No reference to a Jai Sindh party could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, the Research Directorate was able to find mention of a Jai Sindh movement (Daily Excelsior 29 May 2000) and the Jaye Sindh party (Bureau Chief 5 Dec. 2003; FAS 24 May 1998).

In a May 2000 article, the English-language Daily Excelsior based in Jammu-Kashmir, India, reported that the Jai Sindh movement "was founded by [the] legendary Sindh hero G. M. Sayeed" and that it illegally acquired weapons from a smuggler named Ayub Khan, at Asif Square and Kochi Camp (29 May 2000). According to the article, Asif Square and Kochi Camp are among several points used for the distribution of weapons to militants of various ethnic groups (Daily Excelsior 29 May 2000). No other reference to the Jai Sindh movement could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

In correspondence with the Research Directorate, the Bureau Chief of the Peshawar office of the Pakistan daily, The Nation, indicated that the Jaye Sindh Party, which was founded by Ghulam Mohammad Syed (G. M. Syed), is a "nationalist force" that is only active in the province of Sindh (5 Dec. 2003). According to the Internet newspaper Sindh Today, the JSM was established on 18 June 1972 under the leadership of G.M. Sayed at Hyder Manzil, Karachi, to achieve the political, economic and cultural freedom of Sindhis and the province of Sindh (Sindh Today 1-15 Dec. 2003). Sindh Today also reported that Syed died in 1995 (ibid.). The party, which is currently headed by Syed's son, Jalal Mehmood Shah, "believes in maximum provincial autonomy and [is] considered a separatist [party]" (Bureau Chief 5 Dec. 2003).

According to Dawn, Syed Jalal Mehmood Shah, the former deputy speaker of the Sindh provincial assembly, recently stated that "the people of Sindh had been deprived of their inalienable rights, including provincial autonomy, Indus waters and natural resources by the [government]" (Dawn 17 Aug. 2003).

The Research Directorate also found references to the Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Dawn 30 May 2003; ibid. 26 Aug. 2002; Sindh Today 1-15 Dec. 2003), the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz party (BBC 28 Feb. 2000; The News 20 Apr. 2002; Dawn 22 Nov. 2001), the Jeay Sindh Muttahidda Mahaz (ibid. 9 Apr. 2001; ibid. 15 Sept. 2003; SNC 4 Aug. 2002), the Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Z) (Dawn 19 Nov. 2002) and the Jeay Sindh Mahaz-J (ibid. 20 Jan. 2003). There is also a Jeay Sindh Students Federation (ibid. 14 June 2002), which The Nation described as a "sectarian" student organization that the Pakistan Interior Ministry was "likely" to ban (23 Jan. 2002). However, in June 2002, the Students Federation was able to stage a demonstration to protest the shortage of water in the province of Sindh (Dawn 14 June 2002).

In September 2000, Dawn reported that the Jeay Sindh Mahaz (JSM) and the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) are two factions of the Jeay Sindh movement, both of which "retain[ed] the original name of the movement-Jeay Sindh Mahaz-founded by G. M. Syed for fighting [for] the national rights of Sindhi people, including the right of a sovereign nation" (1 Sept. 2000). At that time, the two parties announced that they would work together in furthering "the cause of Sindh" (Dawn 1 Sept. 2000). To this end, JSM announced that it would disband its central body and zonal bodies, including Sindhi Poriat Sanghat, Sindhi Nari Tehrik and Jeay Sindh Students Federation, all of which were to be replaced by "new ad hoc bodies till the holding of fresh elections" (ibid.). In addition, "[a] three-member central organizing committee was set up to organize the Mahaz on [a] national level" (ibid.). However, a little more than a year later, Dawn reported that

...There are quite a few "Jeay Sindh" splinter groups, such as Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Syed Zain Shah group), Jeay Sindh Mahaz (Khaliq Junejo group), Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz led by Shafi Burfat and Jeay Sindh Qaum Parast Party (if it is a party) headed by Qamar Bhatti.

...

... All the parties with [a] Jeay Sindh prefix [advocate] for an independent Sindh-sovereign in all respects. All of them have the same programme and they believe in the philosophy of G.M. Syed (22 Nov. 2001). (The full text of this article is attached to this response.)

According to Minorities at Risk, the Jeay Sindh was one of several "radical groups ... responsible for low levels of violence in the past" (1 Dec. 2001). Similarly, Earth Changes TV, the Website of the earth science and metaphysics television show that is broadcast from Seattle, Washington, identified Jeay Sindh as "a militant Sindhi nationalist group" (21 Apr. 2001).

For information on the JSQM, please refer to PAK34465.E of 1 June 2000.

Reports of the ill-treatment of persons of Punjabi origin living in the province of Sindh by members of any of the movements, groups and parties referred to in this Response (including those with a "Jeay Sindh" prefix in their official name) could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, in 2001, Dawn reported that all nationalist parties in the province of Sindh "hold Punjab responsible for 'stealing the water share of Sindh and misappropriating and usurping the natural resources of Sindh'" (22 Nov. 2001). In April 2001, Jeay Sindh Muttahidda Mahaz (JSMM) held a meeting to protest against "the influx of outsiders, including Punjabis and Pathans, into Sindh, and stressed the need for launching a struggle for their expulsion from the province" (Dawn 9 Apr. 2001).

