Sindhi American Political Action Committee
'THE WONDER GIRL' TALKS ABOUT LIFE AFTER A YEAR IN REHAB, P6
VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2
SINDH GUARDIAN
SAPAC
Photo courtesy of Emmanuel Guddu of Sindh @guddupakistani
PREVIEW
STATE OF HEALTH AND COVID-19
+
TERRORISM AND CHILD ABUSE
GENDER INEQUALITY IN SINDH
REMEMBERING ATTA MUHAMMAD BHANBHRO
ABOUT THIS ISSUE Volume 7 Issue 2 of the Sindh Guardian was a collaborative effort in the spring of 2020 by the Sindhi American Political Action Committee team. These issues encompass a broad overview of what the Sindhi community faces each day. Few people know of Sindh or its persecuted indigenous communities and it is our duty to spread awareness.
Authors and Contributors Amber Georges Amber is a rising senior at The College of New Jersey, studying political science and minoring in criminology. She has a major interest in international relations and African American studies as well as history. While interning with the Sindhi American Political Action Committee, she has become more educated on the humanity violations and challenges of the Sindhi people within Pakistan and has gained a passion for advocacy.
Ayia Ghazy Ayia Ghazy is a senior at University of North Florida studying Political Science with a minor in Criminal Justice. Her interest in politics first came about because of experiencing first-hand the contempt of the Egyptian people towards the police force and the government, after years of violations and discrimination. After graduation she plans on getting her Master’s degree in either International Relations or Criminal Justice.
Christine Sifre Christine is a senior at Framingham State University in Massachusetts studying political science. While living aboard she developed an aspiration to work in human rights and women's rights focusing on international conflict resolutions. She is excited to look into a graduate program that involves conflict resolutions and making the world just a little bit kinder each day.
Jack Miniutti Jack is a senior at the University of Massachusetts Lowell studying economics and minoring in finance. He enjoys researching and writing about inequality and learning about issues regarding human rights. During his time at SAPAC, Jack has grown increasingly interested in the parallels between international human rights abuses and the extrapunitive nature of American criminal justice.
Karie Pinnix Karie is a senior at Mississippi State University pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in communication, with an emphasis in public relations and print and digital journalism. Fascinated by international relations, she hopes to bridge the gap between media and the need for underrepresented groups abroad to become known. Working at SAPAC has allowed her to become an advocate for marginalized people across the world.
Michael Kayal Michael is a senior at The College of New Jersey studying political science while minoring in law, politics and philosophy. He is intrigued by foreign affairs and working with people of diverse cultures to resolve the world’s geopolitical issues. While working at SAPAC, he developed an aspiration for human rights in the realm of international relations.
The views in this publication belong to individuals and do not necessarily represent the views of SAPAC.
TABLE OF CONTENTS State of Health & COVID-19 06 Sindh During the COVID-19 Pandemic 09 A Surge of Suicides in Sindh 11 Malnutrition Among Sindhi Children
Terrorism and Child Abuse 13 ISIS Attacks Against Sindhis 14 Child Abuse in Sindh
Gender Inequality in Sindh 18 War on Women's Rights 20 Women's March & Abductions of Sindhi Girls 22 Atta Muhammad Bhanbhro: Champion of the Sindhi Language and People 23 A Meeting with SAPAC's President, Dr. Maqbool Halepota 24 A Conversation with Congressman Brad Sherman 25 Congressman Brad Sherman Advocates for Sindhi Language Outreach 26 Congressional Sindh Caucus 27 References
state of
HEALTH and
COVID-19
SINDH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC Health Written by Christine Sifre During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pakistan is having a hard time managing their disagreements on how to deal with their economics and their healthcare system during this crisis, especially with the Sindh province. Punjab and Sindh have been hit the hardest by COVID-19 and started their lockdowns at roughly the same time on March 2324, 2020. Both have extended the lockdown, yet Sindh has been criticized for wanting to extend because there are still a lot of people who can get the virus, especially in Karachi. When the federal government and the provincial government do not see eye to eye, people get confused on who to listen to. With that said, who is being most affected by this? That depends on the source, adding to more confusion. Pakistani news outlet Dawn reported on April 12, 2020, according to a study conducted by the Provincial and Regional Disease Surveillance and Response Unit under the Directorate General Health Services in Sindh, the first case on Feb. 26, 2020 until April 12, Sindh Guardian | 6
2020 found that men and those who are in the 20-39 age groups are more likely to be infected with COVID-19. The report showed a total of 1,326 people ranging 10 years apart starting with ages 0-9 to 70 and up. Those between ages 20-29 had 269 cases and those ages 30-39 had 267 cases with the virus versus 135 cases for ages 60-69 and 129 cases for 70 and up. Out of the total, 926 were men and 400 were female. The Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah basically said that since men leave the house more frequently, they are more at risk of being exposed and “don’t care to practice social distancing as advised by experts” (1). These Karachi towns of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Saddar and North Nazimabad have at this point been recorded as the highest cases of infection. Other interesting findings were that, “hypertension and diabetes were found to be the most common underlying health condition in patients who died,” according to the article. Another Dawn article noted that the Edhi Foundation, the city’s most noted social welfare organization, said that there has been 60 to 70% increase in deaths during a short period of time and 387 people have been shifted from different areas and hospitals to various graveyards. Yet, that does not necessarily mean that it is all from COVID-19. Additionally, a possible reason for the spike in death tolls could be because private hospitals and primary care facilities are either not “entertaining” patients or are closed altogether,
Governor of Sindh province, Imran Ismail, talks with a shopkeeper as he delivers protective face masks at a stall along a road in Karachi, Pakistan (Reuters).
putting unnecessary pressure on three main public hospitals- Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Civil Hospital and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital as reported by Dr. Amir Raza, former deputy medical superintendent of the Trauma Centre of the Dr. Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi (2). That seems irresponsible for any hospitals or healthcare facilities to close and limit access to care in the middle of a pandemic chiefly because 88% of the 1,059 health units in Sindh are primary care units. If they are shut down, how can people get tested? (3). In an article reported by global news outlet The News International, over 300 patients showed up to hospitals either dead on arrival (DOA) or died within a few hours of arriving. Hospital officials report these patients had a severe illness like chronic liver disease, multiple organ failure, cardiopulmonary arrest to renal failure, pneumonia and even acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (4). According to multiple health organizations like the World Health Organization, European Center for Disease Prevention Control and Centers for Disease Prevention have all said
these underlying illnesses, along with hypertension and diabetes, could cause decreased chances of survival as the renal, liver and cardio systems are most affected by how COVID-19 attacks the body. Therefore, the numbers of deaths caused by COVID-19 could be higher if this information was taken into consideration. JPMC and other hospitals started to notice this pattern rise towards the end of March, realizing it was something to consider and pay closer attention to. That could be why earlier patients were not tested for COVID-19 nor were they examined post-mortem to confirm how they died. Obvious DOAs like auto accidents were not considered, but those who were complaining about not being able to breathe, having chest pain or multiple organ failure should be considered as possible COVID-19 cases due to the relationship of how the virus attacks the body. It also does not help when people hear that someone has died because it can cause mass paranoia and fear to build up for people. So much so that family members of the deceased demand that the bodies be committed to ghusl (bathing of a body) and be buried to avoid spreading the disease without getting an autopsy first, which further explains why some of the numbers could be higher than are reported, because they have not been properly evaluated (2). Furthermore, the contagiousness of this disease is not really being talked about in Sindh. In one article by Dawn, on April 20, 2020, more police personnel are testing positive for COVID-19 and are spreading it to their family members. For example, an unnamed officer who tested positive, eight of his 22 close family members also tested positive (5). Police are not widely being given protective gear as they do their best to prevent the spread of the virus, increasing the probability of them getting infected. As a result of attempting to slow down the spread of the virus, the Sindh Government has set up a drive-thru testing site in the Jehangir Kothari Parade area of the Clifton municipality of Karachi. Another measure has been for the Sindh Rangers and police to set up blockades on several roads in 11 union committees, mostly in the east district. While the intention is there, it is poorly executed as supply trucks for essential medical shops are not being allowed to enter these Sindh Guardian | 7
blocked zones (6). Likewise, people who live in these blocked areas that are trying to go to a nearby hospital are being blocked from leaving. If people are sick, they should at least be able to go beyond the barrier to go to the hospital or at least be directed to the nearest clinic, but there is a high probability that will be closed, creating more unnecessary strategies in slowing down the pandemic. Also, having these blockades limit transportation efforts of ambulances to get people to hospitals in a timely manner, possibly increasing the number of DOAs. The Vulnerable Communities Impacted by COVID-19 Yet, it is not just the hospitals that are being heavily impacted by the virus, the leadership all over the country is struggling with how to balance protecting the people’s health and dealing with the crashing economy happening all over the world. The most vulnerable are the homeless, prisoners, working poor and women as their factories,
Pakistani workers making face masks, which are in high demand since the start of COVID-19 (AP Photo/Fareed Khan).
