LAHORE, March 6: As the prime minister leaves it to the public, his party remains undecided about people's ever-growing demand for a Seraiki province in south Punjab. “No one can stop the creation of a Seraiki suba, if the demand is backed by the people,” said Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in Bahawalpur on Feb 21. This was the first time that Gilani had spoken in favour of the demand. Earlier, he would always say that the country's situation did not allow such an exercise.

“The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will follow the Constitution when it comes to the issue of new provinces,” said PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira.

When his attention was drawn to the prime minister's statement, he said the PPP held public's demands in high esteem but “those who want new provinces should follow the constitutional procedures.”

Two years ago, when a PPP member of the National Assembly (MNA) Qayyum Jatoi raised his voice for a Seraiki province, he was soon joined and backed by his colleagues from the PPP and rival Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N). He was, however, soon given a shut-up call by his top leadership as according to the PPP policy statement, “the circumstances do not allow new provinces.”

“If any PPP legislator demands the Seraiki province, it will be his or her personal views, not the party policy,” said Mr Kaira.

The southern parts of Pakistan's largest province of Punjab are regarded less developed than those of central and upper Punjab. Many people believe that the new south Punjab province would bring about a positive change in the area.

The PML-N is ready to debate the issue if the PPP brings it to parliament.

“Our party does not oppose new provinces but first of all we should frame some principles for it,” said PML-N spokesperson Senator Pervez Rasheed. He said his party believed the provinces should be created to cater to administrative issues and not to serve linguistic or ethnic purposes. He said his party would decide to incorporate the issue of the Seraiki province in its manifesto when new elections were announced. Mr Kaira also said that his party would decide about going for the province in its manifesto when the elections would be round the corner.

While the two mainstream parties have yet to draw their lines, the PML-Q has openly supported the Seraiki province. The Leghari brothers, of Dera Ghazi Khan, have gone into electioneering for NA-172 by-poll raising demand for the province. The election has been scheduled for March 24.

“I will launch a movement for the Seraiki province after winning the elections,” says Senator Jamal Leghari, who is campaigning for his brother Awais Leghari, a PML-Q candidate for the seat.

Mushtaq Gaadi, a Seraiki intellectual and university professor, however, sees many things behind the prime minister's statement about the Seraiki province.

“It can be a clue to midterm polls and such a statement from the prime minister can woo voters from the southern belt,” said Mr Gaadi.

He said the escalating political temperature in south Punjab may put the two mainstream parties in a race to favour the demand and fetch maximum votes from the underdeveloped belt. He said in electoral politics, rivals tried to beat each other on popular issues and hopefully in the coming days, both parties would own the issue.