Seraiki people: Difference between revisions
no reference of Seraiki's in india, no such thing as seraiki's in india |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 13: | Line 13: | ||
**[[Punjabis]], |
**[[Punjabis]], |
||
}} |
}} |
||
The '''Saraiki people''' ([[Urdu language|Urdu]]:''' سراییکی ''') or '''Multani people''' ([[Urdu language|Urdu]]:''' ملتانی ''' |
The '''Saraiki people''' ([[Urdu language|Urdu]]:''' سراییکی ''') or '''Multani people''' ([[Urdu language|Urdu]]:''' ملتانی ''') are an ethnic group from the south-eastern areas of Pakistan, especially in the area of the former [[princely state]] of [[Bahawalpur (princely state)|Bahawalpur]] and the districts of [[Sukhur]], [[Multan]], [[Lodhran]], [[Khanewal]], [[Rajanpur]], [[Dera Ghazi Khan]], [[MuzafarGarh]], [[Layyah]], [[Bhakkar]], [[Mianwali]], [[Dera Ismail Khan]], [[Khushab]], [[Sargodha]], [[Jhang]], [[Vihari]]. The Saraikis maintain that they have a separate language and culture, but their language is often viewed as a dialect of [[Sindhi language|Sindhi]] or [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]. While most Saraikis are [[Muslim]]. |
||
==History== |
==History== |
||
Revision as of 23:30, 9 May 2008
 |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Languages | |
| Saraiki | |
| Religion | |
| Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
The Saraiki people (Urdu: سراییکی ) or Multani people (Urdu: ملتانی ) are an ethnic group from the south-eastern areas of Pakistan, especially in the area of the former princely state of Bahawalpur and the districts of Sukhur, Multan, Lodhran, Khanewal, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, MuzafarGarh, Layyah, Bhakkar, Mianwali, Dera Ismail Khan, Khushab, Sargodha, Jhang, Vihari. The Saraikis maintain that they have a separate language and culture, but their language is often viewed as a dialect of Sindhi or Punjabi. While most Saraikis are Muslim.
History
Ali-Al-Kufi 712 AD also in his book(Shash nama) about Sindh says that Saraiki is a dialect of Sindhi language. Ali-Al-Kufi was considered an authority on subject of Sindh and because of this reason he was invited by the Arab rulers several times to provide useful information about Sindh and its people. He explained in detail that there is one language spoken in country Sindh and its called Sindhi. He further said that 'Sareki' is one of Sindhis three dialects.
A Saraiki campaign (struggle) 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. Saraiki 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 current Prime Minister of Pakistan, Yousuf Raza Gilani, is Seraiki native, and has initiated several projects to uplift the region particularly in and around Multan[1]
The campaign continued on into the 1970's, by which time political activists had drawn up a map of a proposed Saraikistan region, including most of southern Punjab and Dera Ismail Khan in the North-West Frontier Province (this excluded Sindhi and Baloch areas, possibly because of strong nationalist movements in those regions).
In 1977 General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, a Mohajir, took power in a coup of Pakistan. Under his strongly centralist rule the Saraiki movement went underground. The death of General Zia in a plane crash in 1988 gave the impetus for the Saraiki movement to re-emerge. By now the aims were to have a Saraiki nationality recognised, to have official documents printed in Saraiki, a Saraiki regiment in the army, employment quotas and more Saraiki language radio and television(recently one channel is working).
In 1993 moves were made to settle Biharis in Saraiki areas. This was resisted by the Saraikis and the plan was eventually shelved. Saraikis claim that they are not merely an ethnic group but a nation.
See also
References
Further reading
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg){kind=small} | This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. |