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Abstract
The pre-partition politics which revolved around religion was shifted to the language and culture in the post-partition era. After independence many parties emerged and realigned themselves on the basis of language and culture. This research is an effort to analyze the viability of the demand for Saraiki suba from different perspectives. It argues that the Saraiki suba movement has neither sound reasons nor justifiable political strength. The Saraiki suba's leadership which never won elections throughout the political history of the region, claims areas of Punjab, KPK and Sindh. The demand to create Saraiki suba is fraught with "dangers' including enslavement of the people of south Punjab by feudal lords. The paper recommends some practical steps for the political resolution of this issue.
Historical background
The majority of the Muslims of the Indian subcontinent once emerged as a united political entity on the basis of religion. After 1947, languages perceived as a symbol of unity motivated the separatist tendencies in Pakistan. Absence of Hindu threat loosened the strength of Muslim nationhood and regional nationalism or sub-nationalism appeared as a gigantic problem. The main cause behind this problem was the impotent and incompetent leadership who could not perform well in redressing the grievances of the people. Bengali, Pakhtoon, Baloch, Barohi, Saraiki, Sindhi, Hindko and other voices based on language and culture became an important element behind politics at least at the regional level. In Pakistan persistent economic problems, hardships and violation of basic rights are some of the main factors behind general discontent. Rotten administration, misgovernment and the leadership crisis continues and integrationists, if they exist, are becoming weaker day by day.
The Saraiki suba movement
The Punjab, historically, has been unable to produce a leadership of national caliber throughout its modern history,1 therefore, is has remained a fragile identity. The areas of the Punjab were separated from time to time and no effective movement stood in the way of its vivisection. After 1947, weak political performance at the national level created a space which encouraged regional leadership to fill the gap, but having the same caliber they could not see beyond their own agenda.
Multan became the host of the first All-Pakistan Seraiki Conference. The PPP Sindh chief minister supported it and several...