ABSTRACT
Khwaja Ghulam Farid, 19th century mystic and multilingual poet, one of the last Sufi poets belonging to the Chishtiya order, became a source of inspiration for both Siraiki poets and political activists. Farid’s kafi poetry written particularly in his native language became a role model for Siraiki folk tradition more intensely after the birth of the modern nation of Pakistan. The territorial boundaries of Siraikistan are sketched through the map proposed by the Siraiki movement. The creation of ‘Siraikistan’ represents not only a linguistic demand but also a struggle against the state’s rejection of the political rights, cultural history and indigenous identity of an area with central geopolitical and economic significance within Pakistan. The recent addition of the 18th Amendment in Pakistan’s constitution has complicated the call for Siraiki province and the Pakistani federation. The Siraiki populace and nationalists continue to feel divided between commending and critiquing this amendment.
