My response was just to counter the argument Punjabis are the least racist (I am a Punjabi) i didn't started this debate i was just giving a response. I shared what i experienced South and North are always ignored by Punjab govt and even central Punjabis see us as aliens and don't include usb Potoharis and Seraikis in their group of pure Punjabis
Ok I see the post you were responding to. And the sentiment expressed in it is equally wrong.
To me in the context of Pakistani nation saying "Punjabis are the least [insert a negative trait]" and feeling good about is like a bunch of fools getting together and arguing about who is the least foolish amongst them. Alright congratulations, we Punjabis get the trophy for being the least ret*rded amongst the ret*rds. What does that accomplish? The country is still going down the gutters. Except for a short term ego boost nothing is achieved.
One reason why your response sticked out to me the most was because you are a PTI supporter and I see you as someone representing the struggle for a change for the better. I don't follow social media at all and have no clue who is up to what but here on PP sometimes I do get to read what people are talking about.
I too support change. For me the most important change is a change of attitude and way of thinking. We need to expose people's old way of closed minded thinking and replace it with a new one. I believe one important aspect of it is that we are accurate in our critic and not just say things haphazardly or jump on the bandwagon to suit a narrative. Otherwise it will just become a ego fighting contest where everyone just picks and chooses stuff to push their egos.
People outside Punjab equate Lahore to be the whole of Punjab while you are equating Lahore as a representative of central Punjab. That's what is bothering me. I am seeing amateur videos on YouTube where people are being interviewed regarding their current political stances and almost all the videos regarding Punjab are from Lahore. Showing a one-sided view and taking away the spotlight from the rest of Punjab. Ok Lahore got metro what did other close-by regions got?
The ignorant Lahori PMLN supporters themselves can't think outside of their city and when you guys then put the whole central Punjab region in the same basket as Lahore then it becomes double the pain since as if development projects in Lahore directly benefits the whole population of the province. I was recently in Pakistan and the situation of my area is worse than 10 years ago.
The premise of your critic on central Punjabis isnt correct in my books. Beginning from the fact that on ground level Punjabis don't identify themselves as "north Punjabis", "central Punjabis" or "southern Punjabis". In politics perhaps but not in as an identity of kinship.
What Punjabis identify with is bradari. And a certain bradari isn't limited to North, central or Southern Punjab. Especially not the big ones which are spread even outside Punjab. So the close minded Punjabis think from the baradrai point of view and don't really care about whether someone is from North, South or Central. Hence why your claim that central Punjabis regard Northern and Southern one as aliens is something I find completely wrong.
There is no united identity of being a "central Punjabi". All there is your bradari no matter where you are from. So a close minded individual from central Punjab would have resentments for his fellow neighbor if they are from opposing Bradaris.
Growing up in a city of Central Punjab, which doesn't even happen to be amongst the top 10 biggest city of Punjab, I saw quite a few Pathans living there and would interact with them from time to time. Now when I went back recently I saw their number has vastly increased. Some are famous for their naans while most have small temporary shops across the streets. Or young Pathan kids selling "garam moong phalis". Most of them were from areas like Madan and Bannu. Now I didnt have the chance to do a survey and ask them how they are being treated but the general impression I got was that they were well assimilated into daily life of the locals.
So from my experience when the people I grew around with are not all too much bothered by the presence of Pathans why would they regards northern and southern Punjabis to be aliens who are more closer to us than the Pathans.
Now growing up I did hear a few Pathan jokes but that's part of the local nature since we even made stereotypical jokes about other Punjabi bradaris.
The real culprit is not "Central Punjabis" and their supposed racism but the limited thinking of those close minded Punjabis who can't think independently of their bradari.
From where I am from Baradri might not play as much a role in daily life as it might used to back in the day. But it still creeps up in matters of politics and most definitely in marriage.
If you want to highlight the faults then expose the Bradari system. However when you make it into North vs central vs South Punjab thing I don't feel convinced. I mean if your are just going by who is getting ignored by Punjab government you don't even have to look far outside Lahore city. Punjab govt doesn't represent the mindset of your average person from central Punjab. Some Punjabis can't act without the input of their Bradari elders and following it blindly and that's the real issue.
