The feudals, makhdooms, sardars and Sajada Nasheens of South Punjab have been in power before partition and thereafter, not only at provincial level but at federal level. No benefit will accrue to the millions living in stone ages in this area by creation of a separate province which will be ruled by the very feudal nemesis, who are responsible for their plight. When undivided Punjab was ruled by Unioinist Party, it were these feudal from Zamaidara League who formed a coalition with Hindu and Sikhs to rule this province. After partition the most powerful civil government which has ruled Pakistan was ZAB’s PPP and it was none other than Mustafa Khar, strongest politician of Punjab, followed by several others from this deprived part of Punjab, who enjoyed immense power. While the feudal from South Punjab today own largest sugar mills and are masters of biggest farm houses, the people are illiterate, deprived even of clean drinking water.
South Punjab has the highest ratio of ghost schools and hospitals, where funds allocated were utilized to build infrastructure and hire teachers, doctors etc only on paper, but never was this infrastructure allowed to function and deliver by powerful feudal lobby who by design want hundreds of thousands of deprived to live in abject poverty in the areas under their influence. Billions of rupees have been allocated for construction of roads and bridges, which have been consumed by corrupt local bureaucracy with patronage of powerful MNAs and MPAs of this area. Billions allocated by successive governments to MNAs, MPAs, Senators for development projects have vanished into thin air.
Bridges and roads which if properly constructed should withstand pressures of rains and floods got washed away like sand dunes. The biggest hindrance to development of South Punjab are these powerful feudals whose foreign educated daughters are seen carrying Birken bags, but who would ensure that these deprived millions live forever in deprivation, without any education, never demand equality or even basic rights. No other area of Punjab has such a high rate of female abuse crimes where women are treated even worse than cattle and sheep and minor girls are given away to compensate feuds by panchayats, patronized by none other than powerful political feudal who hold the fort in this most deprived part of Punjab.
SYED JAWAID HUSSAIN
Multan