shops, livelihoods had to be closed or had limited access because people were ordered to stay home to prevent the spread of the disease. With shortages of supplies and proper supplies, prison guards, medical staff, and prisoners themselves do not have enough for protection to stop the spread of the disease. Many inmates are also at a high risk for contracting the illness. Online Pakistani newspaper Pakistan Today reported that in four provinces, including Sindh and Balochistan, that 1,823 inmates are suffering from hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and mental illness, while another 2,192 suffer from other ailments. These conditions create a hotbed for the virus to spread uncontrollably. Also, the article states that inÂ
Two Pakistani women leave the Karachi Aga Khan hospital on Feb. 27 (U.S. News).
Sindh, 70% of the inmates were yet to be convicted of a crime. On March 16, 2020, health officials began screening prisoners and staff. After this, the government decided to give low-risk prisoners and those almost ready to get out a 60-days early release (7). However, those that were high risk like elderly prisoners or those with underlying causes were not released. Children in Sindh, also one of the most vulnerable demographics for the virus, have also been impacted in high numbers by COVID-19. On May 29, 2020, Middle Eastern news source Al Jazeera stated that more than 900 Sindhi children under the age of 10 have tested positive for the virus. Most of these children are asymptomatic and live in poor, cramped conditions at home, where social distancing is difficult to achieve. Local resident Abdullah Baloch stressed the difficulty of staying safe during these times, stating, “Look at the situation we are living in, it's all solid waste, smell everywhere while the government is talking about hygiene and social distancing. How is it possible in a situation like this and how we can keep our children safe?" (12) Nobody plans for COVID-19 to affect them, especially people who are just getting started in their careers or families that already struggle to survive on one or two meals a day. For families in poverty, losing their only source of income matters greatly as their amount of meals diminish. Also, how do businesses and workers get protected from economic hardship? Many companies already have inadequate legal protection, no Sindh Guardian | 8
employee contracts or appointment letter, and a poor enforcement of protections for workers that some workers are being laid off without any financial support. Does it become the responsibility of the state to provide food or some type of assistance for the people to ensure their survival? The government of Sindh made an announcement on March 23, 2020 issuing a directive prohibiting employers from laying off workers during lock down period. They ensured payment of salaries of Rs 3,000 (US $20) per month, which is below minimum wage, established an emergency fund to address the economic consequences of the virus and set up a tripartite mechanism with representatives of government, workers and employers to deal with salary fulfilment complaints (8). However, this so far only applies to factory workers. Those who are home-based workers, typically females and farmers, are still being considered for government help them. In the meantime, farmers, the government, and those who are traders of their crops are dealing with farming complications throughout the province from crops not being harvested because of the lack of workers, to no transportation of what does get harvested because of road blockages. Another problem includes the Sindh government waiving the mandatory submitted form VII, (claiming ownership of land) creating harder ways to form compensations regarding farmers and traders (9). On top of the lock down, religious minority groups are being ignored largely by the government when it comes to food rations because they are reserved for Muslims only (10). In the middle of a pandemic there is still mass discrimination against people who are marginalized just to show some level of superiority in a time where unity is desperately needed for everyone to beat this virus. This virus is not going to discriminate against age, gender, religion, socioeconomics class or ethnicity. Despite the many challenges that everyone is being faced with, there are the fellow countrymen and local heroes that can put aside their differences and help each other out. Hindus, Christians, Sikhs, and Muslims from local charities, youth groups, and celebrities alike are filling in the gaps to help their neighbors with food rations and cash. By groups like these providing help to their neighbors, the Sindhi community shows some hope for humanity.
A SURGE OF SUICIDES IN SINDH Health Written by Christine Sifre “Suicide is a basic cry for help,” said Professor Raza-ur-Rehman, a former chairman psychiatry at the Dow University Health Sciences when speaking to The Newsline magazine in 2019 (1). However, under Pakistan’s Penal Code 325, a law leftover from colonial times in 1860, any attempts to commit suicide is a crime that can land someone in jail for a year and/or be fined. Additionally, there is a stigma because of haram- which makes suicide forbidden by Islamic Law (1). Therefore, when someone is suffering on the inside, they might not feel safe to talk about how they are feeling because it is seen as a crime, a sign of weakness and against Islamic values. According to Dr. Uzma Ambareem, vice president of Pakistan Association for Mental Health, said that: “Suicide takes place when no barrier is left between the person and the act itself” (1). People want to be helped, they just do not know who they can trust when it comes to talking about not wanting to live anymore or believe whatever rational belief they can use to convince themselves as to why they should not live anymore. In Sindh, there have been 1,300 Sindh Guardian | 9
deaths by suicides in the last five years, and some areas of the province have been hit harder than others. However, could this trend have been predicted in Sindh? In a 2006 study about suicides in Sindh, professors Murad Moosa Khan and Adnan Ali Hyder pointed out a steady increase of suicide in a 15 year period from 1985 to 1999. In that time period, they found 2,568 cases with 1987 being the lowest with 90 cases and the highest in 1999 with 360 cases (2). They also pointed out that the numbers could be doubled due to underreporting from the police department, which is where they got all their data since there is not a government office that keeps track. Likewise, the study found that 91 cases of suicide in Pakistan were reported by newspapers but were not included in official police reports during a three month span in 2001 (2). The overall study recommended the decriminalization of suicide attempts, calls for more studies on suicide in all regions of Pakistan, and the use of campaigns through media or other public forms to help reduce the stigma about suicide so more people can get the help they need without the fear of being condemned by the police or society. So, it should come as no surprise that there is such concern with the rate of suicide currently happening in Sindh. The Inspector General of Police Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam established a study to collect data from January 1, 2014 to June 30, 2019 in the new research wing of the
police department. What this study found was that three districts in Sindh- Mirpur Khas, Hyderabad, and Shaheed Benazirabad- had the highest number of suicides. Mirpur Khas had a total of 646 in 2018, where 356 were women, 290 were men and 324 of them were between 21-40 years of age. Regarding religion, 449 were Hindu, and 197 were Muslim. Hyderabad had the second highest number of suicides, with 299 totals. In this region, 183 were men, 116 were women, 191 were between ages 21 to 40, 187 were Muslim and 112 were Hindu. Lastly, Shaheed Benazirabad had a total of 181, with 106 men and 75 women, 91 were between the ages 21 of 40, 139 were Muslim and 42 were Hindu,
Over the last five years, 586 females have committed suicide in Sindh (3).
