The office-bearers of the Multan Bench of the Lahore High Court Bar Association at least 19 presidents, general secretaries of district bar associations of Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions have unanimously demanded of the government for the creation of a separate province for the down-trodden people of South Punjab to end their exploitation and miseries.
It must be comprised Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions, Bhakkar and Jhang districts. Lawyers also rejected detachment of district Sahiwal from the LHC Multan Bench and attaching with the LHC principal seat as expressed by some Punjab cabinet members.
The demand was made in a hectic meeting held here with Association President Mehmood Ashraf Khan in chair on Saturday and the lawyers were of the common perception that people of South Punjab have been treating like step-mom since the creation of Pakistan.
They were of the view that development funds were being cut at large scale and the present situation has convinced lawyers of South Punjab initiating struggle for a separate province to protect their rights.
"This the sole right of people of Saraiki belt give them a separate province keeping in view of historical frontiers because rights of people are not secured under Punjab's hegemony", lawyers said.
They strongly criticised Punjab Agriculture Minister Arshad Khan Lodhi's statement for separating the Sahiwal district from LHC Multan Bench and attaching with the Lahore Principal Seat.
Addressing the meeting, Association President Mehmood Ashraf Khan, General Secretary Qari Ikramul Haq Qureshi cited examples of discrimination, and said that not a single additional district and sessions judge or civil judge could be inducted from South Punjab in the last four years.
Dozens of lawyers appeared in written exams for that posts, but all of them were declared unsuccessful in interview that generated a sense of deprivation.
The Association office-bearers demanded for appointment of South Punjab lawyers on additional prosecutor general, deputy prosecutor general, assistant prosecutor general, deputy district prosecutor, and assistant deputy district prosecutor seats. They demanded creation of a separate province, appointment of at least three judges for LHC Multan bench to overcome shortage of judges.