Hazara cause: Ulema, politicians vow to wage unified struggle
Promise to make the movement effective by mobilising it from Jhari Kass to Bhasha Dam.
HARIPUR:
Religious scholars and the political leadership have pledged to unite on a single platform for the joint cause of the creation of Hazara Province at the ulema convention held here on Sunday.
Addressing the convention, participants said the exploitation of the people of Hazara by the ruling class in the provincial capital has forced them to wage a struggle against injustice and demand a separate province. They said that despite contributing billions to the provincial and national treasury in the form of taxes, Tarbela Dam’s income, minerals and industrial estates, the people of Hazara are deprived of their fundamental rights.
They participants said that Hazara is located at a strategic point on the Karakorum Highway leading to China and has facilitated trade tremendously.
However political elements seem to be opposed to any aspect of prosperity and are creating obstacles. They also accused the ruling PPP, PML-N and ANP of not adhering to the demand for a separate province.
They vowed to continue their struggle for upgrading Hazara’s status to a new province.
The speakers stressed that they would prepare the people for a struggle through religious leaders and said it would not be easily accepted by the ruling coalition. They promised to make the movement more effective by mobilising from Jhari Kass to Bhasha Dam.
Advisor to the Prime Minister Qasim Shah informed participants that his party, the PML-Q, had joined the ruling coalition on the condition of making Hazara a province, which would be met at every cost.
He said the prime minister and president both expressed their interest in changing Hazara’s status to an independent province at a recent meeting.
Former National Assembly deputy speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqub Khan, former provincial minister Ejaz Ali Durrani, Suba Hazara Tehrik Chairman Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and religious leaders participated in the convention.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2011.
Religious scholars and the political leadership have pledged to unite on a single platform for the joint cause of the creation of Hazara Province at the ulema convention held here on Sunday.
Addressing the convention, participants said the exploitation of the people of Hazara by the ruling class in the provincial capital has forced them to wage a struggle against injustice and demand a separate province. They said that despite contributing billions to the provincial and national treasury in the form of taxes, Tarbela Dam’s income, minerals and industrial estates, the people of Hazara are deprived of their fundamental rights.
They participants said that Hazara is located at a strategic point on the Karakorum Highway leading to China and has facilitated trade tremendously.
However political elements seem to be opposed to any aspect of prosperity and are creating obstacles. They also accused the ruling PPP, PML-N and ANP of not adhering to the demand for a separate province.
They vowed to continue their struggle for upgrading Hazara’s status to a new province.
The speakers stressed that they would prepare the people for a struggle through religious leaders and said it would not be easily accepted by the ruling coalition. They promised to make the movement more effective by mobilising from Jhari Kass to Bhasha Dam.
Advisor to the Prime Minister Qasim Shah informed participants that his party, the PML-Q, had joined the ruling coalition on the condition of making Hazara a province, which would be met at every cost.
He said the prime minister and president both expressed their interest in changing Hazara’s status to an independent province at a recent meeting.
Former National Assembly deputy speaker Sardar Muhammad Yaqub Khan, former provincial minister Ejaz Ali Durrani, Suba Hazara Tehrik Chairman Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and religious leaders participated in the convention.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2011.