“The 20th amendment is the foundation of change in Pakistan,” said Sattar.
He was talking to the media in a weekly program called Meet the Press at the Multan press club. Sattar said that MQM took pride in the fact that they were the leaders of change in Pakistan and had presented the 20th amendment in parliament for discussion.
“We have placed the demand for the formation of a new province Southern Punjab as a top priority in the amendment for the people. If hindrances will be created in the way, then there will be protests and agitations not only in Southern Punjab but all over Pakistan by the MQM,” he added.
Sattar said that MQM was the voice of the people of Pakistan and it was the party’s duty to stand alongside with them in their demands and that they would face all challenges with the people.
He added that the 20th amendment would usher a new Pakistan, if politics of hypocrisy and political reconciliation did not come in its way.
“The powers trying to block the resolution of a new province in Punjab must be aware of the grievances of the people of southern Punjab. I cannot guarantee the solidarity of Pakistan if hurdles will be created for the 20th amendment. Today our country is standing on the verge of dismemberment. Balochistan has today converted into East Pakistan and people of hazara already have many reservations over deprivation of their rights. Our basic challenge is to save Pakistan by maintaining its solidarity.”
Speaking on the creation of South Punjab, Sattar further said that the population of Punjab was greater than 160 countries of the world.
“We are struggling for southern Punjab to give it freedom from the ‘kings’ sitting in Lahore otherwise it will never be given its due right. We are not in favor of an administrative unit but support the demand of the people of the southern Punjab which is a new province with all constitutional rights."
The MQM leader said that MQM will be with the people from the parliament to the streets to support their demands.
“We have been blamed that we have no constitutional right and public right to raise this voice. If we agree with this blame, then the politicians of Punjab are deaf for not hearing the woes of the people of southern Punjab. They have disappeared in Lahore and in the assembly unaware of the voices of the people. Jinnah's Pakistan will be made by MQM by achieving the objectives of the 20th amendment."
COMMENTS (25)
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Saraaiki Soba is the need of today.
Qaisarani
This is an extremely disingenuous comment. There is no difference at all between the "Punjabi" of district Khushab (for just one example) and the so-called "Siraiki" of Multan. I think this is something you are fully aware of.
It would be disaster for Paksitan if further provinces based on ethnic lines are created. The support should only be given to provinces created on administrative lines
There is nothing wrong with having more provinces as long they are created for benefit of the people. Further Provinces should come out of Karachi and Sind to facilitate the security, safety and economic prosperty of Pakistanis. The administrative controls should be applied equally all over the country. There should not be any " Target Killing " of Punjab province.
@Pakistani Khan.
Thanks for your support to Saraiki Province.
Long live Pakistan.
Destroy its basic culture by dismemberment and in due course it will become Muhajiristan.
Why talk about only Punjab??
No sensible person can say that north Sindh is more prosperous than South Punjab - more a case to break Sindh and merge into Punjab.
@muhammad sharjeel: You are absolutely correct. A substainal Seriki population is in Sindh. Why not talk about breaking up Sind if Serikistan needs to be made the Golden Cattle??
To be honest all federating units should reamain as is.
@Qaisrani I'm sorry, I didn't meant like that. I think most of the money in Punjab should be spent in the south, as it needs it more at the time. And even If new province is created it should to advance the south, not because southern Punjabis are different than northern punjabis. I still believe we are sane, with slightly different dialect. But If majority of people in south want different province they shouldget it. Who am I to say that they can't. For me they will still be part of us, because don't become different just by having different dialects.
@Rehmat Ullah Kundi: Dude these shallow arguments are out of fashion now. Same kind of arguments were used by West Pakistanis when Bengalis demanded their rights. I think wadera and feudal lord issue is overblown. If you ever happen to be in Saraiki belt, you would see that landlord don't have much influence among people. Stop treating Saraiki areas like medieval Europe where feudal lords were in-charge of people. Why you demand Kashmir from India? Don't you think it would also be ruled by the same corrupt feudal lords? If feudal lords are dominated in Saraiki areas, then its fault of Pakistani state that have been unsuccessful in providing good social system.
