Water Sector Development and Narrative of Siraiki Ethnonationalism in South Western Punjab: A Case of Thal Development Authority (TDA) Canal in District Layyah

Abstract

This study explores the correlation between the canal colonization and Siraiki ethno-linguistic identity in South Western Punjab, particularly with reference to Thal Canal in district Layyah. Research methods such as semi-structured interviews, key-informants’ interviews intrviews, focused group discussions (FGDs), case studies and participant observation have been used in this study to collect information/data from a sample of 40, which was selected through purposive sampling method. Locale of the study is two villages—one in the command area of Thal Canal The present study has been carried out in the instrumentalist perspective of ethnicity. It sees ethnicity more in ‘processual’ terms than as an ascribed category. It looks into the social and economic changes that took place in wake of Thal Canal. The impacts of these changes, particularly influx of settlers, competition over land and other economic resources between the indigenous people of Thal and settlers and perceived sense of deprivation among the indigenous people of Thal community, have been seen as a context for politics of ethnic identity and catalyzing the formation of Siraiki identity in district Layyah. Besides it explores how the ethnic classification is maintained through communicating cultural difference in everyday interethnic relations between the Siraiki-speaking indigenous people of Thal and Punjabi-speaking settlers. The study explores the ethnic narrative of Siraiki victimhood which has been created in Siraiki poetry and analyzes how the indigenous people of Thal have been employing different symbols of Siraiki ethnic narrative used in the poetry in asserting their ethno linguistic identity. Focused group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews of Punjabi-speaking settlers were quite instrumental to validate the data collected through key informants interviews and semi-structured interviews of the Siraiki-speaking indigenous people of Thal. However, the alleged exploitation of the Siraiki-speaking indigenous people of Thal in land acquisition process could not be validated because the Thal Development Authority (TDA), a statutory body established for land acquisition, resettlement of refuges and development of the command area of Thal Canal, has become defunct now