Saraikistan: From Erasure to Recognition
Preface
Saraikistan, the Seraiki-speaking regions of Pakistan—historically rich and culturally vibrant—have endured a long history of systemic erasure. Political marginalization, cultural suppression, and historical misrepresentation by a Punjabi-dominated establishment have sought to monopolize Pakistan’s national narrative at the expense of Seraiki identity. This blog post presents an evidence-based defense of the Seraiki people and their heritage. Drawing on historical records, British-era gazetteers, Sufi literature, and contemporary political analysis, it traces the mechanisms of erasure and advocates for recognition, justice, and empowerment.
1: The Ancient Roots of Seraikistan
1.3 Timeline of Seraiki History
- 3000 BCE – Settlement in Multan: Early settlements established, laying the foundations of trade, culture, and administration, with evidence from Harappan and Indo-Aryan civilizations.
- 8th–12th Century – Ghaznavid & Sultanate Rule: Seraiki regions flourished under Ghaznavid and Sultanate administration, marked by growing local governance and early literary activity.
- 1700s–1800s – Rise of Seraiki States: Formation of Bahawalpur, Khairpur, Mankera, and other Seraiki-speaking polities formally recognized the language in administration and literature, with royal patronage enriching poetry and chronicles.
- 1818 – Sikh Conquest of Multan & Mankera: Temporary occupation disrupted Seraiki autonomy but could not extinguish the language and culture, which endured at the popular level.
- 1947 – Integration into Pakistan: With independence, Seraiki regions were merged into Pakistan, but Punjabi-dominated administration sidelined Seraiki identity politically, culturally, and linguistically.
- 1960s–1980s – Recognition and Mobilization: The rise of Seraiki identity movements led to bureaucratic recognition of Seraiki as a distinct language, fueling demands for a separate province and greater autonomy.
2: Seraiki Language and Literature
2.1 Linguistic Distinctiveness
Seraiki stands as a language with its own phonological, lexical, and syntactic identity, distinct from Punjabi. While colonial linguists such as C.F. Usborne (1905) grouped it under the label of “Western Punjabi (Lehnda),” they also noted its unique literary traditions and regional characteristics. The fact of mutual intelligibility with Punjabi does not diminish its independent status; rather, Seraiki reflects centuries of cultural and linguistic evolution rooted in its own soil.
2.2 Sufi Literature and Poetry
Seraiki has long served as a vessel for spiritual and cultural expression, most notably through its Sufi heritage. Saints such as Baba Farid, Hazrat Khawaja Ghulam Farid, and Shah Shams Tabrez composed verses in Seraiki that continue to resonate across generations. Their kafis and poetry carried messages of devotion, love, justice, and resistance, weaving together ethical and spiritual themes with everyday life. These works not only enriched the region’s cultural landscape but also solidified Seraiki as a language of identity and belonging long before modern political movements emerged.
2.3 Gazetteer Evidence
Colonial records provide further evidence of Seraiki’s prominence. District gazetteers, including those of Multan (1884) and Dera Ghazi Khan (1892), repeatedly documented Seraiki as the dominant language in administration, education, and local literature. This historical recognition highlights the socio-political role of Seraiki within regional governance and cultural production, affirming its established presence in both formal and communal life.
Key Takeaway
Seraiki is not simply a derivative of Punjabi. It is a distinct linguistic and cultural identity, validated by its unique structure, its rich literary and spiritual traditions, and its documented role in history. The ongoing erasure of Seraiki thus represents more than linguistic marginalization—it reflects a broader pattern of cultural and political suppression.
3: Political Marginalization and Cultural Suppression
3.1 Demographics and Parliamentary Control
Punjab’s demographic weight has been translated into overwhelming political dominance. With 53% of Pakistan’s total population, Punjab holds 173 out of 336 seats in the National Assembly. This disproportionate representation grants the province significant control over policymaking, budget distribution, and the framing of national narratives. The result is a systemic sidelining of Seraiki-speaking regions, where governance, development, and representation remain perpetually overshadowed by the priorities of central Punjab.
3.2 Mechanisms of Marginalization
The marginalization of the Seraiki belt is neither incidental nor isolated; it is reproduced through multiple mechanisms.
