Before the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, a few paid
heed to those warning of impending disaster, on 15th December 1971
the nation thought, and made to believe, that everything was fine and under
control, on 16th more than half the country was gone and on 17th
majority of us behaved if nothing serious had happened. This is the dilemma of
our nation which chooses to stay in oblivion. Should this remain the case? I do
not think so and, as such, would not hesitate to dilate on the issue of
proposed Saraiki Province, covering an angle which may seem farfetched to many
of us.
After completing more than four years
of their prescribed five years tenure, suddenly the PPP leadership has raised
the ante on the proposed Saraiki Province on grounds that the people there are
facing deprivation, notwithstanding the fact that in this period the PM has
spent hundreds of billions of rupees in just Multan, his city, and not on
alleviating the misgivings of the Saraiki people. What then is the hidden
agenda behind this demand?
Though apparently the move is a
political ploy in view of the forthcoming elections, yet a critical analysis of
past events would reveal that demand for a Saraiki Province is continuation of
a systematic process to break and weaken the present Punjab Province as part of
a larger agenda of our ruling ‘DUO’, as well as, of those outside powers, which
are even envisaging Pakistan’s balkanization. Unfortunately some of the other
political parties, including Punjab based, are conniving with the PPP in
pursuance of this agenda with little understanding of its implications.
The process of weakening Punjab started
by denying it gas and electricity, essentially required to run its industry,
which is now at brink of disaster.
Secondly, Government’s lack of
meaningful response to construction of new hydroelectric power projects, dams
and proposed link canals by India on the rivers feeding Punjab would ultimately
deny it the required water resources, seriously affecting its agricultural
output also. After creation of proposed Saraiki Province, especially if it is
extended up to Mianwali in the North, the Indus River will also be delinked
from the remaining Punjab.
Thirdly, Punjab may one day act as a
conduit of Indo-Afghan trade via Wagah, a source of income. That also is being
taken care of by planned opening of Sulaimanke route which would probably be
linked with the Indus Highway through the proposed Saraiki Province to KP,
Afghanistan and beyond.
Punjab would, thus, virtually be
rendered as an impotent entity without industry, depleted agricultural output
and meagre other sources of income, totally dependent on others to survive
– A price Punjab must pay for having a
sold out leadership, always seeking personal interests. Undermining of Punjab
would also fulfil the agenda of those foreign powers who feel that even after
Pakistan’s balkanization, the Punjab, in its present configuration, with
nuclear weapons and strong Army, would remain a threat to their interests.
Will undermining Punjab and creation of
Saraiki Province complete the agenda? I do not think so. Though farfetched, we
must not rule out the possibility that the duo, the President and PM, may even
be thinking in terms of unification of present Sindh and proposed Saraiki
Province in any future dispensation. Following lent credence to such a thought
process;
Politically, the people of Saraiki
speaking areas are more akin to the rural Sindh – feudalism, monopoly of land
owning and subservient masses. It would be easier for the PPP to buy off
important families or coerce them into submission (as was done in Bhutto era
through land reforms). Culturally also, people of most of the areas included in
the proposed Saraiki Province are closer to rural Sindh than Central Punjab.
With no industrial base and very little
natural resources, the proposed Saraiki Province will have meagre sources of
income in the shape of agricultural output and will be dependent on other
provinces, especially Sindh, for their basic needs. Having control over the
Indus River, the Saraiki Province will gain importance for Sindh which, in
return, can provide energy and transit facilities.
Thus, cultural cohesion and economic
dependence would provide strong basis for future unification of Sindh and
Saraiki Province as one entity. With Saraiki leaders like Gilani, who believe
in loyalty to ‘Masters’ and even their graves, rather than the motherland,
nobody should have a doubt as to who would occupy the driving seat. The
numerical differential between the Urdu speaking of urban Sindh and rural
Sindh, along with Saraiki areas, would enhance further - Zardari & Co in
total control with marginalized MQM.
The above may seem a figment of imagination, however, a
possibility. If it materializes, Zardari may be regarded by nationalist Sindhis
as the ‘Quaid’ who revived greater Sindh, but in history he would surely go
down as “Pakistan’s Gorbachev”. To the
contrary, he can become
a true leader of over 180 million Pakistanis by delivering as per aspirations
of the people, rather than opting for dirty politics. Choice
still remains with him.
For the other mainstream
political parties, there is no other option left but to shun their differences,
rise above their self seeking agendas and get united to thwart the designs of
those bent upon undermining Pakistan.
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