For separate province
SOME political leaders from southern Punjab endorsed the demand to divide Punjab into two provinces. A debate has started after the statement of Parliamentary Affairs Minister Dr Sher Afgan that the proposal of dividing Punjab is under consideration.
Talking to Dawn Syed Fakhar Imam, ex speaker of the National Assembly, said that the government is trying to divert the people’s attention from the Balochistan crisis, especially the killing of Nawab Akbar Bugti through such proposals. But if they think that the division could decrease the sense of deprivation among the people of this belt and if they have decided to divide Punjab, the better way for it is to hold a referendum in the area in which people are demanding a separate province.
He said that southern Punjab was kept deprived of development funds, educational and health facilities and there was no quota for it in superior services, and this demand for a separate province is the result of the sense of deprivation among the people of this belt who are being exploited.
He criticised the federal government for not giving equal rights and employment opportunities to the provinces and said that Punjab is not responsible but the increasing hatred against it is due to the wrong policies of the federal government.
He said that the sense of deprivation among the people always rose during military rule, so the continuity of political process was necessary for the country which could not exist without a democratic system. He said that personally he thought that a separate province should be established.
PML-N Punjab President Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa said that one man’s decision would not be acceptable.
He said if somebody thought that the division of provinces can improve the development situation of deprived areas, then he must seek the opinion of the people and let the people decide through a referendum, which would be without doubt a correct decision. He avoided expressing his opinion whether he was in favour of a separate province.
Demanding the formation of fifth province “Seraikistan”, Hameed Asghar Shaheen, president, Seraikistan Qaumi Movement, called for greater provincial autonomy according to the 1940 Resolution, adding that a Seraiki province should be included in the proposed amendments to the Constitution.
He termed the proposal of making each division a separate province imprudent and said it would not solve the problems of Seraikis. He demanded implementation of 1940 Resolution to resolve differences among the provinces, adding that elections should be held under the 1940 Resolution instead of the 1973 Constitution.
Pakistan Seraiki Party chief Taj Muhammad Langah said that historically the Seraiki belt was never part of Punjab. It was a separate country or a separate province in 1818 and during the Mughal rule it was an independent province.
He said the Seraiki people had been facing the worst kind of injustice and exploitation but now they would not tolerate such a treatment. He demanded that a Seraiki province should be established immediately.
Hameed Asghar Shaheen claimed that there are over 50 million Seraikis in Pakistan and most of them reside in Bahawalpur, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sargodha divisions alone.
Previously in 1973, Riaz Hashmi had formed the Seraiki Suba Mahaz in Bahawalpur. Demand for a separate province is being echoed by a number of other Seraiki parties. Some of them are included in Jag Seraik Party, Seraiki Qaumi Inqalabi Party, Seraiki Qomi Tehrik, Pakistan Seraiki Party, Seraikistan National Front, Seraiki Mazdoor Mahaz, Seraiki Inqalabi Council, Seraikistan National Mahaz, Seraiki Qomi Movement, Seraiki Democratic Party, Pasban People’s Seraiki Party, Seraiki Qomi Ittehad, Seraiki Awami Sangat, Seraiki Lok Sanjh, Seraiki National Party and Seraikistan Qomi Movement.
Within the Punjab region the Seraiki claim that they are one of the larger communities which have a separate culture, language and history.
