Spending on public welfare and development actually contributes to the internal stability of the state. Fault lines created by bad governance and poor statesmanship proved fatal for the country once exploited by archrival neighbor at a time of its choosing. Borders can only be kept intact once statesmanship is capable to fill-up or repair the fault lines. Those sitting at the helm of affairs today should remember that serious concerns of the East Pakistan about unfair allocation of financial resources provided Shaikh Mujeeb enough reasons to attract the public attention. Poor statesmanship from Islamabad created a deeper fault line which was effectively exploited by Mujeeb with deadly explosive of linguistic hatred under close Indian patronage. This premise has a relevancy to federal government’s recent significant seriousness towards establishment of new province in Southern Punjab. This sensitive matter needs mature handling as any laxity might generate more exploitable deeper fault lines. Despite making a loud announcement, government cannot fulfill the promise of new province singlehandedly as requisite 2/3rd numbers are not available in ruling benches for essential constitutional amendment. So, new province will only be possible through political consensus between ruling and opposition parties in the parliament. Before marching on tough route of constitutional amendment, government has announced establishment of separate secretariat and Police Head Quarters for South Punjab at Bhawalpur and Multan respectively.
Existing political culture revolving around grabbing maximum space in power corridors absolutely lacks any consideration for the marginalized major part of the society
While displaying seriousness on the issue of new province, federal government has attempted to gain the political mileage by announcing separate secretariat and now the ball is in opposition’s court. Definitely, opposition, mainly PPP and PML-N, are extremely uncomfortable with this move as voting in favor of constitutional amendment will strengthen the PTI in new province. Contrary to this, a negative vote besides hindering the creation of province will badly expose the dirty politics of opposition parties to the masses of South Punjab. Negative vote of opposition may also be used by the PTI in its favor by telling the masses that dirty politics of PPP and PML-N is the actual obstacle in completion of this much desired plan. This issue has emerged as a real test of political elite’s wisdom and acumen. South Punjab’s demand for separate province is not new! Despite being a genuine public call, ruling elite could not accord it due priority since Ayub era. PPP and PML-N merely relied on lip service and political stunts to bag the maximum votes from Southern Punjab during election season. Poor masses in South Punjab are suffering on many accounts all attributable to bad governance and flawed statesmanship of the ruling elite. Inappropriate allocation of financial resources has kept the people of South Punjab deprived from basic amenities of life like clean drinking water, well equipped hospitals, educational institutes, road infrastructure and easily accessible courts. Human beings are compelled to share water source with animals. Political parties should accord due priority to the public welfare and development. Prior to moving on constitutional amendment, PTI seems stuck up over the proposed location of new secretariat. Difference of opinion over this administrative issue should not transform into a deadlock or a battle between Multan and Bhawalpur . There should be deliberate advance consultancy and home work for proposed geographical demarcation of the new province. Heat of linguistic radiations can be felt right from the outset as multiple demands for inclusion or exclusion of certain areas are being made on varying pretexts. History has taught us that oppressed masses can be easily exploited on inflammable linguistic hateful themes. Human beings used by the tyrants as disposable commodity eventually weaken the right very foundation of the state. Persistent oppression, marginalization and absolute absence of shared stakes gradually pushes the masses away from the state. Unrest in Saraiki belt caused by the bad governance and flawed statesmanship of the ruling elite may convert into a violent linguistic campaign against the Punjabi masses. This actually happened in the East Pakistan. Violence and unrest in Urban Sindh has been vigorously exploited by India to coerce Pakistan. Let’s admit that enemy has always exploited our self-created fault lines. India is actively sponsoring separatist terrorists in Balochistan by fanning linguistic prejudice and public sufferings. Decades long deprivation imposed upon masses by the corrupt and unable ruling elite has put the security of state at greater risk. Under prevailing scenario, a much greater responsibility lies on the shoulders of political leadership. Existing political culture revolving around grabbing maximum space in power corridors absolutely lacks any consideration for the marginalized major part of the society. Politics at the cost of public has already created deeper fault lines in KP, Baluchistan and Sindh. Weapon of linguistic hatred and prejudice is being used by the hostile forces to destabilize the badly governed folds of the society. It is about time to make the national politics more public centric and welfare oriented. A new province or secretariat should serve the oppressed people of South Punjab. Any deviation from this well-established aim will only add to the public anxiety and offer another exploitable fault line to the enemy.
The writer is a freelance and can be reached at [email protected]