KARACHI, March 28: The Pakistan Seraiki Party chief, Taj Mohammad Langa, said on Monday that people of Seraiki belt did not oppose Kalabagh or greater Thal Canal projects and asked the people of Sindh not to make these projects a matter of life and death.

Addressing a news conference at the Karachi Press Club, he explained the stance of Seraiki people and stated that three eastern rivers were accepted as exclusive domain of India under the Indus Water Treaty as a result of which Sutlej dried making Seraiki people more poor. He said that water issue was very grave and pointed out that under the IWT some reservoirs were to be constructed in his belt but that was not done.

He recalled historical links between the people of Sindh and Seraiki belt and said these contentious issues should not have a bearing on those relations.

Demanding full provincial autonomy, Mr Langa claimed support of MQM chief Altaf Hussain on this issue and said that a bill regarding provincial autonomy would be tabled in the national assembly to spell out the quantum and modalities of that autonomy to the smaller federating units in conformity with 1940 Resolution.

Mr Langa, a former PPP leader turned Seraiki nationalist, said that the size of Punjab was causing many problems and had made it “ungovernable” and had made the federation precarious. He demanded that a province for Seraiki belt should be carved out from Punjab. Responding a question, he dubbed the National Assembly as Punjab House and said that out of 340 seats there were 190 seats from Punjab. Out of these, he claimed 80 to 85 belonged to Seraiki belt.

He claimed that Seraiki belt contributed lions share in the national exchequer. He maintained that out of nine billion rupees foreign exchange, the Seraiki belt earned eight billion rupees. He claimed that Seraiki belt produced 15 million bales of cotton and huge chunk of wheat and rice. He stressed that Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP should extend support for the creation of Seraiki province.

He accused Punjab chief minister of striving for greater Punjab which he claimed was the agenda of International Sikh Movement.

Mr Langa alleged that Punjab chief minister was pursuing his own foreign and trade policies and alleged that about 20,000 Lahore-based mobile phones were being used in Amritsar and several Indians had bought properties in Punjab. He asked whether he (Punjab chief minister) wanted to make Lahore another Bangkok or Hong Kong”.

The Pakistan Seraiki Party chief, who came to Sindh to extend invitation to the nationalist leaders of Sindh for the 16th Foundation Day of his party scheduled to be held on April 8 in Multan, said that the other aim of his visit was to muster the support of Sindhi people for Seraiki province.