New provinces: Protest against inclusion of Tank in ‘Seraikistan’ proposal
Hundreds of demonstrators, led by the Nawab of Tank Sadat Khan, rejected the proposal to include Tank in the proposed Seraiki province.
The protest rally, attended by the Bittani, Marwat, Kundi tribes as well as Wazir tribesmen settled in Tank, marched from Pir Sabir Shah Zyarat and reached Traffic Chowk where a public meeting was held.
The Tank-Dera Ismail Khan road was blocked for almost two hours, resulting in traffic jams in Tank city. The participants of the rally were carrying banners inscribed with slogans against the Seraiki province and in favour of a separate ‘Pakhtunistan’ province for Pashtuns.
Sadat Khan told the rally that before the independence of Pakistan, they fought for Tank state against the Sikh and British forces, defeating them.
“Today, the Seraiki community, (which is) a small portion of the population limited to a few towns in Tank, is raising the unjust demand of including tank in the Seraiki province, but we will never accept it at any cost,” he added.
He added that if the government is serious in forming more provinces, a separate province starting from Mianwali to Quetta should be made for Pashtuns.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2012.
COMMENTS (6)
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Ethno-linguistically cohesive areas only can be good administrative units.
don't mess with pashtuns. we are loyal pakistanis but if we get angry, pakistan is in doom.
Best solution for Pakistan is to have Presidential System, to abolish all current provinces and rename districts as States with maximum autonomy. This will give an end to macro level ethnic issue. SPA [Single Point Accountability] will come into force RE the President. Amercians have used this for centuries now and it w'ont harm Pakistan any more than the current system.
Let's not mess with the federating units of Pakistan.
This is not India.
The federating units here opted for Pakistan. Let's not mess things up and create unintended consequences.
Provinces should be divided purely on ADMINISTRATIVE grounds rather than ethno-lingustic lines!
Govt will ask for trouble if it tries to include Pukhtun dominated areas in other provinces