with women and youth making up the highest number of suicides (3). Why is there a continued increase in suicide in the Sindh province? Within the aforementioned study, the main reasons why people are taking their lives is due to poverty, unemployment, falling socioeconomic status, marital issues, domestic violence, drugs and most importantly psychological issues. In a different survey conducted by Geo News, they also found that ignorance, lack of basic facilities of
Poverty, unemployment, falling socio-economical status and addiction to drugs and psychological issues are some reasons why some Sindhi women commit suicide. (3). life, forced marriages, debt and interest are additional reasons why people may take their lives (4). When it is broken down by gender, women are more likely to commit suicide from domestic violence and commit more attempts because they tend to choose less painful ways of dying like taking pills as their means to an end. For men, it is usually finances, and they tend to find more violent ways of doing it. However, it is never just one thing that sets someone into a downward spiral into self-doubt. For example, according to the nongovernment organization Human Rights Watch, they found that laborers in the garment districts often do not have written contracts and are not allowed to unionize so they could negotiate for better terms. As a result, these women workers can be fired at any moment. If a person gets sick or if a woman is visibly pregnant, they could be fired also. The pay is typically under the statutory minimum wage and the management will “clock-in and out” their employees to make it look like they are complying with the law of a 9-hours workday, when in reality it is much longer without overtime pay (5). Without any form of job security, it can be extremely stressful for anyone to provide for themselves let alone an entire family under those strenuous conditions. It creates an environment of desperation and hopelessness to the point where some people cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel no matter howhard they work to improve their lives. What has the Sindh or Pakistan government done about this? In 2013, Sindh passed the Sindh Mental Health Act that would require Sindh Guardian | 10
anyone attempting suicide to have a psychiatric assessment, but due to the continued stigma of suicide, the situation has remained unchanged. In 2013, Pakistan became a signatory on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Mental Health Action Plan, which states, “Many people who attempt suicide come from vulnerable and marginalized groups. Moreover, young people and the elderly are among the most susceptible age groups to suicidal ideation and self-harm… actions to prevent suicide must not only come from the health sector, but also from other sectors simultaneously” (6). Yet, the federal government upholds their Penal Code 325, leaving professionals in the health sector with a moral and legal dilemma that they are hesitant and/or refuse to provide basic care for these individuals that are suffering greatly. There was a push in 2017 from psychiatrist Dr. Haroon and Pakistani Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja for legislation to amend a bill to decriminalize suicide. But despite its unanimous adoption by the Senate and Council of Islamic Ideology, it later was put aside. As a result, it was not passed by the National Assembly alone (6). To add more confusion, President Arif Alvi called for a 24/7 suicide prevention help line in September of 2018 (6). Basically, Alvi acknowledged that there is a problem that needs to be addressed, but no motions have been set by him or the government to further decriminalize act of suicide. Serious problems like suicide within Sindh and Pakistan have been met with doubt and disarray from the Pakistani government. Without unified leadership stands on suicide prevention, there could be a continuous rise in suicides because people will not get the help that they deserve.
MALNUTRITION AMONG SINDHI CHILDREN Health
Written by Michael Kayal
According to this 2019 report, over 1 million children have global acute malnutrition in the region, while 635,000 have moderate acute malnutrition, and 365,000 have severe acute malnutrition (1). Malnutrition is a major public health problem in developing countries, resulting in a high mortality rate (~60%) in children less than five years of age (3).
The prevalence of stunted growth (stunting) in the province (45.5%) is also higher than the national average of 40.2% (2).
According to a 2019 report, two out of the eight drought affected districts in Sindh, Tharparkar and Umerkot have extremely critical levels (IPC AMN Phase 5) of acute malnutrition. This means that about every third child in these districts is suffering from acute malnutrition (1).
A survey sample in Sindh consisting of 18,768 households found that five out of every 10 children aged five or under are stunted while two out of every 10 suffer from wasting, or low weight for height (2).
Six other districts, Jamshoro, Kambar Shahdadkot, Badin, Dadu, Sanghar and Thatta have critical levels (IPC AMN Phase 4) of acute malnutrition. Even though the six districts are Phase 4 classifications, two of these six, Kambar Shahdadkot and Badin, have acute malnutrition levels very close to Phase 5 classification (1). Sindh has the highest number of underweight children in all of Pakistan at 41.3% (2). Sindh Guardian | 11
It was identified that adolescent girls bear the double burden of malnutrition in the province and that 40% of them were found to be anemic (2). Wasting was found most prevalent among children five years of age and younger in Sindh at 23.3% (2). More than 10 % of children between two and five years of age were identified to suffer from some form of functional disability (2).
TERRORISM and
CHILD ABUSE
ISIS ATTACKS AGAINST SINDHIS Religious Persecution Written by Ayia Ghazy ISIS Attacks in Sindh On Feb. 16, 2017, ISIS terrorists attacked the shrine of the revered Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in Sindh, Pakistan. The suicide-bomb attack left 88 people dead and 345 wounded. The shrine is almost always crowded by families visiting from all over the province—by people of all religions and backgrounds. The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack at the shrine. Sindhi Sufis and Sindhi Hindus frequent the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar as an incarnation of the famed Sindhi patron saint Jhulelal. Despite the attack, the shrine is often visited by millions of people annually from all religious communities (1). Tanveer Ali, a local man whose wife and son were injured in the attack, cried, “The terrorists will have to answer for this on the day of judgment.” Witness Raja Soomro, who was inside the shrine at the time of the attack, told a local television network that hundreds of people were performing their spiritual dance called dhamal when the attacker struck at the shrine. He said, “I saw bodies everywhere. I saw bodies of women and children.” Sindh Guardian | 13
A women is comforted after her relatives were killed in the 2017 bombing of a Sufi shrine in Sindh (The Guardian).
Impact of Extremism on Relgious Minorities and Youth Sindh is famous for being home to a historically pluralistic and peaceful society. Despite the values, it has witnessed a significant increase in Islamic extremist presence and violence in the past few years. Extremist groups have also had success in recruiting youth for these groups. Youth has been a vital source of support to many terrorist groups. Many have been forced to join through kidnappings or forcible recruitment, while others join willingly for the appeal of a group-based identity (3). The rise of madrassas in Sindh and in other parts of Pakistan have also encouraged Sindhi-Hindus and other Muslims to become jihadists. This has started to affect all levels of civil society, the public sphere and government. These deteriorating conditions have allowed organized activity of the kidnapping, conversion, and forced marriages of young Sindhi Hindu girls and women to Muslim men, often also their kidnappers, with legal and social impunity. The Founder and President of the Sindh-based Pakistan Hindu Seva
Destruction of the Sufi shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar after the bombing (The Guardian).
