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| G M Syed |
He
was known by the people of Sindh as "Saeen", son of Syed Mohammed
Shah Kazmi, descendant of a famous saint of Sindh, Syed Haider Shah Kazmi, of
whose mausoleum he is the sajjada nasmi.
Early life
He
was born in the village of Sann in Jamshoro District, Sindh,
on January 17, 1904 in British India (Pakistan) and died on April 25, 1995. His
father died when he was only sixteen months old. He had no formal schooling.
Whatever he learnt was self-taught. By dint of hard work, he attained mastery
over the Sindhi and English languages. He was also conversant in Arabic and
Persian languages. History, philosophy and political science were his favorite
subjects of study.
Political activism
He
was the founder of Sindh Awami Mahaz, which went on to join the National Awami Party (National Peoples Party). Like Ibrahim Joyo, G.M. Syed blended Sindhi nationalism with communism and Sufism through the ideas
of Gandhi and Marx. In his early political life, he was a strong vocal supporter of
the Pakistan Movement in Sindh and was said to be one of the driving forces in
making sure the Sind Assembly voted to join Pakistan in 1947.
Timeline
At
the early age of fourteen years, Syed started his career as an activist.
In 1919
he became Chairman of the School Board of his own tehsil. Subsequently, he
was elected as a President of Karachi District Local Board in 1929. He later
became its President.
In
1930, he organized the Sindh Hari (Peasants) Conference and became its
Secretary.
In
1937, he was for the first time elected a member of Sindh Legislative Assembly.
In
1941, he became one of the members of the Central Committee of the Muslim
League.
In
1944, he played a pivotal role in politics and got a resolution passed in the
Sindh Assembly in favor of Pakistan, which was the first resolution of its kind
in the whole of undivided India.
In
1946, conditions compelled him to dissociate from the Muslim League, and formed
a new party named the Progressive Muslim League. The same year, he was elected as leader of the Coalition Party
in the Sindh Assembly.
In
1954, he acted as Chairman of Sindhi Adabi Board.
In
1966, he founded Bazm-e-Soofia-e Sindh.
Literary contribution
Syed
was the author of more than sixty-five books. His books are on numerous
subjects, ranging from literature to politics, religion and culture. He was
himself a mystic had a lot of love and regard for mystics of all faiths.
Besides being a man of immense learning, Syed possessed a personality that was
graceful and poised. Highly cultured and refined manners, hospitality and
geniality were the salient traits of his character. Wit and humor were the
keynotes of his personality. He respected all genuine difference of opinions.
For decades, Sindh and Sindhi people had constituted the center of his interest
and activity, and all his love energies were devoted to their good.
GM
Syed proposed the 1940 Pakistan Resolution in the Sindh Assembly, which
ultimately resulted in the creation of Pakistan. However, he became the
first political prisoner of Pakistan because of his differences with the
leadership of the country, as he believed that they had deceived the Sindhis.
Jeay Sindh movement
In
1971, disappointed with the national politics of Pakistan, GM Syed began to
demand self-determination for the people of Sindh. In 1973 he founded the Jeay Sindh movement,
aimed at establishing an independent/autonomous Sindhi state ('Sindhu Desh').
For his political views after the creation of Pakistan, he was kept either in
jail or in solitary confinement for a period of more than 30 years.
On
19 January 1992, GM Syed was put under house arrest and his house was declared
a sub-jail. He was detained without trial until his death and was named a
"prisoner of conscience" by Amnesty International.
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