MIANWALI, Jan 26: The proposal for including Mianwali in the proposed ‘Bahawalpur Janoobi Punjab’ province is shocking for the people of the district. All and sundry, low and high are surprised as to how and who has the right to decide their fate without consulting them.

The District Bar Association led a demonstration on Saturday and observed a complete strike. Lawyers marched through district courts and gathered at Ikram Shaheed Chowk in front of district courts where they staged a sit-in.

They blocked traffic for a couple of hours on roads leading to Bannu, Lahore, Multan and Rawalpindi and delivered fiery speeches. Lawyers were later joined by representatives of civil society and Jamaat-i-Islami.

Zafar Iqbal Khan, former president of the bar, said there was absolutely no reason and rhyme in attaching Mianwali district, located in north western areas of Punjab, to the southern Punjab.

He further said historically the present district of Mianwali had remained a tehsil of Bannu, part of DI Khan division and Rawalpindi division before its attachment to Sargodha division.

Sardar Nasrullah Khan, the president of the bar, strongly criticized the PML-Q for mooting the proposal. He further said the PML-Q had absolutely no representative status in the district and how could it move such a proposal. He vowed that people of district would resist the decision by all means. The bar president announced to continue the strike for Monday and Tuesday and invited all political activists to join their protest.

Malik Muhammad Akram Awan, a member Punjab Bar Council, said that including Mianwali district in the proposed province was absolutely against the wishes of the people.

He further said dirty politics at the cost of integrity of Pakistan was being practiced by power hungry politicians by dividing historic Punjab province on the lingual and racial basis while keeping the other provinces intact.

Hafiz Javed Iqbal, Mianwali JI ameer, told Dawn that his party would participate in the protest. He also strongly condemned the proposal advanced by PML-Q and adopted by PPP.

Col Hassan Niazi, prominent leader of PTI, also strongly condemned the decision and said all politicians of the district would be held responsible if the move materialised.

Humair Hayat Rokri, PML-N MNA, also opposed the decision and said racially and linguistically the people of Mianwali had nothing in common with the people of Seriaki region.

He said the dominant language of people of Mianwali district was Hindko having a ting of Pushto with a particular accent which has no commonality with Seraiki language. “This district has nearly 30 per cent pushto speaking populace. The locals have natural affinity with potohar, KPK, northern and central Punjab.” He vowed to resist the move at every forum.

Habibullah Khan Niazi, retired IG police and a candidate for next election, said the move was is absolutely against the wishes of people of the district.