Dawn, 22 Sep 2006
http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/22/fea.htm
Waseb 
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With the reluctant introduction of 18th amendment delegating pledged powers to the national entities of this federation, instead of executing it in its actual letter and spirit and devolving power to the local/regional levels; establishment has openly triggered its efforts to undermine the genuine 4 nations (Sindhis,Pashtoons,Balochs and Punjabis) question by creating pseudo nations within them one after another. Which are about to produce fruit with another division of the most vulnerable entity of this federation…i-e Punjab, the foundation for what was surreptitiously laid in 60s and all the preparations in terms of getting de facto recognition of “Saraiki” as a separate language, culture, region through a well planned fabricated/distorted history through state controlled public & private media, have been done without any constitutional, legal, masses and expertise approval; however research on geography, history, language, culture and ground realities of Punjab clearly shows completely opposite picture…
For instance Majhi, Doabi, Puadhi, Malwai, Rathi, Bhatiani, Dogri and Kangri are all the major eastern Punjabi dialects and sub classification of western Punjabi or Lahnda into three main categories: (1) Southern Lahndi consists of Saraiki and Jatki (2) North East Lahandi consists of Dhann, Hindko and Tinuaali etc. (3) North West Lahandi includes Potohari, Punchi, Awankari and Pahari by George Grierson, an English civil servant and numerous other indigenous and foreign researchers with the exception of a few ones; clearly shows that western Punjabi or Lahanda has got many dialects as well having Multani/Saraiki it’s integral part…
So is in the case of geography having five rivers evidencing the name PUN-AB, history in which all the region including Multan has always been the integral part of the land of five rivers except a few times in the history, when it was ruled as one of the administrative-units/provinces of Sindh due to the tug of war among different rulers…above all the conversation of purely illiterate persons (belonging to any part of Punjab) with each other without any third person’s help is an irrefutable evidence of one language having diverse dialects…
In spite of all those realities, a well organized un-constitutional, illegal and seditious campaign through print and electronic media without any hindrance has been in progress at the behest of establishment and supported by all right, left and so-called nationalist political & non-political proxy parties of establishment eventually to pave the way and to gain malicious political motives at the cost of the fate of Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashtoon & Baloch masses/nations…
The said 4 genuine nations of this federation shall have to face the following immediate repercussions after the proposed division of Punjab…
(1). With the increase of seats in senate for each divided unit of Punjab having the same faces in order to defeat the other provinces’ majority in both houses of Parliament, building of Kalabagh Dam to irrigate the agricultural land of southern & central Punjabi/Saraiki politicians and upper Punjabi/Potohari army against the wishes (expressed through the assemblies) of Balochs, Sindhis & Pashtoons…
(2). The more firm control of “PUNJABI ESTABLISHMENT” (comprises of southern Punjabi/Saraiki politicians mostly have been plundering & ruling on TAKHT-E-LAHORE & TAKHT-E-ISLAMABAD, central Punjabi business class and upper Punjabi/Potohari army) over all the downtrodden masses in all divided units of Punjab and on Sindhis, Pashtoons and Balochs in terms of literally “BIG BROTHER”…
(3). Above all the illegitimate and mischievous division of other entities/provinces one after another as well on the similar precedent of Punjab with the final occupation of the whole coastal belt of Sindh and Balochistan from already occupied city/capital Karachi up to Gawadar, for which already a coastal motorway has been built to get easy access…
The proposed echoing division of Punjab has been underestimated not only by ignorant Punjabis but also by all well aware Baloch, Pashtoon and Sindhi masses…The extreme resentment of Baloch, Pashtoon and Sindhi masses against Punjabi establishment is comprehend-able, yet is insane as besides increasing the suffering of Punjabi masses instead of “PUNJABI ESTABLISHMENT” their annoyance would rather trigger their own adversities…So they shall have to analyze in depth to see the inside story…On the other hand Punjabis and particularly thinkers, who assume Urdu, UPite Islam and Pakistan as holy symbols shall have to revamp their said notions…If the division of Pakistani federation having remaining 4 nations is a sin, how could another division of a historical entity “PUNJAB”, which is their motherland as well can be swallowed? If earlier one is termed as treason, why can’t the later one be called sedition? If anyone could be declared traitor for writing, speaking airing, publishing so far against an abstract Pakistani federation, how could one be so easily allowed to do the same against a historical entity like Punjab keeping in view print and electronic media having many TV channels cultivating masses thinking just to pave the way for accomplishing the set goals of establishment by projecting a concocted history of southern Punjab painting it a separate entity…! In the light of above analysis, won’t the proposed division of Punjab would cause the division of other 3 national units/entities/provinces (KPK, Sindh & Balochistan) one after another as well with the eternal enslaver of all said 4 nations in terms of another worst form of one unit and eventual dismemberment of this federation once and for all having extreme anarchy, chaos, restlessness and bloodshed in this federation and region…? However the 5th columnists among all the said 4 indigenous nations in nexus with racist infiltrated Urdu speaking aliens of Ganga Jamana would reign… Please give your logical & objective deliberations with historical, linguistic, geographical and political proofs…!