NEW DELHI (PTI): The Siraiki language movement in Pakistan has assumed a character of militancy in a massive proportion with a determined bit to give a united voice to the 40 million people struggling for official recognition of their mother tongue.
This was stated by Jagdish Chander Batra, General Secretary, Siraiki Sahitya Sangam (Siraiki literary union), who has just returned from a 12day tour of Pakistan al the invitation of chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Nasim Hasan Shah, and various Siraiki Organizations.
The demand for a Siraikistan, covering 17 out of 22 districts of Punjab province is gaining momentum to such an extent that it has become an election issue in the coming general polls next month, said Batra, who is a senior advocate in the Supreme Court here.
To get a place of pride for this language, Pakistan Siraiki party led by Taj Mohammad Lhanga, Siraiki Qaumi movement of ‘Mujahid Jatoi and Siraiki Suba Mahaz of Dr.Abdul Majid Kanju, have entered the fray for national assembly as well as Punjab provincial assembly. All the three Siraiki parties have decided to contest about 40 seats for the national assembly and about 50 to 60 seats for the Punjab provincial assembly with a vow not to field any candidates against each other, Batra said.
The Siraiki leaders feel that their language, predominantly spoken in northwestern Pakistan (Multan, Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur divisions in Punjab), is being suppressed despite the fact that Siraiki speaking people comprise 70% of the population in Punjab and are backbone of Pakistan’s total crash crop production, Batra said.
While PSP demands creation of Siraikistan with in the constitutional framework of Pakistan, the SQM and SSM want official recognition to their language and promotion of Siraiki literature and culture besides reservation of Siraiki speaking people who have remained backward despite four decades of independence.
Ironically, the Siraiki leaders point out that Urdu, spoken by just two per cent Muhajirs (Muslim migrants from India), is the official language of Pakistan and Punjabi is the official language of Punjab, even though the Punjabis are a minority in the state, Batra said, adding that several top People’s Party and Muslim league leaders had lent their support to the demand of Siraiki parties.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 24, 1993
