By Javed Qazi

Hardly a day of the great murder of the history of Sindh passed by, that 72 years back, Sindhi Sufi mystic singer, Bhaghat Kanwar Ram, was killed near Shikarpur, that we always remember him on his anniversary day, 1st Nov. We have got a blow due to another shock that three Hindu doctors have been killed by the Bhayo Tribe in Shikarpur. Prima Facie it is due to the fact that recently the persons of this tribe had kidnapped a Sindhi Hindu girl and wanted to convert her religion to escape from the crime of kidnapping. The Sindhi Hindu community, who was in majority in the area prior partition of India, is still living by about 50000 houses, in Shikarpur. They couldn’t let this happen and they got the girl back from the Bhayo tribe. In the tribal context it was shameful for Bhayos that the most weak community, forced Bhayos and got the girl back. In a ray of revenge on very Eid day, just to send a loud and clear message to the Sindhi Hindu community, three Hindu doctors in Shikarpur were killed while they were performing their routine professional work in their respective clinics.

This is same Shikarpur where the great leader of Sindh, Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro was murdered on same grounds, almost 68 years back. Shikarpur was Hub of trade and commerce, which even Karl Marx has acknowledged on his notes on India as colony of British Empire. Prior partition it was either Karachi or Shikarpur which had colleges and best education institutions and hospitals that even Hyderabad and Sukkur was far behind it. Shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro was the first premier of Sindh, who was against the formation of Pakistan, was from Shikarpur city. This was due to the fact that communal groups of Manzil Masjid Gah were spread. The symbol of religious harmony, Bhaghat Kanwar the great mystic singer was murdered at that time. Allah Bux soomro another symbol of religious harmony and secularism was murdered at that time.

People like AyuB khuro took refuge in riots on religion basis, and got there leadership shine on it. Ayub Khuro was charged in the murder of Allah Bux. Pirs of Bharchondi were charged in the murders of Bhaghat Kanwar. And now Bhayos are charged, who are this time in PPP, not because PPP is good party, but they are in, partly due to the power structuring of that area to compete with other tribes. This is yet another story of trader whose brother was murdered in Jacobabad under the patronage of B. Jakharani, minister ppp, that the family was forced to compel to migrate to India. Even children of Sindhi Hindus are kidnapped in Kashmore, near Shikarpur, by the Mazari Tribe, for ransom.

Ayub Khuro was succeeded by Bhuttos and that Bhuttos made the symbol of secularism and tolerance revive back. This is a test case for Asif Zardari, the transitional successor of the Bhuttos to prove himself and bring the culprits to the task so that the justice could be made.

It is a high time for the civil society of Sindh to give support to this community of Sindh. That not only the feudal, there is also a rising chunk of fundamentalists over there who are also gaining a clout in Shikarpur. It is times to let us all make Shikarpur to come and gain its position as history tells us that it had a 99 percent literacy rate prior partition. People like AK Brohi, Sarki who despite children of poor families, have got a highly good education in ordinary schools of Shikarpur. This is that Shikarpur, which gave us not only a great poet Shaikh Ayaz but Shikarpur has given us a great and vibrant middle class as well.

It was indeed an honour for us when last year Asma Jahangir, renowned human right activist came herself to the Ruk Station (Shikarpur) to pay homage to Bhaghat Kanawar Ram. The civil Society activist did not say me no and paid a visit to Shikarpur to pay homage to Shaheed Allah Bux Soomro.

Let us stand up irrespective of any differences and issues, together against this crime. Never let the criminals to escape this time.

Courtesy: Sindhi e-lists/ e-groups, November 8, 2011.

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