History of the Sindhudesh independence movement

From G.M. Syed's 1972 founding of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz, through the movement's post-1995 fragmentation, to the JSMM's founding and 2013 ban.

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Published

24 September 2026

Status verified as of

22 September 2026

G.M. Syed and the founding of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz

G.M. Syed, who had moved the resolution for Sindh's accession to Pakistan in 1947 but grew critical of post-independence centralization, founded the Jeay Sindh Mahaz in 1972 in the aftermath of Bangladesh's independence, interpreting Bengali nationalism's success as validation for Sindhi self-determination; his 1974 book "A Nation in Chains: Sindhudesh" argued for an independent Sindhi state.[1]

1972 · Other

Founding of the Jeay Sindh Mahaz, 1972

G.M. Syed founded the movement for an independent Sindhudesh, inspired by Bangladesh's 1971 independence.

Fragmentation and the JSMM

The movement declined significantly after Syed's death in 1995, with various factions reorganizing, including into the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz.[2]

The Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz, founded on 26 November 2000 by Shafi Muhammad Burfat, was banned by Pakistan on 15 March 2013; Burfat has continued to advocate for Sindhudesh from exile in Germany.[3]

26 November 2000 – 15 March 2013 · Other

Founding and banning of the JSMM, 2000-2013

A newer Sindhudesh advocacy organization was founded and later banned, its leadership continuing to campaign from exile.

Sources for this page

Each number marks a specific claim. Notes give the source, its locator and how it relates to the claim.

Claim: G.M. Syed, who had moved the resolution for Sindh's accession to Pakistan in 1947 but grew critical of post-independence political centralization, founded the Jeay Sindh Mahaz in 1972 in the aftermath of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan, interpreting Bengali nationalism's success as validation for Sindhi ethnic self-determination; in his 1974 book "A Nation in Chains: Sindhudesh," Syed argued that Sindh's distinct language, culture and history, and the exploitation of its resources, warranted independence as a separate state, "Sindhudesh."

Sindhudesh movement (Wikipedia) link, Founding and ideology sections. Source record

Claim: The Sindhudesh movement declined significantly following G.M. Syed's death in 1995; various nationalist factions of the Jeay Sindh movement that had previously operated separately merged into new organizations, including the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM), founded in 1995.

Sindhudesh movement (Wikipedia) link, Post-1995 decline and reorganization section. Source record

Claim: The Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) was founded on 26 November 2000 by Shafi Muhammad Burfat, advocating for Sindhudesh's secession from Pakistan; the Pakistani government banned the JSMM on 15 March 2013. Burfat has continued to advocate for the organization from exile in Germany, where he lives under political asylum.

Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (Wikipedia) link, Founding, banning and exile sections. Source record