Seraiki people
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The Seraiki people (also Saraiki people) are an ethnic group from the southern areas of Pakistani Punjab. There is much dispute over whether the Seraiki language is a separate language or a Punjabi dialect.
The Seraikis are based mainly in the former Princely state of Bahawalpur, though they live in surrounding areas of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and North West Frontier Province. The Serakis maintain that they have a separate language and culture, whilst many Punjabis view Seraiki as merely a dialect of Punjabi.
A Seraiki campaign grew in the 1960's with the aims of establishing language rights and stopping what was seen as exploitation and repression by the traditionally Punjabi dominated government. Seraiki land has always been very fertile, producing much of Pakistan's wheat and cotton. However little money has been invested back, thus leading to impoverishment and underdevelopment.
The campaign continued on into the 1970's, by which time political activists had drawn up a map of a proposed Seraikistan region, including most of southern Punjab and Dera Ismail Khan in the North West Frontier Province (note that this excluded Sindhi and Baloch areas, possibly because of strong nationalist movements in those regions).
In 1977 General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq took power in a coup of Pakistan. Under his strongly centralist rule the Seraiki movement went underground.
General Zia died in a plane crash in 1988 and the Seraiki movement re-emerged. By now the aims were to have a Seraiki nationality recognised, to have official documents printed in Seraiki, a Seraiki regiment in the army, employment quotas and more Seraiki language radio and television.
The Seraiki movement has suffered from being Punjab-based in a country in which Punjabis dominate the army and government.
In 1993 moves were made to settle Biharis (Indian Muslims who had moved to East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in Seraiki areas. This was resisted by the Seraikis and the plan was eventually shelved. Seraiki population is most concentrated in Multan, Bahawalpur, Mianwali, Bhakkar, and Muzaffargarh.
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