Seraiki nationalists' reaction to Mengal's speech: 'Only people to decide about identity, future'.

Byline: Tariq Saeed Birmani

DERA GHAZI KHAN -- The speech in Taunsa Sharif by Balochistan National Party (BNP) leader Akhtar Jan Mengal last week, where he demanded the inclusion of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts in Balochistan, has initiated a debate among Seraiki and Baloch nationalists.

The most-revered politician, intellectual and ideologue of Baloch politics, Mir Ghous Bakhsh Bazenjo, in recognition of the Seraiki identity, formed the Seraiki chapter of his Pakistan National Party. In 1986, at the residence of his teacher, Mehmood Khan Buzdar, in DG Khan, he said if there was a difference of opinion among the masses at the time of the formation of a new province, the people of DG Khan and Rajanpur should be provided a chance to decide if they wanted to be part of Balochistan or the Seraiki province through a referendum.

In those days, Seraiki intellectual and researcher Zaman Jaffery, of Multan, wrote a thesis regarding the significance of historical cultural-cum-lingual connections among Seraiki, Sindhi and Baloch people. His findings were: socio-political and economic future of Sindh, Seraiki Vasaib and Balochistan had been interlinked for centuries and there was no space for contradiction among them.

Famous Baloch poet and nationalist Allah Bukhsh Buzdar said that DG Khan, Rajanpur and Khangarh (Jacobabad) were mainly Baloch-dominated areas to every Baloch. At the same time, Seraiki and Sindhi nationalists have an equal staunch claim over these areas. The universal principle of settling such an issue is through knowing the opinion of people inhabiting these border districts. He said that in his humble opinion, there was no reason to create hatred among oppressed people as Baloch and Seraikis have been living together peacefully for centuries.

'It's up to the masses to decide whether they call themselves Baloch or Seraiki,' he said.

The common Baloch people who reside in mountains of Sulaiman range, when start their journey towards DG Khan, Rajanpur or Taunsa Sharif, say in Balochi, 'Ma Sindha Rawaghain,' (I am going to Sindh). Tribal Balochi speaking people mostly consider the trans-Indus districts as part of Sindh.

In 1951-52, the tribal area located in mountainous Sulaiman range...