Almost 80 years ago, today in Shikarpur, first Premiere of Sindh, Allah Bukhsh Soomro was assassinated. He was secular, nationalist. He was leader of first non communal parliamentary party, Sindh United Party, which won first ever provincial assembly elections, in 37′. British breached democratic tradition & invited a minority party leader Ghulam Hussain Hidayatullah to form government.
Governer Hidayutullah could run government so soon Allah Bukhsh was invited to form govt. Till then Muslim League was no where in Sindh. Soon Sir Abdullah Haroon brought ML in Sindh. Sindhi parliamentarians joined ML & put pressure on him 2 join too but he refused. 2 topple his govt ML orchestered antiHindu riots on the pretext of restoring Masjd Manzil Gah. Sain GM syed Ayub Khuhro & other leaders went to jail in this connection.
Soon Congress joined Muslim League to remove him from provincial chief executive. Congress blamed him for not doing enough. His govt was thus dismissed by both of parties vote of no confidence. Both had different reason. Soon he returned to power again as both major parties failed to give stable govt. Inb1940, he organised Azad Muslim Conference in Delhi. Almost one hundred thousand Muslims attended this conference thus busting Muslim League’ claim of being sole representative of Muslims of India.
1942 saw major political upheaval in India. Quit India movement was in zenith. While Muslim League kept quite, he echoed the cause of movement by giving back his title to British & writing to Churchill asking him to free India. British were furious. They dismissed his govt. British saw him major appeasement in their plan for India. Though ML leader Ayub Khuhro was charged with murder but my best guess is the murder was ordered at the highest level. Khuhro was mere a fixer.
He was forgotten by both newly born countries. Cause he was neither a leaguee nor congresee. Sindh was his priority. He stood for Sindhi Hindu-Muslim unity. Imagine what if he was not eliminated physically? Where Sindh would have been standing today?
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