DERA GHAZI KHAN: Seraiki activists have announced a sit-in on Jan 25 at the shrine of Khwaja Ghulam Farid to counter claims by the World Punjabi Conference (WPC) activists, who are organising a conference in Rahim Yar Khan to declare the revered Sufi poet and saint a Punjabi poet, whereas Seraikis oppose the claim.

The WPC conference, being held from Jan 23 to 25, has triggered unrest among Seraiki nationalists, who say Khwaja Ghulam Farid is widely regarded as a Seraiki poet and a symbol of Wasaib.

Activists have expressed concern over what they term as ‘provocative and hateful’ statements being made on social media by Punjabi intellectuals attempting to link the saint exclusively with Punjabi heritage.

Seraiki leaders stated that the Seraiki language is an integral part of the region’s identity. It is recognised in the national population census and taught at colleges and universities in the Seraiki Wasaib, including at the PhD level.

They said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has already introduced Seraiki as a subject at the primary school level, demonstrating its growing acceptance as a distinct linguistic and cultural identity.

Safdar Klasra, General Secretary of Seraiki Lok Saanjh, said the silence from the Punjab government is condemnable. A public policy statement from the Punjab government or local administration could have calmed emotions.

He said the move appears deliberately meant to disrupt the newly initiated constitutional amendment bill in the Senate for the creation of a Seraiki province.

He emphasised that the Seraiki movement is a democratic and peaceful struggle for the recognition of Wasaib’s rights and will resist any effort to create ethnic and linguistic strife in the region.

The Seraiki community views these claims as an attempt to undermine their cultural heritage and has vowed to resist such efforts peacefully. The upcoming sit-in is expected to draw large crowds from across the region, aiming to reinforce the association of Khwaja Ghulam Farid (RA) with the Seraiki language and culture.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2025