Freedom fighter eulogised

SAKRAND:

A ceremony was organized at Pir Zakri Dargah to honour the memory of Parcho Vidhyarthi, a revolutionary who led a legendary struggle against British rule alongside his 2,000 comrades during Sindh's freedom movement.

The event, organised under the aegis of Sindh Thinkers Forum, was attended by writers and intellectuals from across the province.

While addressing the gathering, Syed Munir Shah Zakari, Chairman of the Sindh Thinkers Forum and a well-known intellectual, said, "Living nations do not forget their heroes; rather, they remember them and follow in their footsteps." He added that Parcho Vidhyarthi not only advocated for the freedom of Sindh but actively fought for it. Prominent writer and intellectual Taj Joyo said that when Bhagat Singh was executed by the British, Vidhyarthi, then a sixth-grade student, was deeply moved by the event. He organised a protest march with fifty fellow students.

Vidhyarthi went on to form the Hindu Socialist Republican Army in Sindh, waging guerilla warfare that unsettled the British government. Known for his bravery, he famously declared that no British bullet could touch him.

Nationalist leader Asif Baladi remarked that Vidhyarthi played an important revolutionary role in Sindh's independence, with women also participating in the struggle alongside him.

Professor Adib Hameed Sabzoi noted that Vidhyarthi was imprisoned in 1943 and sentenced to 63 years. However, with the help of his comrades, he escaped in 1945 and was never recaptured. Ahmed Shakir spoke about how Vidhyarthi and his 2,000 comrades relentlessly resisted British rule from Kashmore to Karachi. Rakhil Morai added that Vidhyarthi migrated to India before the creation of Pakistan, was elected as an MNA from Ilhasnagar, and passed away there in 2011.

Other speakers and participants at the event included Manik Mullah, Ali Nawaz Dahri, Jahangir Dahri, Sail Pirzada, Imdad Rind, and Mashuq Dharijo. A bookstall was also set up at the venue by Vidhya Publications.