MULTAN, July 25: The Pakistan Seraiki Party has demanded a status for the Seraiki language that should be equal to that of Punjabi in the province.

PSP chief Taj Muhammad Langah said at a press conference here on Friday the chief minister had recently given his consent to introduce Punjabi language at all the tiers of education, establishment of a Punjabi TV channel and provide employment to 116,000 people who had held the degree of MA in Punjabi.

He said the Punjab was the province of two languages, Punjabi and Seraiki, and more than half of its population spoke the latter language as their mother tongue. Therefore, the language deserved the same treatment being accorded to the Punjabi language.

Mr Langah warned that the people who were treating the Seraiki language step-motherly should keep in mind that the sense of deprivation in the

former east Pakistan had started from the Lingual issues, which ultimately led to its separation.

He urged the legislators belonging to the Seraiki belt of the province to take note of the situation and compel the government to do justice with all the native languages.

He said the Seraiki people were not against the Punjabi language but the rulers would turn it anti-Punjabi through their chauvinistic designs.

Mr Langah said the Seraiki parents would not allow their children to be taught in Punjabi. He warned of a protest movement if the people at the helm of affairs did not take notice of their ‘humble submission’.

Replying to a question, he said situation would become worse if Gen Musharraf did not take off his uniform and resolve differences with the PPP and the PML-N.

About the Indian visit of JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said it seemed to be an official one as contrary to the visit of the PML-Q’s parliamentary delegation, the government and opposition leaders, Mr Vajpayee and Ms Sonia Gandhi, met the Maulana.

He said the Maulana was representing one of several options in the mind of Pakistan leadership to hold talks on the long-standing issue of Kashmir and relation with the arch rival India.