DERA GHAZI KHAN: Seraiki intellectuals and activists have supported the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM’s) struggle for the establishment of democratic, constitutional and parliamentary supremacy in the country.

They vowed to participate in the PDM’s rally in Multan with their demand for the creation of a Seraiki province.

The decision was taken at a consultative meeting by the Seraiki Loak Saanjh in Shadan Lund, some 50 km from Dera Ghazi Khan, on Monday.

The meeting was attended by a large number of political workers, lawyers, students, journalists, poets and writers hailing from different parts of south Punjab.

Speakers demanded a magna carta to be agreed on the pattern of charter of democracy so as to end the prevailing sense of deprivation among the marginalized nationalities, give equal national rights and opportunities to them and ensure promotion of national democracy in the country.

They said the creation of the Seraiki province was possible only through democratic, constitutional and parliamentary means.

While appreciating the role of the PPP for strengthening democracy and creation of the Seraiki province, they said the bill passed by senate for creation of a new province in Punjab in 2013 was a great milestone in the struggle for the province.

PPP MPA Shzia Abid said the establishment was a great hurdle in the creation of the Seraiki province. She said the dream of Seraiki province could be realized only through the joint struggle of Seraiki activists and the PPP.

Seraiki poet and fiction writer Irshad Taunsvi praised the long struggle waged by local men of letters in creating Seraiki identity consciousness and national rights. He said the PPP was the only parliamentary political party whose commitment to Seraiki province was beyond any doubt.

Dr Ahsan Wagha, linguist, researcher and writer, said the need for creation of a Seraiki province had become all the more important and immediate in the face of increasing economic exploitation and cultural misrepresentation of Seraiki wassayb (motherland).

While praising the resistance posed by native Seraiki people against the bloody invasions by outsiders, he said Khooni Burj, Chowk Shaheedaan and graveyards of Multan were testimony to the great resistance of the natives.

Others who spoke on the occasion included Prof Najeeb Haider Malghani, Rashda Bhtta, Mahboob Tabish, Zulfiqar Ali, Sardar Nasir Khan, Advocate Ibrahim Baig and Fazl-i-Rab Lund.

The resolutions passed at the end of meetings included: condemnation of derogatory remarks about Punjabi language by Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, former Punjab information minister; demand for creation of provincial finance commission in Punjab and awarding the due share of Rs530 billion to south Punjab; allocation of water share for Seraiki wassayb by the Indus River System Authority (Irsa); end to land allotment to non-local settlers in the name of Greater Thal Canal and hunter-land for Arab princes in Cholistan; award of special quota for the Seraiki students in admission of professional colleges and universities and special quota for Seraiki youths in jobs of federal and provincial government.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2020