Sindhi leader urges UN to dispatch fact-finding mission to record Pakistan's oppression

Berlin, Aug 25 (IANS) Shafi Burfat, Chairman of Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM), has made an international appeal to the United Nations, highlighting the systematic oppression, exploitation, and the looming threat of Sindh’s division by the Pakistani government.

On behalf of the Sindhi people, civil society organisations, human rights advocates, and concerned global citizens, Burfat recently wrote a letter to the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, drawing attention to the escalating crisis in Sindh. He alleged that the historical homeland of the Sindhi nation is facing systematic oppression, exploitation, and a deliberate conspiracy to divide and dismantle its territorial integrity under the Pakistani government.

"This appeal is submitted in accordance with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and relevant international covenants, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR). We urge the United Nations to immediately intervene to prevent the criminal intentions and violations of the Pakistani state aimed at dismantling the historical national unity of Sindh," the letter detailed.

In an appeal to the UN Secretary General, the JSMM leader called for the recognition and support of the Sindhi nation's right to self-determination in pursuit of the "national independence" of Sindhudesh.

"Under the concept of the modern Sindhi nation, we recognise all residents of Sindh, regardless of ethnicity, language, religion, or sect, as integral members of the modern Sindhi nation, society, and homeland. We advocate for national freedom and independence for all these communities as part of a unified Sindhi nation," he added.

Asserting that the Pakistani government and military continue to conspire to divide Sindh along ethnic and linguistic lines, Burfat said such actions undermine the struggle for Sindhudesh’s independence and push Sindh toward internal conflicts and civil strife.

He emphasised that the protection and recognition of these rights align with the principles enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), which affirms the right of peoples to maintain their unity, culture, and self-determination.

"Women and marginalised groups in Sindh suffer disproportionately, with high rates of gender-based violence. Religious minorities face systematic persecution and discrimination, and bonded labour in rural areas. These acts collectively amount to cultural genocide, as defined by the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide," the letter emphasised.

Raising concern, the JSMM leader warned that if the abuses by the Pakistani government across Sindh remain unchecked, they will perpetuate a cycle of violence, displacement, and instability, potentially destabilising the South Asian region.

He urged the UN to launch an independent investigation, dispatch a UN fact-finding mission to Sindh to document human rights abuses, resource exploitation, and division plots. Additionally, he called on the international body to impose sanctions and urge UN member states to hold Pakistan accountable, including targeted sanctions on officials involved in oppression.

--IANS

scor/as