Multan Protesters Demand Immediate Launch of Saraiki Culture Department at Bahauddin Zakariya University. Our Culture, Our Right: Saraiki Studies Now was slogan
MULTAN : Tensions are rising at Bahauddin Zakariya University (BZU) as local students and activists launched a spirited protest, demanding the immediate commencement of admissions for the long-delayed Saraiki Studies department.
While the university recently observed “Saraiki Culture Day” with traditional festivities, the celebratory mood was overshadowed by protesters who accused the administration of “cultural hypocrisy.” Demonstrators gathered with banners and placards, highlighting the contradiction between celebrating the culture and refusing to teach it academically.
Multan Students Call Out BZU for “Cultural Hypocrisy” During Saraiki Culture Day
The protest centered on the fact that while Saraiki Culture is an officially approved subject within the university’s curriculum framework, the administration has reportedly refused to open the enrollment process.
Key slogans from the protest included:
- “Our Culture, Our Right: Saraiki Studies Now!”
- “Give us the right to study Saraiki Culture!”
- “BZU Administration: Wake up to our demands!”
Cultural Heritage and Education Clash as BZU Students Protest for Saraiki Language Rights
The visual backdrop of the protest was deeply symbolic, featuring the university’s logo alongside the iconic shrine of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, a landmark representing Multan’s rich spiritual and linguistic heritage.
“It is an insult to our heritage that we can dance to our songs on campus, but we aren’t allowed to study our history and language in the classrooms,” said one student activist. “Celebrating a ‘Culture Day’ is meaningless if the university remains an obstacle to our academic representation.”
BZU Faces Student Backlash Over Delay in Launching Saraiki Studies Program
The protesters have made it clear that they will not settle for symbolic gestures. They are calling for:
- Immediate Admission Notifications for the Saraiki Studies department.
- Allocation of Resources and faculty specifically for the preservation of the Saraiki language.
- Accountability from university officials regarding the delay in implementing an already approved department.
As of now, the BZU administration has not issued an official response to the demands. The protesters have vowed to continue their sit-in until a concrete timeline for admissions is provided.
By Irfan Hashmi I May 9,2026
