The province of Sindh in Pakistan has witnessed acute polarisation between ethnic groups since 1947. In the post-independence period the political complexion of Sindh was radically altered by the arrival of Urdu speaking refugees or mohajirs. The conflict between Sindhis and mohajirs has accentuated in recent years. This paper seeks to identify and explain the reasons for the extreme polarisation between the two communities against the backdrop of the state's role. www.jstor.org/stable/4398031