- Language Suppression: Seraiki is absent from mainstream schooling and curricula, limiting intergenerational transmission and weakening its status as a formal medium of knowledge.
- Administrative Neglect: Investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare is concentrated in central Punjab, leaving southern Punjab underdeveloped despite its contribution to agriculture and natural resources.
- Cultural Invisibility: Media and educational textbooks overwhelmingly project Punjabi and Urdu, while Seraiki heritage, literature, and contributions remain minimized or ignored.
3.3 Political Narratives and Identity Denial
Political elites often frame Seraiki identity as either a feudal construct or an artificial creation of local elites seeking power. Such narratives deny the region’s rich literary traditions and historical states, effectively undermining its legitimacy as a distinct national-cultural identity. This dismissal perpetuates the idea of Punjabi cultural superiority while erasing the historical continuity of the Seraiki people.
Key Takeaway
The marginalization of Seraiki identity is not accidental but systemic. It combines demographic dominance, administrative neglect, linguistic erasure, and narrative manipulation to consolidate Punjab’s hegemony. By weakening recognition of Seraiki history, culture, and political rights, this system entrenches inequality and suppresses the possibility of meaningful inclusion.
4: The Seraiki Struggle for Recognition
4.1 Political and Cultural Movements
The Seraiki quest for recognition has been articulated through both political mobilization and cultural revival. The Seraiki Qaumi Movement (SQM) has long demanded provincial recognition, linguistic rights, and administrative autonomy, framing these as essential steps toward justice and equality. Alongside political activism, cultural organizations have worked to preserve and promote Seraiki heritage. Through festivals, literary conferences, and research initiatives, they underscore the region’s historical continuity and reinforce a collective identity that resists assimilation into dominant narratives.
4.2 Socio-Economic Grievances
Economic inequality compounds political exclusion in the Seraiki belt. Land reforms have remained largely symbolic, with absentee landlords maintaining patterns of dependence and inequality. Development deficits are glaring: investment in education, healthcare, and infrastructure lags far behind that of central Punjab, despite the region’s significant agricultural contributions. Political marginalization exacerbates these conditions, as the overrepresentation of central Punjab in parliament restricts the emergence of strong local leadership capable of addressing Seraiki grievances.
4.3 Resistance Against Erasure
Despite systemic obstacles, resistance endures in diverse forms. Grassroots activism sustains local campaigns for linguistic recognition and equitable development. Academic scholarship continues to document Seraiki history and identity, challenging narratives of denial. Cultural revival through poetry, music, and festivals ensures that traditions remain alive in public memory, offering a symbolic counterweight to institutional erasure. Together, these strands of resistance affirm that Seraiki identity cannot be erased but continues to adapt, resist, and reassert itself.
Key Takeaway
The Seraiki struggle is multi-dimensional. Political mobilization, cultural preservation, and socio-economic justice remain inseparable from the broader resistance to erasure. By combining activism, scholarship, and cultural revival, the Seraiki people continue to affirm their place in Pakistan’s national fabric, demanding recognition not as a fragment of Punjab but as a distinct and enduring identity.
5: Mapping Seraikistan
5.1 Historical Cartography
The historical Seraiki-speaking states—Multan, Bahawalpur, Khairpur, Mankera, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Dera Ismail Khan, and Tank—demonstrate long-standing linguistic and administrative cohesion. These states, spread across present-day Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attest to a regional identity that predates modern nation-state boundaries.
5.2 Modern Linguistic Spread
Today, Seraiki remains dominant in southern Punjab and central western Punjab, while northern Sindh and western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also preserve strong linguistic and cultural communities. This geographic continuity highlights the persistence of Seraiki identity across provincial borders, resisting both political erasure and administrative fragmentation.
5.3 Comparative Analysis
Modern cartographic studies reveal Punjab’s overrepresentation in governance and the persistent underfunding of Seraiki regions. These maps expose the structural imbalance in development and resource allocation, making visible the disparities that written policy often obscures.
Key Takeaway
Seraikistan’s territorial and cultural continuity is evident both historically and linguistically. Yet, despite its cohesive identity, the region continues to face systemic political and economic neglect.
