Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami who had taken out a rally in Karachi to mark the first anniversary of India’s decision to abrogate Article 370 and hence revoke the special status granted to Jammu and Kashmir was hit by a devastating grenade attack which has injured at least 39 people. The responsibility of the attack was claimed by the banned Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army. The banned outfit has gotten active in the past few months which has emerged as a cause of concern for Pakistan and poses a fresh new challenge for both the country’s sovereignty and the China Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Alarm bells have been sent ring in Karachi as the Sindhudesh Revolution Army(SRA) launched a grenade attack on Jamaat-i-Islami which has left 39 injured with one person in critical condition. Two persons riding on a bike threw a grenade on the crowd gathered at the rally in the wake of the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.
The SRA took to Twitter to immediately claim responsibility of the attack. The banned outfit has gotten active in the past few months as they hope to realise their dream of “fighting for Free, Sovereign,Secular and Democratic State of Sindhudesh.”
https://twitter.com/sindhudesharmy2/status/1288110844547461120?s=20
Founded in 2010, the Sindh based outfit has claimed the responsibilities of several attacks on Pakistani forces, Army, Rangers, Supply line of Pakistan, and Chinese Engineers in Karachi , Sukkur and other cities of Sindh.
The outfit has made its mission to resist the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) at all costs in Sindh. The outfit’s website reads, “SRA Vows to continue its militant struggle until and unless the complete freedom of Sindh. It keeps the vision of a Secular, Democratic and Social welfare state of Sindhudesh in the region of south Asia.”
Earlier in June, the SRA had claimed responsibility for the three consecutive explosions which killed four people including two Pakistani soldiers. The recent attack by the outfit in the heart of Karachi is an attempt of asserting its authority in the region as the outfit wants the province of Sindh of which Karachi is the capital to break away from Pakistan.
After the June attacks, the militant outfit carried out a statement which read, “Pakistani Intelligence agencies had been abducting and later it (sic) throwing the bullet-riddled bodies of Sindhi Nationalist Political workers. From Shaheed Samiullah Kalhoro to Shaheed Niaz Lashari have been victimized (sic) of these brutalities of Pakistani agencies. SRA owns those all (sic) Sindhi Martyrs and vows for retaliation of those all of the Martyrdoms (sic) of Sindhi Political Workers.”
The statement further added, “Pakistani state has occupied on our motherland Sindh on the basis of gunpoint of Punjabi military and Punjabi establishment. The Sindhi Nation will never ever accept any out-sider attack or occupation on own land, resources, Indus River, Coastal belt and Sea of Sindh. SRA will resist against the all occupational projects of Punjab and China over Sindh including China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and others. SRA will continue its attacks on CPEC and all other projects which may occupy and exploit our land, resources, Sea routs.”
The outfit has increased its activities in June as it has been involved in six violent attacks in the month of June, with the attacks resulting in the death of 11 Pakistani Rangers personnel.
In another development, according to a report in WION, a consortium of four Baloch organizations announced that they are tying up with the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army. The new alliance called Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar has issued a statement saying that China wants to subjugate Sindh and Balochistan through China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). With BLA and SRA joining hands, Pakistan’s problems have suddenly been compounded as an armed rebellion will raise the costs of CPEC.
“Sindh and Balochistan are equally affected by the expansionist and oppressive resolves of China. Through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China aims to subjugate Sindh and Balochistan and occupy the coasts and resources from Badin to Gwadar. Currently, both nations aim for independence and both consider Pakistan state (Punjab) an arch-enemy,” said Baloch Khan, spokesperson for Baloch Raji Ajoi Sangar.
The fact that China has intruded into Pakistan’s internal politics can be gauged from the fact that recently Beijing ordered Pakistan to manage the rising negative sentiments domestically against the atrocities it commits on the Uyghur Muslims.
The recent activities of the Sindhudesh Revolutionary Army has compounded the problems of Pakistani authorities who are already facing the wrath of the Balochs in the Balochistan. The atrocities of the Punjabi-dominated Pakistan Army and deep-state towards other communities of Pakistan is well-known. While the Balochs have been fighting for their independence for a long time, the growing call and struggle for a separate Sindhudesh is a massive headache for the Pakistani establishment.