blackmailers” exposes the contempt some people have about Sindhis, especially about those who don’t conform to imposed narratives of concocted pakistani nationhood. Similar taunts, of course, were used against Bangalis too before they got their independence from Pakistan and Bangladesh became a separate country.
By the way, even as the ‘national’ electronic media was doing its best to steadfastly ignore it, KTN News (a Sindhi language news channel) was covering the march live and streaming it online too. The rally was HUGE. There was a sea of humanity, thousands and thousands of people including women and children participating in the march which, at its peak, stretched all the way from ‘Tibet Center’ to Jinnah’s tomb and possibly beyond. Had to be seen to be believed. I don’t think even in Balochistan, which is fully alienated and seems pretty much on the brink of secession from Pakistan, there have been such massive protest rallies demanding freedom. Or if there were, at least the mainstream media didn’t bother covering it, which is quite possible…
Anyway, as in previous similar rallies in Sindh, there was no “wadaira” or feudal in sight in the Freedom March so all the non-Sindhis who claim to be such well wishers of Sindhis perhaps shouldn’t mind them peacefully protesting for their rights. Twitter was abuzz with pretty much across the board solidarity among Sindhis and Balochs for the freedom of Sindhudesh from Pak. Pakistan is just 67 years old; Sindhu civilization is 5000 years old. And in an extremists-ravaged Pak, the deeply cherished Sindhi traditions of Sufi-inspired tolerance, secularism and pluralism are increasing at risk. Sindh got the short end of the stick after the creation of Pakistan and if Sindhis want to part ways with a country that is becoming more and more of a failed state, it would be a little unfair to blame them
We are living in a society where weak are oppressed by people in power. Weak in Sindh suffer as much as they suffer in Punjab or any other province. In Sindh (just like other provinces), people suffer because of greedy minority in power and they are not Punjabis/Americans/Aliens etc but Sindhis themselves.
I think it’s time to wake up and acknowledge your own shortcomings rather then blaming others for your miseries.