BAHAWALPUR: The Cholistan Seraiki Adabi Conference, held at the Punjab Arts Council, saw speakers express their discontent with the government for allocating Cholistan’s land to individuals from outside the region who possess fake domiciles instead of benefiting the true Cholistanis.
As per the details, former federal secretary Hussain Ahmed Madani, Professor Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed, and Seraiki poet Jahangir Mukhlis were among the notable speakers.
The event was presided over by Seraiki leader Zahoor Dhareja and organized by the Saraikistan National Council and the Saraiki Poets Rights Council.
The speakers called upon the government to address the fundamental issues faced by the residents of the desert.
Besides, they also emphasized the need for a focused approach to resolving problems such as the provision of drinking water for both humans and livestock, the establishment of pastures, and the development of a network of health and education facilities in Cholistan.
The performance of the Cholistan Development Authority (CDA) drew criticism from the speakers, who pointed out its failure to provide adequate facilities to the locals and allocate land to thousands of Cholistanis under the Punjab Chief Minister’s Package despite the passage of several years.
Furthermore, government officials were accused of intentionally delaying measures to protect Cholistan’s culture and heritage.
The speakers also stressed the importance of rehabilitating the desert’s cultural heritage to promote tourism.
Moreover, the government’s decision to organize the Cholistan Jeep Rally in the desert without adequately benefiting the locals financially or otherwise was also condemned by the speakers.
A key demand put forth by the speakers was the creation of a new Cholistan division, including the establishment of new districts within the Bahawalpur division and the allocation of new constituencies for the national and Punjab assemblies in the desert.
Source: DAWN