Welfare Trust Sanjesh Dhanja said, “As Pakistani Hindu citizens, we strongly condemn the suicide attack at the shrine of Sufi saint Lal Shahbaz Qalandar in which 88 people and counting have perished, including women and children” (1). Dhanja continued saying, “We continue to demand that Pakistan’s government take serious actions to ban terrorist organizations and prevent them from perpetrating such attacks. We request the government to provide adequate security personnel at all large shrines, churches, temples and gurudwaras in every city, township and province. Furthermore, we have urged the government to hire more law enforcement officers from minority religious and ethnic communities as they are most invested in securing their localities” (1). The Pakistani government must curb the influence of ISIS in Pakistan, and in particular Sindh, in order to preserve the lives and values of peaceful communities living there. If such a violent and insidious presence is constantly denied, underplayed or ignored, a new calamity could strike not just Sindh, but also the peace and security of the world.
CHILD ABUSE IN SINDH Child Development Written by Ayia Ghazy Child Abuse in Pakistan In Pakistan, children are usually taught to be submissive and are expected to tolerate violence. In other words, the relationship between adults and children is based on forceful and suppressive obedience, instead of mutual affection and trust. As a result, violence against children is considered acceptable and normal within the family, madrassas, schools and other social spheres in Pakistan (4). The Pakistani society is plagued by the significantly increasing, uncontrolled child abuse. To illustrate, over 12 children were abused every day in the first six months of 2018. This has indicated a 32% increase in child abuse cases compared to the first half of 2017, according to the Pakistani nongovernmental organization, Sahil. To clarify, the data indicated that about 2,322 children were abused in 2018 from January to June, compared to about 1,764 child abuse cases reported in the same period in 2017 all across Pakistan (4). Among boys, cases of child sexual abuse (CSA) had significantly increased by 47%, where cases of girls’ sexual abuse increased by 22% in 2018 in comparison to 2017. Children in the age group between six and 15 are the Sindh Guardian | 14
most vulnerable to sexual exploitation and abuse in Pakistan (4). According to a BBC Urdu report, the statistics presented by the National Assembly of Pakistan in February 2018 showed that in the last few years, about 17,862 cases of sexual exploitation were reported from Pakistan. In addition, the gender breakdown of the statistics indicated that 7,242 boys and 10,620 girls were sexually exploited and abused in the years under review. To exemplify, on New Year’s Eve of 2019, 3-year-old Faryal was raped and left in critical condition to die in extreme cold weather in Havelian, Abbottabad. Following this tragic incident, there was another rape and killing of 8-year-old girl Manahil in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhuntkhwa (4). In addition to sexual abuse, 3.3
women aged 20-49 were married before the age of 15, and only 34% of children under five are registered at birth. Birth registration is a fundamental right of all children as a legal proof of a child’s existence and identity. It is an accurate record of age which can help prevent child marriage and child labor and protect children from being treated as adults by the justice system (6). Pakistan is a federation of four major provinces, which share different traditional and
Pakistanis in Peshwar chant slogans over the death of 7-year-old Zainab Ansari (Reuters).
Minahil is one of thousands of children who have been abused sexually in Pakistan.
million Pakistani children are trapped in child labor that is depriving them from their childhood, their education and health, and condemning them to live a life of poverty. About a quarter of
cultural values and demographics. However, after the 18th amendment to the constitution in 2010, child protection legislation became a provincial subject, and different laws and bills aiming to protect children have been passed from the different provincial assemblies. Academic research reveals Pakistan has not succeeded in forming a uniform legislative system and framework in order to protect children. Multiple legal experts have pointed to the impractical nature of the laws and bills that were passed and placed to protect children from sexual abuse and all other forms of sexual exploitation. Furthermore, a very small percentage and insignificant amounts of funds and
allocated in provincial and federal budgets for children programs and activities (4). Child Abuse in Sindh Child sexual abuse and violence is constantly increasing in Sindh. A recent study conducted by the police about child abuse in Sindh revealed that girls are found to be more vulnerable between ages 1-5 and 1618, while boys are vulnerable between ages 6-10 and 1115. It is said that a total of 349 cases were registered by the police and 408 more suspects were arrested from across the entire province during a five year period (1). Police officers showed charge sheets of about 257 cases before the courts, where 70 cases got cancelled and 17 cases remained untraced. Only 17 cases- out of the 257 that were referred to the courts- ended up in conviction compared to 132 cases where the accused got cleared. This is in addition to another 117 cases that were still pending for trial (1). The majority of child sexual abuse and other forms of exploitation exist in Karachi. In Karachi, a total of 116 children became victims of abuse from 2014 to 2019. Out of the 116 cases, 20 were girls and
358 child abuse cases have been reported in Sindh in the last five years (1). 96 were boys. Police officers managed to arrest 86 suspects, presented charge sheets of 68 cases, cancelled 28 and showed 16 untraced in the provincial capital. Courts ruled in three of the cases with punishments and cleared nine other suspects. There are still 56 cases pending in trial (1). To exemplify, two child abuse incidents surfaced in the Zaman Town area of Karachi’s Sindh Guardian | 15
Korangi Locality. The incident included a minor boy and a minor girl. The police said that on June 8, 2019, a man in Zaman Town deceived his neighbor, a 4-year-old girl, into coming into his house to ultimately trap and rape her. A day after the incident, a first information report (FIR) was filed. The police continued saying that the alleged rapist fled and a search for him was underway. On the other hand, another man sexually assaulted a minor boy who went to his home for tutoring. The suspect was arrested; however, the police were not certain whether the rapist was the tutor or another adult in the house (3). In the district of Thatta, a total of 27 children, 17 of which were boys, became victims of child abuse. The police arrested 38 suspects, and 26 of them were punished. The courts awarded conviction in two cases, declared the innocence of the suspects in 17 cases, and seven cases were still pending (1). In the Tando Mohammed Khan district, 23 children, including 16 boys, were victims of child abuse. Out of the total number of cases, 38 suspects were arrested, 18 were fined and two cases were canceled. The courts convicted suspects in four cases, cleared suspects in eight cases, and six cases were still pending trials (1). In this same district a boy whose body was found hanging in an abandoned house in the district was raped and killed. Police said that one of the two suspects involved in this atrocious crime had confessed during interrogation, while the other suspect ran away. Both suspects are adolescents, one of them 15 years old and the cousin of the 9-year-old victim. A police officer from the investigating team said, “the cousin of the slain boy is the prime suspect, though he blames his friend for killing and hanging the deceased.” He continued, saying, “The boy was drugged, after which he was assaulted and finally hanged to death” (5).
Concerns Over Rising Incidents of Child Sexual Abuse in Sindh The police study did a comparative analysis of child abuse with other three provinces in Pakistan. This analysis revealed that the most child abuse cases were reported in Punjab, followed by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Although there were many child abuse cases reported in Punjab, the study noted more concern about the increasing number of cases in Sindh. The study mainly concentrated on two cases in the Naushahro Feroze district in the
province of Sindh. These cases were declared as “utterly unbelievable and extremely reprehensible.” In the first case, a man confessed that he had been raping his two daughters for nearly a year. The police took action against him when the victims approached the police and filed a written complaint against him. Nobody seemed to believe what they were saying; therefore the victims managed to film a video of their father, and later it was submitted to the police for investigation. In the second incident, a father-like uncle was alleged to have broken into a home and sexually assaulted his minor niece. After the incident, the mother, without any help from others, protested and demanded justice (1). In a media briefing at the Madadgar Helpline Office, human rights lawyer Zia Awan stated that child protection measures in Sindh must be improved to crush the threat of child abuse and maltreatment, whether if that was by the hands of overly disciplinarian parents or by criminal elements. He said, “We must now have a tough code of conduct as, thus far, we have been in a state of denial. Now we have to face up to realities that may not be all that savory.” He continued saying that the strategies used should be used to make sure that life is safe for children, rather than building safe homes for them.
A VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF CHILD ABUSE IN PAKISTAN Child Abuse in 2018 across Pakistan, including Sindh In the first half of 2018, NGO Sahil has revealed a report for child abuse that states a 32% increase in the first six months of 2018 compared to the first half of 2017. A total of 2,322 were reported by newspapers in all four provinces, including Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.
In 2018, on average, more than 10 children in Pakistan were abused every day. Child abuse cases increased by 11% compared to 2017. This bar graph shows that Sindh is the second most dangerous region for children in regards to child abuse. Of the 3,832 cases, 55% of the victims were girls, and 45% were boys.
Sindh Guardian | 16
GENDER INEQUALITY in
SINDH
WAR ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS Gender Inequality Written by Christine Sifre It is well documented that Pakistan has a discriminatory record on the safety and well-being of women. In fact, out of 153 nations they rank 150 for women’s inclusion, justice and security, the lowest financial inclusion as reported by Pakistani news outlet Dawn (1). According to the 2016 country report of Pakistan from the United Kingdom’s Home Office, Pakistan is the third most dangerous place for women and one of the most unequal (2). The United Nations country report found that the World Economic Forum’s 2016 Global Gender Gap report of Pakistan is ranked 143 out of 144 countries in terms of its gender equality in the economy, politics, education and health (3). The U.S. Commission of International Religious Freedom in a December 2019 report named Pakistan a “country of particular concern” because of “systematic, ongoing [and] egregious violations of religious freedom” as thousands of Christian and Hindu girls are abducted, forced to convert to Islam and later to be married off to their kidnapper (4). Overall, Pakistan’s record for women could use a lot of improvement. In the Sindh Sindh Guardian | 18
province, there have been several attempts to improve the lives of working women, but extreme push back from the state government has continued to stifle women’s progress in Pakistan. Sindh’s Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah announced for the 2016-2017 Fiscal Year that there would be an increase in funds for Women’s Development Programs. In a 2017 article from the Pakistani online news outlet The Nation, author Abdullah Zafar breaks down the programs and what they entail. Starting with increasing the budget by 149% for the Women’s Development Department in Sindh, there were proposals that would allocate funding on four established programs and work on developing five more projects with this increase. He goes on to report that of the 149% budget, only .8% has been utilized in more than 10 months. What that looks like is from the Rs $426 million that was allocated to the department, only Rs $78 million was released, and 4% of that amount Rs $3.201 million was spent. For already established programs such as working women’s hostels, Women’s Development Complex in Shaheed Benazirabad district, Advocacy for Women Empowerment in Sindh programme, and mediation programs for women at all divisional headquarters in Sindh through the Alternate Dispute Resolution, the government had allocated Rs $79.104 million for these projects but only Rs $31.439 million was released. This money, however, was not spent on those projects. New projects like Women’s Development
Complex in Karachi, Complaint Cells in 16 cities in the province, a project for improvement livelihood and well-being for Female Home Based Workers (FHBWs) with the help of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and establishment of skill development center for women with disabilities in Karachi was supposed to have an allocation of Rs 223.396 million. This amount introduced to the provincial government was not approved. As a result, no amount was released to
Women sew fabrics at a garment factory in Karachi. Economic crises during 2017 have hit women workers especially hard (Reuters).
them. What was spent was Rs 817,000 from a released Rs 17.977 million on Implementation of Gender Reform Action Plan in Sindh. Rs 843,000 from a released Rs 10 million was spent on establishment of Women’s development complex in Sukkur. Also, an amount of Rs 1.54 million was spent out of Rs 19.532 million on three day care centers in Karachi and one each at divisional headquarters in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad and Mirpurkhas. (5)
In rural Sindh, Pakistan, it is considered shameful for a women to work outside of her home (UNFPA Pakistan). Has there been any improvement in the two and half years since that article has been written? Not really. During a Sindh Assembly meeting, the council denied that a Women Development Complex for Shaheed Benazirabad was in the works. However, Minister Syeda Shah Raza told the council that the reason why it had not started in Shaheed Benazirabad was because the building that was promised was already in police possession, and they were only going to get five rooms. So, they are working on finding a new location. In the meantime, they are working on finishing the Women’s Development Complex in Karachi first. (6) Minister Raza must defend the fact that these complexes are not a ladies club, but a place for women to develop skills and live free of violence. Another project to help with mediation for women through the Alternative Dispute Resolution is also slow to improve. Judges are overburdened, leading to delays in dispensation of judgements. The Sindh government passed a bill for mostly women home-based workers called Sindh Home-Based Workers Act 2018. However, due to the federal government and other provinces disapproval, the implementation has been slow. Zehra Khan, leader of the Home-based Women Worker Federation (HBWWF), has said, “As per an estimate, there are more than 12 million home-based workers in Pakistan and their number is rising with a rate of 5% a year. Of that 12 million figure, 70% of the workers are denied basic human rights.� (7) Sindh Guardian | 19
This list goes on with the failing of the local and federal government to take care of the women that are part of their population. Women continue to face extreme challenges in basic healthcare, especially rural women, where 68% cannot get to a hospital because of distance and another 76% do not have access to transportation (8). With that said, women are vitally important for any society to work and when they are denied basic human rights everyone and every part of society suffers. It is time to hold the Sindh government and the whole of the Pakistani government accountable for their treatment of women and there needs to be continued demand for improvements for economic gain, well-being, education, and safety for all women in Pakistan.
In 2017, many home-based workers could register for benefits and even earn status (The Guardian).
Health workers in Sindh meet to discuss work responsibilities (UNFPA Pakistan).
Women in agriculture have often been one of the most marginalized groups in Pakistan. (The Express Tribune).
WOMEN'S MARCH AND ABDUCTIONS OF SINDHI Inequality GIRLS Gender Written by Christine Sifre On International Women’s Day in 2020, groups of women, men, children and transgender people came out together in large groups across Pakistan’s urban areas to advocate that the Pakistani government grant equal rights to women, laborers, farmers, homebased workers, and so on. Their slogan this year was “Mera Jism, Meri Mrzi,” translated, “My Body, My Choice,” which holds a negative connotation because it is often misunderstood (1). Often times, the slogan is in reference to abortion and reproduction rights of women, but what some people may not understand is that it is also about being sexually harassed, raped and other sexual violence towards women at common places like bus stops, schools, bazaars, job spaces or wherever women go. It is about autonomy and to have complete control over one’s own body. Likewise, it is about her ability to be her own person without a man, the government or society limiting what she can do or who she can be in the world. With Pakistan being the third most dangerous place for women, when will women be a valuable part of society? In Sindh, young girls are regularly kidnapped to be forcibly converted and married off to their Sindh Guardian | 20
abductors. When that happens, her body is no longer hers. Her body now belongs to that man who believes he can do whatever he wants to her because if she protests, he will beat her. At that moment, she becomes property and is no longer human as she is exploited for his pleasure and to reproduce his children. On top of that, she loses her identity when they change her name. She does not get to choose her life anymore. Those girls do not get to fulfill their dreams of becoming a doctor, nurse, pilot, teacher or even the opportunity to fall in love with someone she chooses to love. Now her sole purpose in life is to serve him and his needs. Those girls who are subjected to that life could not be at the march, so activists like Pushpa Kumari from Hyderabad march for them because “these girls are broken down so much that there is nothing left.” (1) Even if that is not the reality of all girls, safety is another issue impacting all girls. Fatima Hassan, an student activist, said: “I’m here today because I don’t feel comfortable walking alone at night” (1). Which is true for most metropolitan areas around the world, but in Pakistan it is far worse. Nonetheless, from Jan. 31, 2019 to Jan. 30, 2020, the Sindh police complied a report on violence against women in Sindh, and their
Protesters in Pakistan display their posters and placards in support of International Women's Day.
