An Oral History of Clashes Between Sindhi and Urdu-Speaking Communities in Hyderabad, Sindh (1985 - 1999)

Abstract

This research endeavors to document the oral history of ethnic clashes between Sindhi and Urdu-speaking communities in Hyderabad, Sindh, spanning from 1985 to 1999. Urdu speaking,-refugees, often referred to as Mohajirs, arrived in Sindh in 1947 with the aspiration of becoming integral to the newly established Muslim nation-state of Pakistan. The Sindhi nationalist politicians showed apprehensions about Mohajir settling in Sindh because they feared that Urdu-speaking people would snatch their rights. The refugees who lef t their homes for the new homeland faced serious challenges in their new homeland. Ethnic tension reached its peak in the late 1980s in the Sindh province. A brutal incident in 1990 of communal violence in Hyderabad referred to as Pakka marked the peak of ethnic conflict between two communities in post-colonial Sindh. On 26 May 1990 Sindh police started operation Pakka Qi/a which is Mohajir dominated locality in Hyderabad. The police cordoned off the area, stopped the electricity, water, and gas supplies to the resident of Pakka Qi/a. Mohajir demonstrated against the shortages of supplies and police killed 53 Mohajirs including women according to media reports. This research seeks to understand the causes behind the violence between Sindhi and Mohajirs from 1985 to 1999 in Hyderabad. This work explains Mohajir's role in Sindh's politics in the form af Mohajir Qomi Movement(MQM), Sindhi Nationalists' role in Sindh politics as Jeay Sindh Qomi