Multan, Jan 18: Founder of Seraiki literary and cultural movement Ustad Fida Hussain Gadi was remembered at a seminar held at local press club here on Sunday.

The seminar was divided into two sessions. In the first session, intellectuals and poets paid homage to Ustad Gadi for his services to the Seraiki nation while in the second session, speakers deliberated on the topic ‘Seraiki movement under contemporary scenario’.

Intellectuals and poets

Thal, Damaan and Rohi areas of Seraiki belt, including Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, Layyah and Rajanpur, besides Islamabad participated in the seminar.

The speakers highlighted their demand for a separate province, establishment of institute of Seraikiology in Multan, establishment of a federal language commission consisting of all regional languages, including Seraiki, establishment of Seraiki National Museum in Multan and preservation of other archeological sites and findings, including Multan Fort.

They also demanded an end to the alleged genocide of Seraiki people in the name of sectarianism in Dera Ismail Khan, Multan PTV Centre’s linkage to the satellite, increase in the funds for public and private organisations working for improvement of Seraiki literature and culture, introduction of Seraiki as compulsory subject in affiliated colleges of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, and Islamia University, Bahawalpur.

They also demanded that Seraiki be taught at inter and secondary level in all schools and colleges of the area and classes of MPhil and PhD be started in both the universities.

The speakers included Aslam Rasoolpuri, Dr Ahsan Wahga, Akram Mirani, Mehmood Nizami, Ashiq Buzdar, Shamim Arif Qureshi, Rifat Abbas, Prof Yahyah, Mazhar Nawaz Lashari, Sindhi Faqir, Wismal Panwar, Zahoor Ahmed Dhareja, Hafiz Khan, Jahangir Mukhlis, Mushtaq Gadi, Zaffar Khan Haidarani and Fazal Lund.