findings shown that 108 women died as a result of honor killings, 132 were murdered, three had acid thrown on them, 1,158 were kidnapped, 128 were physically tortured, 95 were raped, six were minors who got assaulted and nine were underage marriages. Along with 39 cases of boys being sexually exploited and 41 cases of boys being criminally assaulted, “My Body, My Choice” further applies to them also (2). However, this report may not be reliable, as many girls in Sindh do not report perpetrated violence crimes against them. Many victims refuse to go to the police from the knowledge that authorities will fail to provide relief to these girls and their families. Due to a chronic problem of underreporting or mislabeling what has been reported, the numbers could be higher. For example, in the same report mentioned, 249 cases of kidnappings were thrown out because the police stated that the under-aged girls had “chosen” to marry out of their own free-will (2). However, considering that many girls who are kidnapped are forced to make a social media video claiming that they have indeed
Thousands of women, men, children and transgender people showed up at the Aurat March in support for women's rights (GlobalVoices). chosen to marry and are of age should be taken as suspicious, which skews the results of the data. Yet, it was not always like this. Before the 1947 Partition of Pakistan and India, women enjoyed relative freedoms in Sindh like going to university, becoming doctors, running family store fronts or being the breadwinner. In the 1930s, there was a boom for women doctors because most women felt more comfortable having a female doctor when they were pregnant to help reduce the high mortality of women and babies. Women in this time were free to pick a partner. Men were able to accept a woman’s authority and free will (3). In many regards they were noticeably progressive for the times, but after the partition, things changed. A 1999 interview with renowned Sindhi writer Popati Hiranandani, shows how women’s rights have changed dramatically, especially in creative fields such as writing: “Male writers used to treat women as their subordinates; they used to say that we should write as they wanted us to write. I refused to listen to them. They did not want me to write about women's emancipation; if I did so, it should be in a limited way. I did not accept these limits, because I wanted women to understand their rights. Sindh Guardian | 21
Why should women be only followers? And who knows better what is right for us - men or women themselves? If men try to guide us, they will only end up being wrong, because they will not understand!” (4) This spirit comes across in the march this year as women of all walks of life came out to support the marchers. Women around the world are done being a man’s punching bag, sex slave and illiterate. They want to become something that is important to them and the world around them. Young girls and women want to explore job opportunities and choose how they want to spend their time because it is valuable. Even in the simple life of getting married and having children creating a partnership of support with their husband instead of being his subordinate leads to the pursuit of happiness. Women are not property nor are they subordinate and when society acknowledges that, without women, life would be empty.
ATTA MUHAMMAD BHANBHRO A CHAMPION OF SINDHI LANGUAGE AND Biography PEOPLE Written by Jack Miniutti
Atta Muhammad Bhanbro
On Friday, June 5, eminent writer, translator and historian of Sindh, Atta Muhammad Bhanbhro died at age 87 at Bachal Bhanbhro near the town of Hingorjain in the Sindh district of Khairpur. Bhanbhro first rose to prominence in Sindh for his translation of H.T. Sorley’s Shah Abdul Latif of Bhit: his poetry, life and time, a study of literature, social and economic conditions in eighteenth century Sindh, considered one of the best scholarly works on the poetry of renowned 18th century philosopher Shah Abdul Latif, widely regarded as the greatest poet of the Sindhi language. Bhanbhro would continue to cement himself as a well-known and highly respected figure within Sindhi academic and literary circles and a champion of the Sindhi language. A trained lawyer by profession, Bhanbhro used his passion for reading, writing and translation to preserve and enrich the Sindhi language, painstakingly translating almost all major foreign works into Sindhi over several decades and amassing a huge collection of rare books on the ancient Indus civilization and history of Sindhis.
The prolific scholar wrote and translated over 300 books during his lifetime. His own works, Kote Kanwa (2001), and Multan Diyan Waran (1992) received the Khawaja Farid Award from the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL). Bhanbro was one of the founders of the Sindhi Literary Society, and in 1968, he began publishing his own magazine, Hoshu, dedicated to the discussion of Sindhi independence and literature until the magazine was banned in 1974 and Bhanbro was forced into hiding. His reverence and passion for Sindhi language and history culminated in a beloved poetic style “full of resistance, thought, and encouragement.” Bhanbro’s poetry also made him a leading voice of the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD), a massive left-wing political movement formed in opposition of the military government rule of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Ha, who became president of Pakistan after declaring martial law in 1977. By then, Bhanbro was a household name, and his activism and writings helped to propel the MRD into one of the largest nonviolent political movements since the time of Gandhi.
Bhanbro's gravesite in his home village of Bachal Bhanbhro, bound by chains.
On June 4, 2015, Bhanbhro’s son, Raja Dahir Bhrandbro, was abducted, tortured and later found dead for his involvement in a political group calling for the independence of Sindh from Pakistan in the face of escalating human rights abuses towards Sindhis. ext
Beloved by his people, Bhranbhro was buried in his native village to the attendance of hundreds of Sindhi activists, politicians and intellectuals. In his will, the writer, scholar and activist asked to be laid to rest face down, with his lips kissing the soil of Sindh, and for his grave to be bound in chains, since he did not feel like a free man, and that it should be unchained only when his land is free. A tireless advocate, brilliant poet and lifelong student, Atta Muhammad Bhranbhro is remembered as champion of the Sindhi language and Sindhi people.
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A MEETING WITH SAPAC'S PRESIDENT, DR. MAQBOOL HALEPOTA Contributed by Amber Georges
The SAPAC team engaged in a conversation with Dr. Halepota about Sindhi rights in Pakistan and the growth of SAPAC over the years. On June 24, 2020, Executive Director Fatima Gul and SAPAC team members Michael Kayal, Jack Miniutti and Karie Pinnix sat down with SAPAC President Dr. Maqbool Halepota to discuss human rights abuses in Sindh and the development of the advocacy organization SAPAC over the last 10 years.
After Gul introduced Dr. Halepota to SAPAC's team members, the president then gave an overview on the beginnings of SAPAC, informing the team members on how many U.S. Representatives did not know the true extent of Pakistan's cultural identity when SAPAC was created. Dr. Halepota has mentioned that over the past 12 years, SAPAC has informed many U.S. Representatives and created change within the province. When Dr. Halepota was done speaking, each team member introduced themselves and began to ask the president questions about crucial issues in Sindh. Michael Kayal first asked the president Sindh Guardian | 23
about the reoccurring issues in Sindh, and which one was the most important. Other team members such as Karie Pinnix discussed the bias in Pakistan's media,while Jack Miniutti asked the president about what U.S. aspects would be beneficial to have in Sindh and vice versa. Going further into SAPAC's goals and its growth throughout the years, Dr. Halepota mentioned how the committee has always kept its one main mission in mind- to protect the rights of Sindhis everywhere, including in Sindh. Protecting the geographical entity of Sindh, language, culture and history is also one of SAPAC's goals. Accepting Sindh as an entity as its own has been one of the President's main goals as well as SAPAC's. Lastly, the president gave his lasting remarks, a call to action for Sindhis: “My message is the same that I have been trying to convey for the past 10 years. Please get involved. Each Sindhi has to work... I would say 100 times more than any other ethnic minority in the U.S. ... Sindh is probably one of the most persecuted places in the world on the globe right now, and we Sindhis know that better than everybody else.�
A CONVERSATION WITH CONGRESSMAN BRAD SHERMAN Written by Michael Kayal
On June 7, 2020, SAPAC's Executive Director Fatima Gul sat down with Congressman Brad Sherman, the chair of the Congressional Sindh Caucus and longtime ally of the Sindhi community. In the first part of the in-depth interview, Gul and Sherman discussed the Congressman's contribution to the Sindhi community, his role as the chair of the Congressional Sindh Caucus, Sindhi language preservation, human rights abuses and the future of Sindhi-American relations. The conversation can be viewed on Youtube and a shortened version can be seen on Twitter.