Human Rights Watch (HRW) also noted that, between November 1999 and October 2000, police and army operations targeted the JSQM along with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), and that on 19 February 2000, paramilitary rangers and police in the province "launched a crackdown" against the leaders and activists of the two parties that led to the arrest of 40 activists (2001). On 21 February 2000, another 54 activists were "rounded up and detained," and released the following day (HRW 2001). This "crackdown" was a response to the parties' joint call for a strike against the government for dismissing 400 steel mills workers (ibid.).

In its subsequent review, HRW reported that in November 2001,

... police in Karachi used batons, fired tear gas, and arrested about ninety people, many of them women, who were protesting against water shortages in Sindh province. Two days later, police arrested thirty activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz (JSQM) after they arrived outside the Karachi Press Club to begin a fast to protest the shortages (2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

BBC. 28 February 2000. "Bomb Blast in Strike-Hit Karachi." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/659485.stm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Bureau Chief, The Nation, Peshawar, Pakistan. 5 December 2003. Correspondence.

Daily Excelsior [Jammu-Kashmir, India]. 29 May 2000. "Sindh Province Is Sitting on a Virtual Volcano." http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/00may29/inter.htm [Accessed 4 Dec. 2003]

Dawn [Karachi]. 15 September 2003. "Larkana: Protest over Disputed Water Projects Continues." http://www.dawn.com/2003/09/15/local31.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

_____. 17 August 2003. "Sindh Govt Criticized." http://www.dawn.com/2003/08/17/nat11.htm [Accessed 8 Dec. 2003]

_____. 30 May 2003. "Nawabshah: Protesters Block Highway." http://www.dawn.com/2003/05/30/local37.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

_____. 20 January 2003. "Participation of Ministers Slated: G.M. Syed's Birth Anniversary." http://www.karachi.page.com/news/Jan_03/012003.html [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

_____. 19 November 2002. "Shikarpur: Two Killed in Tribal Clash." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 21 Nov. 2002]

_____. 26 August 2002. Latif Baloch. "Sindhi Nationalists Decide to Boycott Elections." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 27 Aug. 2002]

_____. 14 June 2002. "Hyderabad: JSQM Protest Enters 4th Day." http://www.dawn.com [Accessed 14 June 2002]

_____. 22 November 2001. Aziz Malik. "Whither Nationalist Parties?" http://www.dawn.com/2001/11/22/fea.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

_____. 9 April 2001. "JSMM Holds Punjab Responsible for Water Crisis." http://www.dawn.com/2001/04/09/nat4.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

_____. 1 September 2000. "JSM, JSQM Merger Announced." http://www.karachipage.com/news/Sep_00/090100.html [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Earth Changes TV [Seattle, Wash.]. 21 April 2001. Zahid Hussain. "Water Shortage Threatens Pakistan." http://www.earthchangestv.com/breaking/April_Part2_2001/0421pakistan.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Federation of American Scientists (FAS). 24 May 1998. "Security Threats." http://www.fas.org/irp/world/pakistan/threats/ [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Human Rights Watch (HRW). 2002. Human Rights Watch World Report 2002. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k2/asia9.html [Accessed 12 Dec. 2003]

_____. 2001. Human Rights Watch World Report 2001. http://www.hrw.org/wr2k1/asia/pakistan.html [Accessed 12 Dec. 2003]

Minorities at Risk, College Park, Maryland. 1 December 2001. Amy Pate et. al. "Sindhis in Pakistan." http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/inscr/mar/data/paksind.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

The Nation [Islamabad, Internet version]. 23 January 2002. Babar Dogar. "Pakistan May Ban Ethnic, Sectarian Student Groups." (FBIS -NES-2002-0123 24 Jan. 2002/Dialog)

The News [Islamabad, Internet version]. 20 April 2002. Tahir Hasan Khan and Asfar-ul Ashfaq. "Sindh's Major Ethnic Parties Demand New Constitution, More Provincial Autonomy." (FBIS-NES-2002-0420 22 Apr. 2002/Dialog)

Sindh National Council (SNC) [Saddar, Hyderabad, Sindh]. 4 August 2002. "Three Groups Unite Against Thal Canal Project." Press Release. http://www.thesindh.com/English/Press/040802_1.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Sindh Today. 1-15 December 2003. No. 45-48. "Influx of Alien People into Sindh if Not Stopped, Would Convert Sindhis into a Minority at Their Own Soil." http://www.sindhtoday.net/interview_akj.htm [Accessed 8 Dec. 2003]

Attachment

Dawn [Karachi]. 22 November 2001. Aziz Malik. "Whither Nationalist Parties?" http://www.dawn.com/2001/11/22/fea.htm [Accessed 5 Dec. 2003]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB Databases

Defense and Foreign Affairs Handbook. 2002. 15th ed.

Encyclopedia of World Terrorism. 1997.

The Europa World Year Book 2003

Extremist Groups 2002

Political Handbook of the World 1999

Political Parties of the World 2002

Internet sources, including:

Amnesty International

AsiaOne

Asia Source

European Country of Origin Information Network (ECOI)

Freedom in the World 2003

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)

International Policy Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT)

Middle East Review of International Affairs (MERIA)

Patterns of Global Terrorism 2002

Political Resources on the Net

United Kingdom, Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND)

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Alta Vista

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