• Reminds him Sindh is an integral part of Pakistan
• Presses federal govt to tell the world about India’s intention to occupy Indus River
• National Assembly also reiterates Sindh’s position in sovereign Pakistan

KARACHI: In a remarkable show of unity, the Sindh Assembly on Thursday took a tougher stance on India’s claim on Sindh, and passed a joint resolution condemning the Indian defence minister’s statement as delusional, inflammatory and a deliberate distortion of history.

Speaking on the joint resolution of the treasury and opposition, the members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) from both sides of the aisle vehemently condemned India’s defence minister Rajnath Singh’s remarks, calling them “absurd” and a “deliberate distortion of history”.

The resolution, moved by Excise Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawala, stated: “The Modi government has overseen the gravest aggression against the Indus River in recorded history — an act that constitutes a violation of international laws and a breach of the Indus Waters Treaty, and an assault on the very ecological civilisational foundations of South Asia.

“An attack on the Indus River is an attack on a shared civilisation and millions of livelihoods, and on the cultural and environmental heritage that binds the region together,” it added.

“These statements are historically incorrect, politically irresponsible and contrary to the recognised geopolitical realities of the Indo-Pak region. The House reaffirms that Sindh is an integral part of the sovereign State of Pakistan and urges all individuals and institutions to refrain from making misleading, biased and destabilising statements,” it reads.

Concluding the discussion on the resolution, which was also read out by Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan minority member Mahesh Hasija, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the impression given by the Indian defence minister was deplorable.

Highlighting Sindh’s ancient history, he noted its existence even before the Common Era. “The resolution that was presented narrates the entire history,” he said, adding: “In the ancient maps of Sindh, Multan and Makran were included.”

The chief minister said that Mr Singh was suffering from a state of perplexity.

The chief minister urged the federal government to take immediate action and raise this matter before the world. “The government of Pakistan should send this resolution to the world and tell them that India wants to occupy the Sindh River.”

Chief Minister Murad Shah stressed that the international community must be informed of India’s aggressive actions and statements.

Leader of the Opposition Ali Khurshidi said that the whole world knew what we did to India in the War of Truth. “Pakistani forces gave a befitting reply to Indian aggression,” he added.

Mr Khurshidi said that the statement of the Indian defence minister was baseless and provocative.

He said that the all members of the assembly supported this resolution above political affiliations.

Education Minister Sardar Shah said that Indian defence minister Rajnath made an ignorant statement, calling him “crazy” who did not know history.

He said that Sindh was region of 6,000 years old in the civilisational history.

Sardar Shah said that the oldest book of Hinduism, Rig Veda has the word Sindhu which was replaced with Hindu after Iranian invasion in sixth century. “Persians promoted Hindu word,” he added.

He said that Sindh was an independent country, after which it became a province of its own accord during British Era.

Labour Minister Saeed Ghani, MQM-P’s Amir Siddiqui and Abdul Waseem, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s Shabbir Qureshi and Jamaat-i-Islami’s Muhammad Farooq also spoke on the resolutions.

Education boards bill re-approved

The house re-approved the Sindh Boards of Intermediate and Secondary Education Amendment Bill 2025, which was returned by the governor with objections.

The bill was presented in the house by Law Minister Zia-ul-Hassan Lanjar, which was passed into law with a majority vote. Jamaat-i-Islami member Farooq Ahmed objected that the members should have received a copy of the bill before its passage. “This bill should also have been re-presented in the house in its complete form,” he asserted.

Later, Speaker Syed Awais Shah adjourned the house to Friday.

NA resolution

Meanwhile, the National Assembly also passed a resolution, strongly condemning the recent remarks of Indian Defence Minister asserting that Sindh may one day return to India. The resolution moved by Asad Alam Niazi emphasised that such statements were historically incorrect, politically irresponsible and contrary to the recognised geopolitical realities of Indo-Pak region.

The house reaffirmed that Sindh was integral part of sovereign state of Pakistan. It urged all individuals and institutions to refrain from making misleading, biased and destabilising statements.

Published in Dawn, November 28th, 2025