Former Information Minister Senator Mohammed Ali Durrani has warned the presidency against a trap by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and some influential landlords to take him on the path of dictator Yahya Khan by denying restoration of Bahawalpur Province.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday at Lahore Press Club, Senator Durrani said that some influential landlords were planning to capture the rich lands of Bahawalpur in the name of creation of Seraiki Province including the 64,00,000 acres of Cholistan area.
"Let me tell you that behind-the-scenes consultations have ended and a national government would soon be announced. We hope that the national government would announce the restoration of Bahawalpur Province in line with the commitment made by father of the nation," he added.
"Let me tell you that Bahawalpur is not a hunting ground of some landlords of Multan and DG Khan who had been given thousands of acres of land by the British Raaj. Now after plundering the poor people of Multan and DG Khan, some landlords from the PML-Q, who are not acceptable to President Asif Zardari, are trying to follow the conspiracy hatched by prime minister Gilnai to appease him by supporting his bid to conquer the 64 lakh acres of Cholistan lands in the name of Saraiki Province but they don't know the resilience of the Bahawalpur people," he remarked.
Senator Durrani, who is also the chief of Muttahidda Mohaz Bahawalpur, advised Prime Minister Gilani to focus on resolving the issues faced by the country rather than dreaming to be the chief minister of Saraiki Province, bulldozing the rights of the people of Bahawalpur.
"This is also a test case for the leadership of the PML-Q and let us see whether they opt to be a part of a conspiracy hatched by some landlords against the people of Bahawalpur or they support the cause of Bahawalpur Province.
But let me warn all those making conspiracies that any bid to ignore the cause of Bahawalpur Province would be resisted with force and the conspirators would have to take their political coffin themselves and the people of Bahawalpur would ensure worst defeat for the candidates of those parties," he asserted.
Senator Durrani said chief of Bahawalpur Awami Party Nawab Slahuddin Abbasi has instructed him to convey this caution to the conspirators through media and said that the government should at least give the same respect to the agreement made by Quaid-e-Azam what it gives to its deeds with the IMF or the World Bank.
"I warn those who are conspiring against the people of Bahawalpur Province to mend their ways or get ready to face the worst resistance of the history by the ignored, abused and deprived people of Bahawalpur who have been time and again looted by the political gimmicks by the ruling elites," he said.
When asked whether he was opposed to the creation of Saraiki Province, Senator Durrani said the people of Bahawalpur were supportive of any province, which did not hinder their just demand of restoration of Bahawalpur Province.
"People from all ethnic, lingual and religious groups in Bahawalpur support the cause of Bahawalpur Province which is not based on lingual, religious or ethnic divide. "We are also appreciative of all those, including the media, who have supportive of our cause," he added. "We are also not opposed to creation of a province based on Multan and DG Khan Divisions. But anyone dreaming to rule Bahawalpur in the name of Saraiki Province should stop this non-sense or be ready to face the public wrath," pointed out Senator Durrani.
He said insertion of Bahawalpur into Saraiki Province against the wishes and aspirations of the people of Bahawalpur would only be an autocratic attempt and not a democratic step.