Greater Punjab Agenda: Sindhi Leader Shafi Burfat Calls for United Resistance

Greater Punjab agenda has come under fierce criticism from exiled Sindhi nationalist leader Shafi Burfat, who warned of Pakistan’s alleged expansionist ambitions and called for a unified resistance to protect Sindh's territorial and cultural integrity. Speaking from Berlin, Burfat addressed global geopolitical tensions and linked them to internal threats posed by Pakistan’s dominant Punjabi establishment.

According to Burfat, the Greater Punjab agenda involves efforts by Pakistan’s Punjabi-dominated elite to absorb historically Sindhi and Baloch territories, including Lasbela, Kachhi, and parts of Balochistan, while also expressing interest in regions of Indian Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. He warned that these moves are strategically disguised as peacebuilding efforts to gain the support of global powers like the United States and China.

Geopolitical Crossfire and Pakistan's Expansionism

Citing global conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war, China-Taiwan tensions, and Iran-Israel confrontations, Burfat argued that the world is undergoing a dangerous geopolitical realignment. He warned that any future direct conflict among nuclear superpowers could lead to devastation on a scale similar to the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs.

In this volatile landscape, Burfat said Pakistan is exploiting the global disorder to push the Greater Punjab agenda, potentially redrawing regional boundaries at the expense of Sindh, Balochistan, and Kashmir.

Claims of Tactical Alliances and Land Grab

As per Burfat’s statement, Punjab’s demographic and military supremacy is being leveraged to build tactical alliances with both the U.S. and China, positioning its regional ambitions as solutions for South Asian stability. He warned that global powers, in pursuit of trade and energy access, might support Pakistan's strategy in exchange for geopolitical favors, thereby threatening the region’s minorities and smaller nationalities.

He also raised concerns about the possibility of global endorsement for giving Afghanistan access to the Arabian Sea, potentially by compromising the territorial integrity of Balochistan. He warned of plans to restructure Kalat into a semi-autonomous Brahui region, further fragmenting Baloch unity.

Historical Justification and Identity Threats

Invoking ancient history and records such as the Chach Nama and Tareekh-e-Multan, Burfat claimed that much of modern-day Balochistan was part of the Sindhi territory of Sewistan. He emphasized that Sindh has existed as an independent nation for millennia, with a distinct culture blending Aryan, Dravidian, Arab, Rajput, and other influences.

The Greater Punjab agenda, he argued, poses a direct threat to Sindh’s national identity. Burfat condemned alleged attempts to erase Sindh’s cultural uniqueness, including potential symbolic moves like renaming the region “Indus” to weaken its historical coherence.

Call for Resistance to the Greater Punjab Agenda

Burfat made a powerful appeal to Sindhi intellectuals, lawyers, students, and political activists to form a united front against what he termed the Greater Punjab agenda. He emphasized the need for grassroots mobilization, international advocacy, and, if necessary, armed resistance to safeguard Sindh’s sovereignty.

In a passionate plea to the Sindhi youth, Burfat declared:

“We are prepared to cross rivers of blood if necessary.”

He stressed that defending Sindh’s freedom and dignity is the ultimate duty of every Sindhi, especially in the face of perceived existential threats from within Pakistan.

The Greater Punjab agenda, as alleged by Shafi Burfat, represents a broader fear among regional leaders about Pakistan's internal power dynamics and its impact on the autonomy of ethnic minorities. With rising tensions across the globe and South Asia’s geopolitical balance at stake, his statements have reignited debates over federalism, identity, and sovereignty in Pakistan.