It would not be a strange thing if a new province is created from a big province according to the wishes of Seraiki people, who historically own this land. The demand for a Seraiki province does not amount to grabbing others’ land but revival of an administrative unit that existed there since time immemorial.
Multan, considered the heart of the South Punjab, has some historical moments glued to it, as it has some deep-rooted memories, which cannot be overlooked.
A good number of political heavyweights belong to Multan city and prominent among those are Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, former president of Pakistan Sardar Farooq Ahmed Leghari, Balakh Sher Mazari, Malik Ghulam Mustafa Khar, Nawab Sadiq Hussain Qureshi, Sahibzada Farooq Ali Khan, Syed Fakhar Imam and the late Ghulam Haider Wayeen. Besides, there is a long list of politicians attached to this city of the saints.
Multan is also blessed to have Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Advisor to Prime Minister on Finance Shaukat Tarin and State Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, while State Minister for Defense Affairs Abdul Qayyum Jatoi belongs to Muzaffargarh district.
The prime minister is a firm believer in creation of Multan as a Seraiki province, as no one else but he himself knows what to do in Multan.
Gilani broke the tradition of speaking national language during official ceremonies and made his speech in Seraiki at the groundbreaking ceremony of Multan Airport’s upgradation. He does not feel shy of speaking Seraiki with the delegations from South Punjab at the PM House.
The demand for a Seraiki province exists since time immemorial. Politicians having no feudal background have their own ideas about the creation of a new province, while feudal lords and landlords have their own thinking in this regard.
Actually, smaller administrative units empower people and the empowerment of people will ultimately end feudalism. The present government has numerous difficulties to handle at this critical juncture in the country’s history.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Sardar Zulfikar Khan Khosa and other PML-N leaders and think tanks have a firm control over the Punjab and they would not to let the entire Punjab slip out of their hands.
The members of the City District Council belonging to PML-Q in the recent budget suggested that South Punjab be made Seraiki province and wanted the house to pass a resolution in this regard. On the other hand, members from Multan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and others demand that South Punjab be made Seraiki province.
Replying to a question at a press conference Minister for Defense Affairs demanded that South Punjab be made Seraiki province and gave a deadline in this regard. He made it clear that if South Punjab was not made Seraiki province according to his deadline he will leave politics. There is no doubting the fact that it was Pakistan Seraiki Party chief Taj Muhammad Langah who gave the idea of making South Punjab a Seraiki province.
There are reservations and apprehensions among some segments of the society about the Urdu and Seraiki speaking people. Thus there are two types of mindsets – the Punjabi speaking people want Seraiki province while others feeling themselves a victim of discrimination and deprivation oppose the establishment of a Seraiki province.
Multan is an old city, which has seen numerous wars because of its location on a major invasion route of India from Central Asia. Its history dates back to the days of Alexander the Great. It is believed to be the same city as Maii-us-than where Alexander's forces stormed the citadel after seeing their king lying injured and unconscious in the battlefield.
In the mid-5th century, the city was attacked by a group of nomads led by Torman. They seized the city but did not stay allowing the Hindus to rule the city.
In the 7th century, Multan had its first experience to fight the Muslim armies. Led by Mohalib, the Muslims launched numerous raids from Persia into India. However, their purpose seemed not to conquer but explore the area. A few decades later, Muhammad bin Qasim came and seized Multan and Sindh.
At that time Multan was known as the "city of gold" and numerous historians have written about an extremely large Hindu temple ‘Sun Mandir’ that housed over 6,000 people. Following Qasim's conquest, the city came under the Muslim rule. With the turn of the millennium, the city was twice attacked by Mahmood of Ghazni who destroyed ‘Sun Mandir’ but did not stay. After Muhammad Ghauri's victories in India and establishment of a capital in Delhi, Multan was made a part of the empire.
At the time of creation of Pakistan in 1947 Multan was in a very bad state. It lacked industry, hospitals and educational institutions. The new city has witnessed some industrial growth but the old city continues to be in a dilapidated state.
Time alone will tell what the coming years hold in store for the Seraiki-speaking people. We can only pray for the best.