Imposition of One-Unit: The Tale of Opposition Movement in Sindh

Abstract

The objective of this study is to highlight the Movement in Sind against the centralist tendency of the Federal Government. The strong centralist tendencies were continuing in Pakistan from very outset. It gave birth to One Unit scheme in Pakistan. The idea of amalgamation of whole West Pakistan into a single province was initiated by Feroz Khan and Jahanara Shah Nawaz. One Unit Scheme
was one of the unilateral decisions by political elites, which demonstrated and intended strong center by ignoring the true sense and
spirit of federalism. A strong movement as vanguard against One Unit scheme and policies emerged from Sindh to counter the
centralist leaning and protection of provincial autonomy. Finally, the journey of constitutional evolution and achievement of the
consensus in the 1973 Constitution to the series of amendments up till the famous ‘Eighteenth Amendment’ is reliant upon the political awareness and struggle against the One-Unit Scheme.