The Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) has sharply condemned the recent sentencing of two key activists, Arbab Bhail and Halar Chang, as part of a broader crackdown orchestrated by the Pak Army. The sentencing of Bhail to 10 years in prison with a fine of 200,000 and Chang’s 14-year sentence have been denounced as attempts to suppress the Sindhi nationalist movement and the legacy of G.M. Syed.
According to the JSFM, the Pakistan military and its associated institutions are implementing a new strategy to eliminate the Sindhi nationalist movement. This strategy reportedly involves targeting politically active leaders and activists through violent means and oppressive legal measures. The recent sentences are seen as part of a larger pattern of repression that includes arbitrary arrests, torture, and fabricated charges.
The JSFM has criticized the Pak Army for its brutal tactics, which include:
- Targeting and injuring political leaders and activists through gunfire.
- Executing individuals extrajudicially.
- Engaging in forced disappearances, torture, and the creation of false Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) cases to secure long prison sentences.
These actions are said to aim at instilling fear and preventing political activism within Sindh.
The situation escalated recently in Hyderabad, where six nationalist activists were abducted, shot, and subsequently hospitalized. Notably, Goru Sindhi (Jameel Shoro), a prominent JSFM leader, was assassinated by Pak Army agents while returning from visiting the injured activists. This incident has further highlighted the extreme measures employed by the Pak military against the Sindhi nationalist movement.
The JSFM leaders said that the Paki establishment’s relentless repression, including arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings, is designed to dismantle the Sindhi nationalist movement and intimidate its supporters. Despite the severity of the crackdown, they vow to continue their struggle for Sindh’s independence, asserting that the repression only strengthens their resolve.