UMERKOT: Speakers at Soor­iah Badshah Confe­rence at Umerkot Press Club on Thursday deman­ded the Dow Medical University be named after Sooriah Badshah, March 20 be observed as public holiday on state level and location of the freedom fighter’s grave be identified by the government.

They paid rich tributes to Sooriah Badshah’s sacrifices, his revolutionary struggle of Hur Movement and his unparalleled contribution to the freedom of Sindh at the conference, which was organised by Sooriah Badshah Action Committee at the Umerkot Press Club.

The committee’s deputy convener Shams Mangrio demanded reiterated the three dem­ands and Sharif Bheel, president of the Umerkot Bar Association, said that Sooriah Bads­hah’s slogan “Homeland or coffin” was not just a relic of the past but it remained relevant even this day and in future as well.

Sindh Taraqqi-pasand Party leader Mehar Bang­lani said that descendants of those who created obstacles to Hur Move­ment were still conspiring against the unity of Sindh.

Pakistan Muslim League-Functional leader Mohib Mangrio accused the state of blindly following British colonial rulers’ legacy even this day by neither commemorating Sooriah Badshah’s martyrdom day nor revealing original location of his grave.

Poet Haji Sand lamented that Sindh was today being deprived of its share in water and land through construction of canals on Indus River and corporate farming.

Sayyid Sibghatullah Shah Rashidi-II, Pir Pagaro the sixth, who was lovingly called Sooriah Badshah (great or victorious king) by his followers, launched an armed struggle for the independence of Sindh, which was referred to as Hur Move­ment.

Published in Dawn, March 21st, 2025