Seraiki province, with capital in Multan, demanded

MULTAN: Seraiki nationalists Wednesday categorically demanded the creation of a Seraiki province with its capital in Multan instead of civil secretariat.

The Seraiki nationalists demanded a constitution of the province commission to decide the province, geography and its capital city. They said the PTI has no constitutional and legal rights to decide the geography, its capital, and name of the province. They said the Seraiki province would not be accepted without Tank, Mianwali, Bhakkar, Jhang and Sahiwal as its parts.

Talking to reporters, Saraikistan Sooba Mahaz co-chairman Zahor Dhreeja said Prime Minister Imran Khan, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar are reluctant about the name of a separate province.

He said it is not fact that the PTI-led government has fulfilled its promise by establishing a civil secretariat. He said the reality is that the PTI leadership had promised in a written agreement that a separate Seraiki province would be created in the first 100 days after coming into power.

He said all Seraiki nationalist parties are unanimous on Seraiki province with 24 districts. He said the government urged the rulers not to deceive the Seraiki people. Dhreeja said the rulers are dividing the Seraiki region between Multan and Bahawalpur and in this connection civil secretariat is a conspiracy against Seraiki province.

He accused the rulers of undermining the efforts made for the establishment of Seraiki province. He announced sit-ins, rallies and demonstrations against the government. Pakistan Seraiki Party chief Allah Nawaz Wains said a long march would be started if their demands were neglected. He said the rulers have exploited the demand for Seraiki province in its election campaign.