6: Case Studies from History and Literature
- Bahawalpur State: Royal patronage of literature and recognition of Seraiki in administration enriched cultural production and affirmed linguistic identity.
- Khairpur State: Administrative bilingualism preserved Seraiki alongside Sindhi, reflecting linguistic pluralism within governance.
- Ghaznavid and Mughal Periods: Seraiki elites held positions in administration and the military, embedding regional identity in imperial structures.
- Sufi Poetry: Spiritual and literary traditions sustained cultural continuity, ensuring Seraiki identity endured beyond political upheavals.
Key Takeaway
Historical evidence underscores the autonomy, cultural richness, and administrative significance of Seraiki identity, demonstrating that it is neither a recent invention nor a subordinate offshoot of Punjabi.
7: Modern Marginalization and Political Manipulation
7.1 Media and Education
School curricula and mass media systematically minimize Seraiki history and heritage. Generations of young Seraikis grow up unaware of their own cultural legacy, internalizing narratives that prioritize Punjabi and Urdu.
7.2 Political and Economic Manipulation
Punjab’s dominance in parliament, coupled with the co-optation of local elites, ensures continued political marginalization. Development funding is disproportionately channeled toward central Punjab, perpetuating the economic dependency of Seraiki-speaking regions despite their substantial agricultural output.
Key Takeaway
Structural inequalities are sustained through deliberate manipulation of education, media, politics, and development policy. The invisibilization of Seraiki heritage is part of a larger system of control.
8: Pathways to Recognition and Empowerment
8.1 Policy Recommendations
- Grant official status to Seraiki in administration and governance.
- Integrate Seraiki history and literature into school curricula.
- Ensure proportional representation for Seraiki-speaking districts.
- Expand media platforms to highlight Seraiki contributions.
8.2 Cultural Revival
- Fund literary projects, cultural festivals, and academic research centers.
- Preserve Sufi poetry, folk music, and oral traditions as national treasures.
- Encourage community engagement through storytelling, crafts, and music.
Key Takeaway
Empowerment requires a multifaceted strategy that integrates policy reform, educational inclusion, media visibility, and cultural revitalization.
9. Resisting Erasure
Seraiki identity is ancient, resilient, and undeniable. From Multan and Bahawalpur to Dera Ismail Khan and Tank, Seraiki-speaking communities have maintained a continuous cultural and linguistic presence for millennia. Yet, Punjabi-dominated governance has systematically marginalized this identity through parliamentary dominance, centralized development, and cultural suppression.
The struggle for recognition is, therefore, not only about cultural pride but about democracy, equity, and justice. Reviving Seraiki language and literature, demanding fair political representation, and securing socio-economic rights are all forms of resistance.
With historical awareness, grassroots mobilization, and policy reform, Seraikistan can reclaim its rightful place in Pakistan’s pluralistic identity. Seraiki heritage must not only survive but flourish as part of the nation’s democratic fabric.
Key Takeaways:
- Seraiki identity has deep historical, cultural, and administrative roots.
- Marginalization is systemic, driven largely by Punjab’s dominance.
- Resistance thrives through literature, activism, and advocacy.
- Recognition of Seraiki culture and governance is both a democratic necessity and a historical imperative.
10. Erasing Saraiki: Punjab’s Monopoly Tactic
Punjab’s erasure of Saraiki is not a cultural accident but a political strategy. With over 127 million people — 53% of Pakistan’s total population (PBS, 2023) — Punjab dominates the federation by controlling 173 National Assembly seats. This demographic and parliamentary monopoly incentivises Lahore’s elite to suppress distinct identities within Punjab, especially the Saraiki belt, because recognition of a separate Saraiki province would dilute Punjab’s grip over federal policymaking, budgets, and bureaucracy. By sidelining Saraiki language in schools, marginalising Saraiksitan in development allocations, and framing Saraiki identity as an artificial construct, Punjab ensures that its internal peripheries remain politically invisible. Erasure, then, is not simply about culture; it is a tool of control, sustaining Punjab’s supremacy over other federating units while denying 28–29 million Saraiki speakers their constitutional dignity.
Saraikistan for Pakistan!
