The identity of Seraiki has survived attack after attack and massacre after massacre for the last four centuries and now time has come to work on the preservation and improvement of the Seraiki culture, language and rights.
Historian Hafeezullah Khan said this at a meeting of the Seraiki Study Circle held at the Action and Dialogue Centre of the Forman Christian College University (FCC) on Tuesday. FCC English Department head Dr Nukhbah Taj Lanagh moderated the session.
Khan, who has authored over a dozen books on Seraiki history and literature, said the ever-evolving history demanded that the basic elements of the identity of a nation be redefined after every three decades.
“In pre-Partition era, religion was taken as the base of a nation’s identity, but the fall of Dhaka proved that religion was not a binding force,” Khan said, adding the identity of Seraikis should be now based on their culture, language and area. “The dilemma of the Seraiki wasabi is the planned settlement of internal immigrants, mostly industrialists and retired army officers who are being allotted lands, to change the demography of the area,” he said, adding the area had long been a treasure trove for attackers for centuries.
He said the Seraiki area was the only belt which was invaded by Arabs, Iranians, Afghanis, British and Sikhs. Every invader would massacre teachers and artists, enslave women and spare artisans.
“History tells that the court of Mahmood Ghaznvi was overcrowded with Seraiki women slaves that it looked like a Seraiki court,” he said. The attackers tried to erase the identity of Seraikis by imposing their culture on the people. Iranians came exalting their pride peacock, while the Raj eulogised lion.