Munich [Germany]: As India-Pakistan tensions rise in the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) Chairman Shafi Burfat has issued a passionate appeal to Indian leadership: “Please distinguish between Sindh and the Punjabi-dominated Pakistani state.”
In a strongly worded statement from exile, Burfat emphasized that Sindh is not Pakistan, asserting the region was “annexed without consent in 1947” and has since been subjected to “systemic oppression by the Punjabi military establishment.”
Drawing parallels with the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, he said Sindhis, Baloch, and Pashtuns suffer similar repression today. Burfat urged India to avoid targeting Sindhi civilians, cities, and cultural heritage, especially Mohenjo-Daro, which he described as a “shared symbol of human civilization.”
Key Quotes from Shafi Burfat:
- “Sindh is not an enemy of India. We are a nation striving for freedom, peace, and human rights.”
- “Do not destroy Sindh’s lifelines and heritage in your response to Punjab’s military regime.”
- “These are not Sindh’s wars.”
Burfat also accused the Punjabi military elite of using religious extremism and terrorism as state policy, including in Jammu and Kashmir.
He concluded by urging strategic clarity from India, suggesting that any military or diplomatic response should “target the roots of terrorism and oppression, not the innocent people of Sindh.”
Context:
This plea comes as India takes aggressive diplomatic and security steps following the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 civilian lives. As part of its response, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, revoked visas for Pakistani citizens, and tightened national security protocols.