MULTAN, Aug 23: Seraikistan Qaumi Movement President Hameed Asghar Shaheen has urged establishment of a 'Seraiki Regiment' in the Pakistan Army to make it a national army.
At a press conference here on Monday, he said the people of smaller provinces and Seraiki belt had little representation in the army, which had made the institution the Punjab Army rather than Pakistan Army.
Demanding creation of a new province comprising Seraiki- speaking areas, he stressed that work on all mega water projects being initiated in the Seraiki area be stopped forthwith until the realization of area as the fifth federating unit of the country.
The SQM leader also demanded sound socio-economic infrastructure for the Seraiki belt, which included more universities, medical and engineering colleges, radio and television stations, separate high court and public service commission.
"Isn't it a step-motherly treatment that of the 27 universities in the Punjab, only two are situated in the Seraiki belt?" he questioned. He demanded capital punishment for the makers of adulterated pesticides, who were playing havoc with the cotton of the Seraiki belt that produced 80 per cent of the country's total cotton production.
Being head of the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) in its Seraikistan unit, Mr Shaheen condemned the ongoing military operation in Balochistan and demanded that atrocities in the province should be stopped immediately.
He said the rulers should come to the table to sort out the differences through dialogue instead of forcing the people through barrel of the gun to succumb to their ulterior motives. He said only the natives of Gwadar had proprietary rights over what was being billed by the commercial interests the land of opportunities.