Gul first started off the meeting by introducing Congressman Brad Sherman and listing all of the committees and caucuses that he is a member of. Those led to the discussion of one of his most significant achievements- founding the Congressional Sindh Caucus, for which Gul thanked the Congressman for his service to the caucus. Gul proceeded to ask the Congressman about the major outcomes of his work in the U.S. Congress and how he sees his efforts unfold for the people of Sindh. Congressman Sherman detailed how his work as the Chair of the Congressional Sindh Caucus is divided into three areas: advocating for human rights, maintaining U.S. interaction with the people of Sindh in the Sindhi language, and making sure U.S. aid to Pakistan is fairly distributed and includes Sindh.
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In the interview, Gul (left) talks to Sherman (right) about Sindhi issues and the congressman's advocacy for human rights in Sindh, Pakistan. Congressman Sherman stated, “Sindh has a proud history, its own language, and its own concerns. And those concerns I think are important to the United States and important to the world.” Gul went on to point out the importance of the Sindhi language. “Language is very important to our culture and heritage. It is one of the oldest languages, and we are fighting for the survival of that language,” said Gul. In terms of forced disappearances, Congressman Sherman’s efforts in raising a voice in the U.S. Congress on behalf of the Sindhi people has allowed for hundreds of people to be released from their captors. Gul mentioned how the families of these victims would reach out to her to thank her and thank the Congressman for all that he has done. Congressman Sherman had some lasting words for all Sindhi-Americans, saying, “There are fewer Sindhi-Americans than Armenian-Americans… fewer than Indian-Americans… obviously fewer than Jewish-Americans, and that just means that each Sindhi-American has to work harder because if there is only one Sindhi for every 10 Armenians, you have to be 10 times as active as the average Armenian... organize and get involved in the American process if you are a Sindhi-American.” Not only has Congressman Sherman been concerned with the injustices occurring in the U.S, but he has also been a driving force for promoting human rights around the world and especially in the region of Sindh. Sindh Guardian | 24
CONGRESSMAN BRAD SHERMAN ADVOCATES FOR SINDHI LANGUAGE OUTREACH On June 23, 2020, Congressman and Chair of the Congressional Sindh Caucus Brad Sherman (DCA-30) testified in a virtual hearing of the House Appropriations Committee for $2 million dollars to be allocated for the Voice of America (VOA) program in the Sindhi language. Congressman Brad Sherman testifiying before the House Appropriations Committee.
Although there is a VOA program in Urdu, advocates for Sindh such as SAPAC have pushed for a VOA program in the Sindhi language for years. Sindhi is the second most popular language in Pakistan, spoken by 53.4 million Sindhismore than the number of people in Pakistan who speak Urdu. In 2019, the Voice of American in the Sindhi Language bill was passed and preliminary funding was set at $1.5 million for the program. With this bill passed, the VOA Sindhi program will be able to reach 40 million people in Sindh and other parts of the world. SAPAC would like to thank Congressman Brad Sherman for his efforts in Congress in advocating for the Sindhi language, especially for raising his voice in support of preserving the Sindhi language and culture.
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CONGRESSIONAL SINDH CAUCUS These are the U.S. Representatives dedicated to standing up for the rights of Sindhis when few others do. The voice of the U.S. Government matters, and the Sindhi American Political Action Committee is grateful to these Members of Congress who seek to hold our strategic ally, Pakistan, to a higher standard. Special thank you to the Chairman of the Congressional Sindh Caucus, Brad Sherman (left), for his support for Sindhis over the decade. Chair Brad Sherman (D-CA-30)
Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03)
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY-12)
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA-29)
Rep. Jaime Raskin (D-MD-08)
Rep. Sansford Bishop, Jr. Rep. Lizzie Fletcher (D-TX-07) (D-GA-02)
Rep. Ann Wagner (R-MO-02)
Rep. Eleanor Norton (D-DC)
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04)
Rep. Pete Olson (R-TX-22)
Rep. AndrĂŠ Carson (D-IN-07)
Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX-14)
REFERENCES SINDH DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 1. Dawn.com. “Youth, Males More Affected by Covid-19 in Sindh: Report.” DAWN.COM, 12Apr. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1548627. 2. Dawn.com. “Is the Number of Covid-19 Deaths in Pakistan Higher than BeingReported?” DAWN.COM, 17 Apr. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1549539. 3. The Impact of Population Growth on Development in Sindh. Feb 2018. Population Welfare Department Government of Sindh http://www.healthpolicyplus.com/ns/pubs/71948353_SindhPakistanRAPIDBooklet.pdf 4. Bhatti, Waqar. “Why Are Karachi's Hospitals Getting More DOAs, near-DeathPatients?” Thenews, The News International, 15 Apr. 2020, www.thenews.com.pk/print/644430-why-are-karachi-s-hospitals-gettingmore-doas-near-death-patients. 5. Ali, Imtiaz. “Sindh Police Turns Focus on Testing after 15 Policemen Diagnosed with Covid19 in Karachi.” DAWN.COM, 21 Apr. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1550828/sindh-police-turns-focus-on-testing-after-15policemen-diagnosed-with-covid-19-in-karachi. 6. Ali, Imtiaz. “Law Enforcers Block Main Arteries Leading to Areas with High Incidence ofCovid-19 Cases in Karachi.” DAWN.COM, 12 Apr. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1548642. 7. “Pakistan: Prisoners at Risk of COVID-19.” Human Rights Watch, 31 Mar. 2020,www.hrw.org/news/2020/03/19/pakistan-prisoners-risk-covid-19. 8. Rehman. “Sindh Govt Bars Employers from Laying off Workers during LockdownPeriod.” Thenews, The News International, 24 Mar. 2020, www.thenews.com.pk/print/633533-sindh-govt-bars-employers-fromlaying-off-workers-during-lockdown-period. 9. Khan, Mohammad Hussain. “The Wheat Procurement Scam.” DAWN.COM, 13 Apr. 2020,www.dawn.com/news/1548664/the-wheat-procurement-scam. 10. NewIndianXpress. “Discrimination amid Pandemic: Pakistan Denies Food Supplies toHindus, Christians as Coronavirus Rages.” The New Indian Express, The New Indian Express, 1 Apr. 2020, www.newindianexpress.com/world/2020/apr/01/discrimination-amid-pandemic-pakistan-deny-food-supplies-to-hindus-christians-as-coronavirus-rages-2124304.html. 11. Abpl. “Pak Refuses to Give Food to Hindus as Covid-19 Rages...” ..., www.asian voice.com/News/International/Pakistan/Pak-refuses-to-give-food-to-Hindus-as-Covid-19-rages. 