Seriki subha is just a poltical for Gilani and MQM - it ain't gonna happen!
If there were not compulsive hypocrites , why not include the overwhelming Seriki areas in Nothern Sindh?
"Today our country is standing on the verge of dismemberment"
Why is MQM making such false and obnoxious statements?!?! Oh, is it because they'll do anything for Jinnahpur - even attempt to break Pakistan?
@Nasir.For you Saraiki and Punjabi are same.I have never seen any Punjabi who could understand and speak Saraiki while every Saraiki can speak and they have to speak Punjabi when they come to Lahore and central Punajb.Even Punjabi settlers in Saraikistan contempt Saraiki language and people despite evey thing they got from there.Anyways i d'not want to go in detail about Punjabi settlers in Saraikistan as now they are part of our land.
OK we d'not need Saraikistan.Keep Punjab intact and put all the funds on Lahore and it's surroundings.D'not give us jobs,rob our land,keep us in poverty and slavery to Punajbi bureaucracy if it satisfies your Pujabi nationalism.Long Live Punjab and Long live Punjabi nationalism who permits you on all grounds to plunder Saraikistan.
@ muhammad faraz
What a stupid thing to say! there is more literacy in punjab then there is in any other provice, there are more jobs, and more city's developed in punjab than any other provinces. Unlike Sindh where the whole load comes to Karachi and Hyderabad, every other city is too illiterate Punjab offers a LOT to every person. The highest number of stage shows in pakistan are held in punjabi language and there are many news papers in punjabi as well. They only difference is unlike sindh where sidhi blame muhajjirs all the time and would start a civil war if an issue of partition is raised...Punjabis welcome the partition of punjab because its not being taken over by india it will still be a part of pakstan and only help pakistan!
There should be no problem in creating more provinces in Pakistan.
For example, India consists of 28 states, 6 union territories and 1 national capitol territory.
In US there are 50 federated states that share sovereignty with the federal government.
Russia comprises of 83 federal subjects (provinces/states).
In People Republic of China, there are over 22 provinces, five autonomous regions, four directly controlled municipalities and two mostly self-governing special administrative regions.
The more provinces Pakistan will have, it will be able to manage the affairs of the people living in different provinces more efficiently.
10 provinces in Sindh!
The overcome the mismanagement, we have to takethe route of devolution of Power and decentralization. Yes, 20th amendment is foundation of change and MQM is doing right thing.
@Nasir Jamshed:
The punjabi people have long ignored and sidelined their mother tongue,that's why there are no punjabi language newspapers,only 3 channels which is peanuts compared to the channels of the other provincial languages,punjabi is not taught in punjab's schools.This feeling ashamed of your own self,of your history,language and culture will be the undoing of punjab.
Although I'm against Saraiki province, but I think it's creation might be good for Punjab. At the moment, Punjabi elite is completely ignoring punjabi language, culture and history in the name of Urdu and Panistan. It will show them that it is not Urdu that matters, but Saraiki and other cultural matters. I personally think there is no difference between Punjabi and Saraiki, other than dialect--and between northern Punjabi and southern Punjab--other than some balochi settlers. A jat, rajput, or an Arain is still same, whether he speaks Punjabi or Saraiki dialect.
@muhammad sharjeel:
nobody in the media really cares what happens to punjab so it's easier for the parties from other provinces to target punjab.if the people living in punjab don't raise a voice against attacks by political parties from other provinces,then why should anyone in the media care? we saw the strong reaction from ANP when there was an attempt to create a new hazara province and now the hazara province plan has been dropped,all efforts on to make new provinces by breaking up punjab only.
why is punjab only being targetted for being broken into more pieces? what about hazara province in fontier,muhajir province in sindh and pashtun province in balochistan?