Academic Programs

The establishment of Saraiki Area Study Centre (SASC) in Bahauddin Zakariya University was the outcome of the new perspectives on the Southern Punjab/ Saraiki Region with Multan as its political, intellectual and cultural nucleus. The Saraiki Research Centre (SRC) was established in 2001. A few important research projects were completed and a number of books were published under its umbrella.

Soon it was converted into the Department of Saraiki in May 2006, and the regular classes of M.A. Saraiki were started accordingly. The Saraiki Region, being a part of the vast area of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, owns rich traditions of language, literature, culture, history and archaeology etc. Saraiki is the ancient native language of the Southern Punjab and several districts of Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with centuries old shared traditions of literature and cultural activities.

The ex-Prime-Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani inaugurated the Saraiki Area Study Centre on 23rd January 2010. Earlier, the honorable Prime Minister had announced the grant of 30 million rupees for the strengthening and the development of the SASC. A commemorative book “Saraiki Wasaib” was also published on this occasion.

It is worth mentioning that following four new academic departments have been also approved in the scheme of SASC:

1. Department of Archaeology
2. Department of Cultural Studies
3. Department of Linguistic Communication
4. Department of Post-Colonial Studies.

Department of Saraiki

The Department of Saraiki (established in 2006) is already functioning with its regular classes as the premier department of the SASC in its elegant new building. The syllabus of M.A. Saraiki is designed with inter-disciplinary approach so that its graduates may get jobs in media, education and other GOs & NGOs. There is a very rich library of rare books, research journals, literary magazines and manuscripts with more than seventeen thousand books to its shelves. A large number of books in the library include the valuable donations from Allama Atique Fikri, Dr. Mehar Abdul Haq, Mian Mumtaz Somroo, Wali Muhammad Wajid, Qudratullh Shahab, Dr. Mohammad Amin, Farid Pirzada, Dr. Hanif Chuadary, Muhammad Shafiq ur Rehman and Ustad Fida Hussain Gadi. There is also a newly established cultural museum/Archive ‘Mirza Ibne- Hanif’ and a modern computer lab to assist the researchers and the students for their studies and research. An audio/ video recording studio and a conservation lab for museum are also being established. In near future, SASC intends to start diploma /certificate/degree programs in the above mentioned disciplines. Some posts of Lecturers in Departments of Archaeology, Cultural Studies and Post-Colonial Studies will be planned to fill in the coming years. Some research projects about the history, archaeology, culture, language and literature of the Saraiki region have been planned and completed in previous years. Publication of research projects and literary works are the permanent feature of Saraiki Area Study Centre. The first research journal of SASC has been onlined and is about to publish.SASC has also started and given a Saraiki Lliterary Award on annual basis. The SASC arranges seminars, workshops, conferences, Mushairas and other literary and cultural activities regularly. Department of Saraiki has achieved another landmark of starting its M.Phil program in the previous academic session with the unforgetable efforts of its present Director Dr. Mumtaz Khan and with the special interest of the worthy Vice chancellor Professor Mansoor Akbar Kundi.