12. “Hundreds of Children in Pakistan’s Sindh Infected with COVID-19.” Al Jazeera, 29 May, 2020, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/hundreds-pakistan-children-10-sindh-covid-19-200529062729494.html. Accessed 3 July, 2020. A SURGE OF SUICIDES IN SINDH 1. Sumbul, Deneb. “Is Suicide Preventable?” Newsline, newslinemagazine.com/magazine/issuicide-preventable/. 2. Khan, Murad & Hyder, Adnan. (2006). Suicides in the Developing World: Case Study from Pakistan. Suicide & life-threatening behavior. 36. 76-81, 10.1521/suli.2006.36.1.76. 3. Ali, Imtiaz. “586 Women among 1,287 Committed Suicide during Five Years in Sindh:Study.” DAWN.COM, 17 Feb. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1534949. 4. Report, News. “Rising Suicide Tendencies in Sindh: Over 1,300 Ended Their Lives in 5 Years.” Thenews, The News International, 10 Jan. 2020,www.thenews.com.pk/print/596397-rising-suicide-tendencies-in-sindhover-1-300ended-their-lives-in-5-years. 5. “‘No Room to Bargain’: Unfair and Abusive Labor Practices in Pakistan.” Human RightsWatch, 23 Jan. 2019, www.hrw.org/report/2019/01/23/no-room-bargain/unfair-andabusive-labor-practices-pakistan.6. Raza, Masooma. “Section 325 Must Go.” DAWN.COM, 24 Nov. 2019,www.dawn.com/news/1518536. MALNUTRITION IN SINDH TO CHILDREN: FACT SHEET “1. Pakistan: Acute Malnutrition in Sindh May - August 2019 and Projection for September - December 2019.” Integrated Food Security Phase Classification. May 1st, 2019. Accessed June 22nd, 2020. http://www.ipcinfo.org/ipc-country-analysis/details-map/en/c/1152319/ 2. “Underweight children, stunting rate highest in Sindh: survey.” Dawn. July 25th, 2019. Accessed June 22nd, 2020. https://www.dawn.com/news/1495978 3. Zulfiqar Ali Laghari, Ali Muhammad Soomro, Sarfraz Ali Tunio, Khalid Lashari, Farzana Gul Baloach, Nimra Masood Baig, Shaista Bano, “Malnutrition Among Childrend Under Five Years in District Sanghar, Sindh, Pakistant.” Gomal Journal of Medical Sciences. 2015. Accessed June 24th, 2020. http://www.gjms.com.pk/ojs24/index.php/gjms/article/view/1019 ISIS ATTACKS IN SINDH 1. Hindu Americans Mourn Loss of Life After ISIS Attack at Sindh Sufi Shrine. (2017). Retrieved from https://www.hinduamerican.org/press/hindu-americans-mourn-loss-life-after-isis-attack-sindh-sufi-shrine 2. Pakistan launches crackdown as ISIS shrine attack toll rises to 88. (2017). The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/16/thirty-killed-100-injured-isis-bomb-sufi-shrine-pakistansindh 3. Darden, J.T. (May 2019). Tackling Terrorists’ Exploitation of Youth. United Nations. https://www.un.org/sexualviolenceinconflict/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/report/tackling-terrorists-exploitation-ofyouth/Tackling-Terrorists-Exploitation-of-Youth.pdf
CHILD ABUSE IN SINDH 1. Ali, I. (2020). 358 child abuse cases reported in last five years across Sindh. Dawn. Retrieved from https://www.dawn.com/news/1541169 2. Datta, A. (2018). Call for more child protection measures in Sindh. The News. Retrieved from https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/274976-call-for-more-child-protection-measures-in-sindh 3. Hashmi, T. (2019). Two cases of child sexual abuse emerge from Karachi's Korangi locality. Geo News. Retrieved from https://www.geo.tv/latest/239726-two-cases-of-child-sexual-abuse-emerge-fromkarachis-korangi-locality 4. Shah, Z. A. (2019). The rampant Child Abuse and Child Protection System in Pakistan. Retrieved from https://nation.com.pk/15-Jan-2019/the-rampant-child-abuse-and-child-protection-system-inpakistan 5. Sindh police say nine-year-old boy raped, killed in Tando Muhammad Khan. (2020). The Express Tribune. Retrieved from https://tribune.com.pk/story/2191694/1-sindh-police-say-nine-year-old-boyraped-killed-tando-muhammad-khan/ 6. Zaidi, A. (n.d.). Child Protection. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/pakistan/child-protection-0 WAR ON WOMEN'S RIGHTS 1. Ahmed, Amin. “Pakistan Ranked 151st out of 153 Countries in Gender Report.” DAWN.COM, 18 Dec. 2019, www.dawn.com/news/1522855. 2. United Nations. “Country Information and Guidance - Pakistan: Women Fearing GenderBased Harm / Violence.” Refworld, www.refworld.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/rwmain? page=search&docid=56c420f34&skip=0&query=women's right&coi=PAK. 3. United Nations. “Pakistan: Country Report.” Refworld, pg. 170 www.refworld.org/cgibin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=5b333c994&skip=0&query=women's right&coi=PAK. 4. United States Takes Action Against Violators of Religious Freedom - United StatesDepartment of State.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, https://www.uscirf.gov/sites/default/files/Tier1_PAKISTAN_2019.pdf. 5. Zafar, Abdullah. “Women's Development Remains 'Most Neglected Sector' in Sindh.” TheNation, The Nation, 19 May 2017, nation.com.pk/20-May-2017/women-s-development-remains-most-neglectedsector-in-sindh. 6. Desk, Web. “No Govt Hostel for Women in Sindh, PA Told.” Pakistan Gender News, 2 Mar.2019, www.pakistangendernews.org/no-govt-hostel-for-women-in-sindh-pa-told/. 7. “Sindh Working on Implementation of Home-Based Workers Act.” Pakistan Today, 1 Jan.2020, www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/01/01/sindh-working-on-implementation-ofhome-based-workers-act/. 8. “The Impact of Population Growth on Development in Sindh” February 2018. Population Welfare Department Government of Sindh. Pg. 12http://www.healthpolicyplus.com/ns/pubs/71948353_SindhPakistanRAPIDBooklet.pdf WOMEN'S MARCH IN PAKISTAN 1. Chughtai, Alia. “Pakistan's Women's March: Shaking Patriarchy 'to Its Core'.” Women's Rights|Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera, 8 Mar. 2020, www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/pakistan-women-march-shakingpatriarchy-core-2038095635489.html. 2. Ali, Imtiaz. “108 Women in Sindh 'Killed for Honour' in 2019 Alone: PoliceReport.” DAWN.COM, 31 Jan. 2020, www.dawn.com/news/1531683. 3. Aggarwal, Saaz. “Freedom Fighters and Ticket Checkers: The Trail-Blazing Women of PrePartition Sindh.” Scroll.in, Scroll.in, 23 Sept. 2018, scroll.in/magazine/888565/freedomfighters-and-ticketcheckers-women-in-pre-partition-sindh-blazed-their-own-trail. 4.“ Proud of Being a Woman, an Indian and a Sindhi.’” "Proud of Being a Woman, an Indianand a Sindhi" - India - Poetry International,www.poetryinternational.org/pi/cou_article/18463/Proud-of-beinga-Woman-an-Indian-and-a-Sindhi/nl/tile.
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C A P 2020
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