Sindh’s Participation in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in Pakistan (1981-1988)

Abstract

In Pakistan’s history of political movements, the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) has a unique place. MRD was not only one of the strongest movements in Pakistan’s political history but also the only political movement which was launched at a time when the military dictator was at the peak of his rule. All the witnesses and research show MRD was most popular in the Sindh province and Sindh was at the forefront of this movement. But strangely so far very little academic research is done focusing on the role of Sindh in the MRD movement. This study focuses on how Sindh became the epicenter of the MRD movement and what kinds of sacrifices were made by the people of Sindh for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was surely one of the leading parties of MRD and her leading role in MRD movement is already well researched. With the help of vernacular sources this research unearths which other political parties and political activists of Sindh took active part in the MRD movement and played key role in making it a mass movement as far as the Sindh province is concerned