KARACHI: Politicians and lawmakers have said a separate Seraiki province should be created on the basis of language, culture, civilisation and identity to make Pakistan a strong and balanced federation.

`The burning issue of Kalabagh dam, which has not materialised due to trust deficit between Punjab and the other three provinces, can also be easily resolved if Mianwali district is included in the new Seraiki province,` said Afzal Khan Dhandla, a member of the National Assembly from Bhakkar district, at a seminar on the creation of `Seraiki province` at a hotel on Saturday.

A number of senators and MNAs spoke at the seminar organised by the Servants of SeraikiSociety and Seraiki Awami Sangat Pakistan.

Mr Dhandla, belonging to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, said Bhakkar District had not been included in the proposed South Punjab or Seraiki province despite the f act that it was a district with a majority of Seraiki speakers.He said Bhakkar district was a most neglected region in Punjab after Rajanpur; recommending that Bhakkar and Mianwali districts be included in the new province.

He said the Seraiki region had badly been neglected in the past and it was high time to end the sense of deprivation in its people by creating a separate province.

Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) said there was no harm in creating new provinces on administrative and identity grounds in Pakistan. He said the issue of Seraiki province was pertinent and a new province should be created to provide relief to its people.

`My party will support Seraiki province in the senate and the National Assembly,` he said, adding that the creation of a new province would strengthen the federation of Pakistan.

MNA Agha Rafiullah of Pakistan People Party said a Seraiki province was mandatory for a strong and balanced federation. He said the PPP supported the Seraiki province in the past and continued to do so in the future at every forum.

He said the demand for the creation of a Seraiki province was made through a peaceful movement and unnecessary hindrances in its creation were unjustified.

PPP MNA Dr Shahida Rehmani said the Seraiki region had been neglectedbadly for decades and its people experienced an increased sense of deprivation.

She said the PTI leadership was not sincere in resolving that issue, yet the PPP would continue to support it in parliament.

PPP leader Taj Haider said the struggle for a new province seemed becoming reality now as all political parties were ready to create a separate province for the Seraiki people.

He said recommendations of the parliamentary commission constituted by PakistanPeople Partyin 2012couldfurther be improved as districts with a majority of Seraiki people that had not been included by the commission in the past could be added now.

He said there was no harm in naming the new province as Seraikistan or Seraiki province as `it will not affect Pakistan` in any way. He said rather the federation would be further strengthened with the creation of that federating unit.

President of the Sareiki Awami Sangat Pakistan Mushtaq Faridi said a new province should be created with the name of Seraiki province and should not be called South Punjab.

Journalist Shahid Jatoi said the new province should contain 21 districts of Punjab and two of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa else the issue would remain unresolved.

Rana Mehboob Akhtar and Nazeer Leghari also spoke.