Declaration

We the undersigned agree to joining the movement:

History without borders Sindh Pakistan chapter

We abide by the overall Declaration on the establishment of the International network of Historians without Borders presented for adoption at the final session of the conference of May 2016 in Helsinki.

  • Wanting to promote and deepen the general understanding of history.
  • Calling on historians to defuse conflicts by sharing knowledge about history in conflict-resolution processes.
  • Recognizing the role of historians in reconciling divergent views about historical events by promoting interactive dialogue between differing interpretations of history.
  • Concerned about how insufficient historical knowledge and understanding leaves people vulnerable to the misuse of historical narratives and impedes their ability to see into the future.
  • Emphasizing the need for concentrated efforts to counteract the misuse of history.
  • Appealing to governments and legislatures to refrain from unilaterally passing resolutions and legislation on controversial interpretations of historical events.
  • Underlining that an understanding approach to historical monuments should leave an environment where traces of all our history can be seen and in due time serve as focal points for understanding our common past.
  • Stressing the importance of open, transparent and free access to historical material and archives.
  • That many historians already recognize a shared problem: History is increasingly misused by politicians, media, movements, and technologies; to justify conflict, exclusion, and polarization.
  • At the same time, intellectuals and historians are often left to respond individually, exposed and fragmented, or are pushed into roles (fact-checker, activist, spokesperson) that do not fit their professional responsibilities.
  • HWBSPC exists because the misuse of history fuels conflict. Societies are increasingly ahistorical and vulnerable to myth-making, and intellectuals/historians have a responsibility to engage—not as political actors, but as custodians of intellectual/ historical method, interpretation, and dialogue. 
  • “Without borders” does not mean ignoring national contexts. It means refusing to let historical work be confined, instrumentalized, or silenced by any single state, institution, or narrative.
  • HWBSPC’s core method is dialogue, listening to conflicting historical narratives, recognizing them as real and meaningful, and creating conditions where disagreement does not automatically escalate into hostility.
  • Methodology:
  • organising seminars, discussions, or dialogue-based events (online / in person),
  • partnering with universities, museums, NGOs, governments, policy or cultural institutions,
  • participating in HWBSPC network meetings and international cooperation,
  • contributing where appropriate, to shared initiatives grounded in historical expertise.
  1. Why organize collectively:
  • Structure: a recognised collective form for action and representation,
  • Continuity: work that outlasts individual availability,
  • Shared infrastructure: access to HWBSPC’s framework, materials and dialogue formats,
  • Equal standing: participation alongside other national associations on a horizontal basis,
  • Shared responsibility: reducing personal exposure by distributing judgment and risk. This matters particularly where public engagement with history carries professional or political consequences.
  1. Objectives:
  • We wish to counter fake narratives about Sindh which damages unity of Sindh and Pakistan.
  • We wish to create confidence building measures to resolve narratives with all Pakistanis and those countries interested in the history of Sindh.
  • We are joined by one political belief despite our various personal political associations. Shah Abdul Lateef Bhittai is our North star. ‘Alam sub abaad karai’.
  • We will defend with facts, figures, literature the misinformation which has been spread since the birth of Pakistan about Sindh so that our future generations live dignified and prosperous lives about the soil of Sindh Pakistan.
  • We believe all those who live, were born, or have an emotional connection to Sindh are Sindhis irrespective of their mother tongue, ethnicity and religion.
  • We believe in amalgamation into Sindh’s 5000 year heritage, culture and language.

We are an inclusive movement which has a singular goal:

 Sindh’s Historical Identity Narrative Empowerment (SHINE)

I Sign the declaration proudly