Adil Najam
For as long as I can remember, I have heard passionate arguments about whether the four provinces of Pakistan should be divided into multiple smaller provinces. The discussion has, once again, gained momentum. This time the focus is the Punjab and converting Southern Punjab into a separate province (a ‘Saraiki sooba‘).
The political optics of the situation remain in flux. The PML(N) has reacted to the current discussion with suspicion seeing this as a ploy by PPP to break the PML’s hold over the Punjab. The PPP has reacted, for the moment, with both President Zardari and Prime Minister Gillani saying that no such move is on the cards. That may well be so, and may well be subject to change, but my question for our readers today is whether — irrespective of political motives — creating a new province in Southern Punjab is a good idea or not? And what this may mean, if anything, for other provinces?
First, let me put my own cards on the table. The first time I wrote about this subject was back in the 1980s - in an op-ed in The Muslim I argued for a total of 6 to 8 provinces (each of the current four provinces being redrawn along lines consistent with historic, linguistic and cultural affinities). My most radical idea, then, was to reconsider the provinces not just along the lines of existing provinces but across existing lines (to use language as an example, Hindko, Sindhi, Seraiki, and Pushto speakers all straddle across current provincial lines). My motivation then, and now, stemmed from demographic concerns of concentration of populations, resources and, therefore, power in one province and the attendant feelings of peripheralization felt by other provinces. Importantly, this can - and has - led to a politics of fragmentation and distrust where it becomes too easy to evoke distrust and disdain through legitimate as well as exaggerated fears. There is also the concern about fewer provinces strengthening a provincial group identity at the expense of a national identity as well as of more local identities. Importantly, in the case of the Saraiki belt, the local identity sentiment for a separate province is the strongest reason to support such an initiative.
After writing that piece I remember having protracted conversations on this with the late Dr. Mahbub-ul-Haq who had been arguing for a much more elaborate scheme that woud end with there being 16-25 different provinces. Over the years I have become more and more sympathetic to his developmental argument: that creating smaller provinces will also de-centralize power and localize opportunities - each provincial capital requires a provincial capital infrastructure and create local employment and opportunities and therefore development opportunities get spread around the country rather than being centralized in a few locations.
I tend, therefore, to lean towards this idea. However, practical realities have tended to mute my enthusiasm somewhat. But, only somewhat. I realize, of course, the fracturous politics that will be unleashed in the process of redrawing provincial lines, even though my hope has been that the coalitional politics that will emerge for having more units will be, in fact, less fracturous than our current provincial frictions. There is also the practical matter that while in most of the country the affinities have long historical and cultural roots the demographics in urban Sindh are ‘modern’ and constructed through the traumas of sudden migration patterns. Not surprisingly, the resultant identity politics also tends to be more traumatic.
So, my own leanings on this are clear and I would certainly support a Seraiki province, even if a more elaborate redrawing of provincial units across the country were not possible at this time. Three reasons would make me support such a move: (a) it is a deep demand of the area itself and (b) it begins to balance out provincial distributions and (c) amongst the various cases for provincial redrawings this is clearly the strongest case for the clear cultural and historic affinities and this could serve as an important first step.
I have been in this debate long enough to know that there can, and will, be many arguments against mine. So, lets please hear them. Is there a logic to redrawing provincial units? If so, why? If not, why not? I suspect it will not be so, but I hope people will focus especially on the longer-term national logic of such a move rather than whatever short-term political gains or losses this might mean to particular political operatives.
dear adil sahab and all readers..
it may be right that punjab should be divided for whatever reasons that have been presented here, but i think at the given circumstances this issue becomes even insignificant to be on the table for discussion. i am pretty sure all of us realise that our country is going through some serious crisis at international/national level which needs to be addressed immediately. i would say instead of getting distracted by such issues we should focus on how we can get rid of this moronic government or else how we could get them change their policies, which are not really serving in the best interest of Pakistan and its people. And most of all how we could ask them to for GOD sake stop begging for money from other countries. Because if we don’t take any action now than we will have no right to complain even if the price of a single roti shoots up to rs 20. this is not exaggeration. it is very much possible. lets talk about that. infact forget talks, we always do that, lets come out of our bloody cosy couches and do something for our survival.
Punjab already stands divided. Why not unite it before it is redivided. I say, is it the time to raise such issues when we are fighting the war for our survival as a nation?
Pakistani’s are very insecure people..as soon as an idea comes around which makes sense redistribution of powers greater federalism …it becomes a sazish. the US has states with populations the size of some pak cities, factually Southern Punjab is discriminated against..some of the poorest districts in the country after balochistan and FATA are in southern punjab ..how would it destroy pakistan if there is another province or at the very least a separate secretariat?
Fouzia Wahab have clearly mentioned their stance upon new sriaki province. President Zardari has clearly mentioned that in 1973 constitution there are 4 provinces so at this critical juncture of Pakistan’s survival, no requirement of raising non issues. Some writers have very rightly said in last few days in national news papers that devolution of powers is answer to deprivations and rather then making new provinces. Its wrong attitude to blame PPP leadership to back support this issue of new province.
The demand for new provinces is not new. Pakistan definitely needs new provinces and not just in Punjab. The need of the hour is to convert every division into a province. That would enable effective administration and decentralization of power.
I am also a supporter of seraikee province not because I am from that region but from the fact, the region has been neglected by the ruling elite from the area and other parts of country. The area is not only distinguished from other parts of Punjab due to its backwardness but also in cultural, lingual and topographical dimensions.
The question is why raising the issue of cultural and ethnical identity is considered as an anti-Pakistan agenda. Its the ruling establishment which generally have had been tended towards right from the center, and always looked upon these identities issues as a threat to their AUTHORITY which it does not want to surrender in any case.
Whenever, these identity issues are flashed, rather than thinking and evaluating the causes, they put it under the carpet by saying it a ‘SAAZISH’ against the country. I dont know when we will come out of this SAAZISH syndrome, and look upon the real issues. I agree with Adil, that we need to look into this issue with development and perspective which itself integrates cultural and ethnical issues.
This issue has been recently flashed in the media and also in Punjab Assembly but has been called as SAAZISH by PML and brushed aside by PPP.
Now, I feel that it would be hard for both of mainstream political parties to hush up the issue for a very long time. It seems that people now are more informed and have less trust on the leaders. If these political parties deny their right to development, it would be hard for them to sustain popularity in the area. If not now, these parties would be facing hard time in next elections to get the support in that region.
yaaar.. there are many other important issues but National & provincial assemblies waste time in such kind of issues.. divide punjab in 2, give NWFP a name…
I am a Siraiki speaker from district Bahawalpur in Southern Punjab and have come to know the sentiment for a Siraiki Subah well over the last 30 years. The Siraiki areas of Punjab are very different from Northern Punjab and the distinction covers many intangibles, but language is where the divergence starts and, for me and others who I know, the distinction continues into the historical and encompasses the fact that much of Southern Punjab was a separate state for more than 200 years — then called ‘Bahawalpur.’ Symbols of the state and the use of Siraiki were discouraged in Punjab province as smacking of separatism. The siraiki language (and this is an example of an intangible greivance) went from being the official language of state affairs under Bahawalpur State to being associated with all those Southern punjab stereotypes of backwardness, being lazy, and being feudal. Southern Punjab is the womb of Pakistani sufism and the pir culture is probably stronger than it is in Northern Punjab. This area was also more disemboweled or, if you like, more decapitated by partition since, like Sindh, the entire Middle Class of professionals and technicians were Hindus. So we do differ from the Northern Punjabis of Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and Jhang and having a separate province would certainly inject me with some fervor for returning to Pakistan to engage in local development.