In a notable diplomatic intervention, US Congressman Brad Sherman, a senior member of the House of Representatives, directly confronted a visiting Pakistani delegation with urgent concerns regarding the human rights situation in Sindh.

During the discussions, Sherman highlighted a series of critical issues — including severe water scarcity, enforced disappearances, and the systemic repression of the Sindhi people — drawing international attention to the longstanding grievances faced by the region’s population.

Sherman underscored the dire environmental and humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sindh, focusing particularly on the protection of the Indus River, which he described as the “lifeline for tens of millions of Sindhis.”

He stressed that safeguarding this vital water resource is essential, especially in light of recent unrest in Moro, Sindh, where two protesters, Irfan and Zahid Laghari, were reportedly killed while demanding water rights. The Congressman cited documentation from Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission, which records over 8,000 enforced disappearances since 2011, many of which remain un-investigated, highlighting the persistent pattern of political repression and extrajudicial killings in the region.

Sherman assured the delegation that he had directly raised the issue of enforced disappearances with Pakistani officials and pledged to continue advocating for accountability and justice. His intervention was welcomed by the Washington-based Sindhi Foundation, which praised his advocacy and confirmed that it had also written to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The Foundation’s statement drew attention to multiple existential threats to Sindh and its people, including the illegal construction of canals over the Indus River for corporate farming, systematic disappearances of political activists, and alleged manipulation of the 2023 census aimed at altering Karachi’s demographic balance — all viewed as part of a broader effort to divide Sindh along linguistic lines. The marginalization of the Sindhi language was also cited as a significant cultural concern.

The Sindhi Foundation reiterated its commitment to raising these pressing issues in political corridors across the US and internationally until the rights and freedoms of the Sindhi people are fully realized. This development marks a rare and significant instance of Sindh-related human rights concerns being addressed at the highest levels of US policymaking, signalling increased international scrutiny of Pakistan’s treatment of the Sindhi population.

Based On ANI Report