All in for creation of Hazara province

Civil society, journalists, political leadership warn of civil disobedience movement.

ABBOTABAD: Hazara-based civil society members, journalists and political leadership on Sunday expressed their resolve to struggle for the creation of a separate province. They warned of a series of protests and a civil disobedience movement in Hazara if their demand is not met.

This was decided at a grand jirga (meeting) held at the house of Hazara Newspapers Society’s chief Pir Alamzeb Shah.

The leaders agreed on a single-point agenda for gearing-up the campaign for Hazara province both outside and inside the parliament by utilising every available option.

They said that since the demand for Hazara province is genuine and based on the aspirations of the people of Hazara — who have been suffering discrimination for the last 65 years — they would continue to pursue their goal and mobilise the political leadership across the country.

They said that the people of Hazara have “sacrificed their seven lives for the cause of Hazara province” and would not backtrack from the demand.

The jirga was attended by Adviser to the PM Syed Qasim Shah, Health Minister Sardar Shah Jehan, former federal minister Gohar Ayub Khan, former NA deputy speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqub, Hazara Suba Tehreek’s head Sardar Muhammad Yusuf and chairman Baba Haider Zaman, head of Tehrik Hukook Hazara Ali Asghar Khan, leaders of Hazara Qaumi Mahaz, Muttahida Quami Movement, Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazlur Rehman and Jamaat-e-Islami.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2012.