The Peoples of African Descent in Pakistan: Sheedis and their Role in Sindhi History

People of African descent have lived in Pakistan for the past three centuries. Until this book, the history of this community, known as the Sheedis, has been unexplored. The objective of the research is to introduce to Western audiences the fascinating history of Hosh Mohammed, a Sheedi army commander who fought valiantly against the British in the Battle of Dabbo. It also discusses the retention of African culture and heritage, and the techniques used by the Sheedis to assert their unique identity. While most scholarship in the recent years has mainly focused on India, this book concentrates on Pakistan, a region that so far has been neglected in analyses of African diasporic communities. It shows that these communities have played a vital role in the history of Pakistan, particularly in regions of Sindh such as Hyderabad. The primary focus of this research concerns the history of the Sheedis living in modern-day Pakistan who settled here during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries; first as servants to princes, and then as free persons asserting unique African identities.