Division of Punjab into three 'provinces' demanded

Pakistan Seraiki Party (PSP) chief, Taj Muhammad Langah, has said that Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) president (Qazi) Hussain Ahmed and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Ameer Fazlur Rehman have already demanded creation of a 'Seraiki' province in their interviews and press conferences.
Speakers at a seminar he supported the division of Punjab into three provinces--Seraikistan, Pothohar and Punjab--to balance the federation. The seminar was organised by 'Liberal Forum Pakistan' here to discuss promotion of liberal philosophy in the country, but majority of the speakers de-tracked from the topic.
The PSP chief said his party had got Seraiki language, history and culture recognised at various platforms. He said they had discussed the matter with Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif at a meeting in London, and they had assured him of their support.
'Liberal Forum Pakistan' chairman Asif Khan said that small provinces should be given rights by eliminating the role of army from politics. 'National Workers Party' leader Taj Muhammad Soz said liberalism could not be developed in the society till complete elimination of feudal system from the country.
PML-N MPA Nafis Ansari, PPPP MPA Dr Javed Siddiqui, LFP district president Muhammad Ashiq Bhutta and others also spoke. Meanwhile, The office-bearers of High Court Bar Association Multan and presidents and general secretaries of other 19 district bar associations have unanimously demanded of the government to create a separate province for the people of southern Punjab so that they could not face difficulties for approaching officials in Lahore.
Mehmood Ashraf Khan, president of High Court Bar Association Multan, and other office-bearers of district bar bodies urged the government and the Lahore High Court not to detach Sahiwal from Lahore High Court Multan Bench.
Mehmood and Ikramul Haq condemned discrimination on the part of the government and said that not a single additional sessions judge and even a civil judge was inducted into service from southern Punjab during the last four years.
The office-bearers said that the people of southern Punjab were being meted out step-motherly treatment. They said that the government was not providing adequate funds for development of southern Punjab and, in certain cases, funds allocated for Multan and other parts of southern Punjab were transferred to Lahore.
They criticised the statement of Arshad Lodhi, Minister for Agriculture, for separating Sahiwal district from Lahore High Court Multan Bench and including the same in the jurisdiction of principal seat of Lahore High Court.