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Voice for Seraiki province echoes in National Assembly

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: As the debate kicks off in the media and the general public on carving out new provinces, the voice in favour of a Seraiki province echoed in the National Assembly on Tuesday when Sardar Bahadur Sehar supported the formation of another administrative unit to lessen the problems of the people of southern Punjab.

Speaking on a point of order in the National Assembly, Sehar said the southern Punjab had been deprived of development despite having the ability to become the bread basket for not only Pakistan but also for South Asia.

He said since 1970s, no major education institution such as medical collage or an engineering university had been set up in the southern Punjab. “If the people there do not get proper education, religious seminaries would benefit,” he added.

He said from the development budget of Rs 137 billion for the Punjab, only a sum of Rs 5 billion had been allocated for the area with the population of approximately 50 million. “When we raise our voice for our rights, we are declared anti-Pakistanis,” he said.

Sehar said in the historical 1940 Lahore Resolution, the rights of all the nations had been accepted. “We are demanding the rights granted in the 1940 Resolution and even in the Charter of Democracy,” he added.

Rejecting the impression that the voice for a Seraiki province has been raised on the linguistic basis, Sehar said this demand was not raised on ethnic or linguistic basis but “we want that our issues resolved on our doorsteps. We want our files to go to Multan instead of Lahore,” he added. He said even the people of southern Punjab did not get the share of the National Finance Commission.

The budget session was prorogued after the 18th day of the sitting, which began on 12th of June. National Assembly Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi read out the presidential order of prorogation.