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Pakistanis have Sind no more as province changes name to Sindh Pakistanis have Sind no more as province changes name to Sindh
(10 days later)
The efforts of south Asian politicians to expunge the subcontinent's colonial legacy have led to some dramatic changes to famous old names.The efforts of south Asian politicians to expunge the subcontinent's colonial legacy have led to some dramatic changes to famous old names.
In 1996 the Indian coastal city of Madras became Chennai. And just a few years ago the North-West Frontier Province – a romantic name liable to send Kipling enthusiasts weak at the knees – was ditched in favour of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.In 1996 the Indian coastal city of Madras became Chennai. And just a few years ago the North-West Frontier Province – a romantic name liable to send Kipling enthusiasts weak at the knees – was ditched in favour of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
But the latest rejection of Raj-era cartography is rather more subtle: the name of one of Pakistan's four provinces has officially been tweaked by a single letter.But the latest rejection of Raj-era cartography is rather more subtle: the name of one of Pakistan's four provinces has officially been tweaked by a single letter.
On Tuesday members of the provincial assembly in Karachi voted unanimously to reject the "Sind" spelling once foisted on the vast territory in the south-east of the country by colonial rulers hundreds of years ago in favour of "Sindh".On Tuesday members of the provincial assembly in Karachi voted unanimously to reject the "Sind" spelling once foisted on the vast territory in the south-east of the country by colonial rulers hundreds of years ago in favour of "Sindh".
The lack of any of the debate or controversy that has surrounded other changes of name in Britain's former empire was explained by the fact that few people were aware it was spelled any other way – "Sind" was formally dropped in the 1980s.The lack of any of the debate or controversy that has surrounded other changes of name in Britain's former empire was explained by the fact that few people were aware it was spelled any other way – "Sind" was formally dropped in the 1980s.
But Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the politician who introduced a private member's bill in the provincial assembly on Tuesday, said that because the colonial spelling had remained in the constitution it had infected countless laws and official documents.But Arif Mustafa Jatoi, the politician who introduced a private member's bill in the provincial assembly on Tuesday, said that because the colonial spelling had remained in the constitution it had infected countless laws and official documents.
Even the formal scrapping of the British spelling as part of a major overhaul of the constitution in 2010 was not good enough for Jatoi, who said the province's own legislation needed to be brought into line with the constitution.Even the formal scrapping of the British spelling as part of a major overhaul of the constitution in 2010 was not good enough for Jatoi, who said the province's own legislation needed to be brought into line with the constitution.
"We had to change it because all provinces are sovereign and we pass our own laws," he told the Guardian."We had to change it because all provinces are sovereign and we pass our own laws," he told the Guardian.
Righting the mis-spellings of history should be applied to all legislation going back to 1973, the year when "Sind" was written into the constitution of independent Pakistan, he said.Righting the mis-spellings of history should be applied to all legislation going back to 1973, the year when "Sind" was written into the constitution of independent Pakistan, he said.
In a sign perhaps that few people were aware of these technicalities, some leading Pakistani news outlets misreported the change as a decision to rename the province as "Sind".In a sign perhaps that few people were aware of these technicalities, some leading Pakistani news outlets misreported the change as a decision to rename the province as "Sind".
Sharjeel Memon, a member of the assembly and the provincial information minister, conceded it was a small change but was nonetheless important, he said, because some private organisations were still clinging to the old spelling.Sharjeel Memon, a member of the assembly and the provincial information minister, conceded it was a small change but was nonetheless important, he said, because some private organisations were still clinging to the old spelling.
"If you write it as 'Sind' you actually can't pronounce it properly without the last letter being 'h'," he said. "This law is a clear message that this is the exact spelling of the province.""If you write it as 'Sind' you actually can't pronounce it properly without the last letter being 'h'," he said. "This law is a clear message that this is the exact spelling of the province."
The old spelling (and pronunciation) did have the advantage of making one of history's most famous puns slightly more clear.The old spelling (and pronunciation) did have the advantage of making one of history's most famous puns slightly more clear.
According to an apocryphal version of events, Charles Napier announced his brutal conquest of the province in 1843 by sending a one-word despatch to the governor of India: "peccavi" – Latin for "I have sinned".According to an apocryphal version of events, Charles Napier announced his brutal conquest of the province in 1843 by sending a one-word despatch to the governor of India: "peccavi" – Latin for "I have sinned".
In fact, it was a joke dreamed up by a teenage schoolgirl and reprinted in the pages of Punch magazine the following year.In fact, it was a joke dreamed up by a teenage schoolgirl and reprinted in the pages of Punch magazine the following year.
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