Islamic State-linked group JSMM reportedly instigating violent demonstrations among Moro communities, according to sources.
KARACHI — Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has declared that the recent tumultuous protests in Moro were instigated by the proscribed group Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz (JSMM) and involved outsiders among the rioters.
At a press conference, Memon stated that masked protesters congregated on the bypass road, causing havoc. According to him, the protesters opened fire and threw stones at police, injuring two officers. He specified that police did not deploy tear gas.
The minister alleged that non-residents participated in the protest and torched the homes of the Interior Minister and an oil tanker.
The disturbances left nine people injured and two dead, allegedly from gunshot wounds fired by protesters. During the briefing, he also showed video evidence and implicated JSMM’s exiled leader Shafi Burfat in anti-state activities from abroad. Furthermore, he accused social media of peddling misleading propaganda.
Originating from Pakistan, Burfat is the Chairman of JSMM, a Sindhi nationalist and separatist group advocating for the independence of Sindhudesh from Pakistan. He is presently in exile, spearheading JSMM’s political and ideological crusade against Pakistan’s military and government, which he accuses of systematic oppression, human rights violations, and extremist jihadist policies against the Sindhi people.
The recent unrest in Moro is linked to the death of Irfan Laghari, a pro-independence Sindhi activist who was reportedly killed during a peaceful demonstration. Burfat condemned these killings, accusing Pakistani intelligence agencies of targeting and murdering activists like Laghari.
JSMM, under Burfat’s leadership, calls for international support for Sindhudesh’s freedom struggle and views the violent incidents and crackdowns as part of Pakistan’s broader repression of Sindhi nationalism.
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At the press conference, Memon also mentioned that the fire during the protests might be related to the torching of homes, and he accused social media of propagating misleading news about war-and-conflicts in Sindh. Furthermore, he asserted thatJSMM's political activities, under the leadership of exiled chairman Shafi Burfat, are not limited to general-news headlines, but also extend to crime-and-justice issues such as the recent death of Irfan Laghari.
