Zafar Sahito, leader of the Jeay Sindh Freedom Movement (JSFM) who lives in exile in the US, says that Pakistan was a state created by fake ideology and for some international benefit to the British, and now it has become a liability for everyone and is on the verge of disintegration. Sindhi, Baloch, and the Pashtun people are totally unhappy with the dominance of the Punjabis in Pakistan and this contradiction is creating major problems for the country.
The JSFM leader is regularly bringing up issues related to the cruelty faced by the Sindhi community in Pakistan in various international forums. Sahito remains in regular contact with US Congressmen and the political leadership of Europe and the UK to garner support for the cause and the atrocities carried out by the Pakistan military against the people of Sindhudesh.
Excerpts from an IANS interview with Sahito.
Q. What is the present position of Sindhudesh?
A. The struggle for Sindhudesh is gearing up day by day since the people of “occupied” Sindh are fed up with this fundamentalist failed state of Pakistan, where the military establishment is continuously terrorising the common people to continue their rule. There is a lot of anger amongst the people against a radical Islamist Pakistan.
Q. There are reports of Sindhi people being persecuted in Pakistan on a regular basis, Your comment?
A. Since its creation, Pakistan has politically suppressed the people of Sindh and created fear by using Islamist groups. Fifty-five senior leaders of the Sindh movement were killed by Pakistani agencies, while hundreds have been subjected to enforced disappearances. These days, Pakistan has been isolated and is facing a big economic crisis, while the military establishment is using various methods to loot the national resources of Sindh. The ratio of atrocities has increased against our people by the rogue military leadership of Pakistan.
Q. As a person living in exile, how fruitful is your struggle?
A. Internationally, Pakistan’s position is down morally and politically due to its failed policies and state-sponsored terrorism. These facts and figures are helping me expose Pakistan globally by meeting different groups, organisations and government officials here in the US. Currently, I am working on the “Sanction Pakistan” bill and “declare Pakistan a terrorist state”. Hopefully, it will help us achieve the ultimate goal of our right to self-determination.
Q. Pakistan is in a major political crisis and former Prime Minister Imran Khan had alleged that a foreign power was behind a move to oust him. Your comments?
A. These crises are created by the military establishment because they are the actual owners of Pakistan. They have some internal issues between with the ISI and military intelligence because of the Taliban’s ownership. One group in the military establishment wants to support the Taliban to have some type of a government as in Afghanistan. Pakistan can never have a real democracy because it is state-owned by the military. Imran Khan was a puppet as before like Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto and it is going to be continued.
Q. There are issues in Balochistan, Sindhudesh, and the Pashtun areas of Pakistan. Are these movements strong enough at the ground level to get noticed among the people?
A. The core issue of Pakistan is a national contradiction because the Balochistan, Sindhudesh and Pashtun are historical nations and they cannot accept this new identity of being Pakistani forced on them by one province Punjab. In Pakistan’s military, there are 70 per cent Punjabi and they are controlling everything.
The people of Sindh, Balochistan, and Pashtunisthan are now realising what Punjab did to Bangladesh (East Pakistan) and the same thing is happening with us so that feeling of helplessness is cause of anger even among common people. People are coming out now openly against Pakistan at the ground level.
Q. Are the Islamist forces in Pakistan controlling the administration?
A. Yes, military establishments have many high-level officials who abide by radical Islamist laws and are aligned with various Islamist groups.
Q. Hafiz Saeed, the 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind who has now been sentenced to 33 years in jail; will it be implemented or will the terror leader who has enjoyed close relationships with several leaders of Pakistan come out free?
A. Pakistan is a safe haven for Terrorists. Hafiz Saeed, Masood Azhar, and many other internationally wanted terrorists are living a life of military officials with protocols. These sentences and arrests are just theatrics that Pakistan has always played to get out of the FATF’s grey list and to get sympathy from Western nations.
Q. Is Pakistan on the verge of disintegration?
A. Life of unnatural things is not for the long term. Pakistan was created on a fake ideology and to achieve some international interest by the British. Now Pakistan has become a liability for everyone. I can clearly see that Pakistan is nearing its death.
Q. Have you taken up this issue at the UN?
A. We Sindhis are members of Unrepresented Nations and People’s Organisation (UNPO) which works to develop the understanding and respect for the right to self-determination. The UNPO provides advice and support related to questions related to international recognition and political autonomy. Some former members such as Armenia, East Timor, Estonia, Latvia, Georgia, and Palau have gained full independence and joined the UN.
(The story has been published via a syndicated feed.)
