Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) provincial president Azam Khan Swati. PHOTO: PPI
Speaking at a news conference at the Mansehra Press Club on Wednesday, Swati said his party had fulfilled its promise to the Hazara people after the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly had passed the resolution for a separate Hazara province with a two-thirds majority.
The ball was now in the court of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leadership, he said, adding that the centre had to show that it was serious about delivering PML-N’s promise of a separate province during 2013’s general elections. Swati said the Hazara province resolution was constitutionally valid, having a majority with only four opposing votes and will be sent to the NA for further process.
“Those terming the resolution flawed are going against the wishes of the people of this area,” he said, brushing aside the question of whether Hazara was being carved out based on linguistic communities rather than administrative. He expressed his party’s support for the people of Hazara by announcing plans to observe the death anniversary of those killed over protests for the Hazara movement on April 12, 2010.
PTI will rally across the division and arrange a protest in Abbottabad to remember those who sacrificed their lives for the cause of a separate Hazara province, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 27th, 2014.
COMMENTS (4)
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Mr. Mirza, It is not about the name rather it is about convenience of the people. Most Hazarawal could go to Rawalpindi and Islamabad much faster and easier than going to Peshawar.
More smaller administrative units (Provinces) will encourage more welfare work at people door steps and will reduce corruption. Yes you are right Punjab needs to be divided into 4-8 administrative units, as this will enhance harmony among provinces, and a CM will not act as deputy PM. Currently, when CMs meet, Punjab CM think (rightly) himself as deputy PM not because he is the brother of PM rather because he knew winning Punjab in election mean electing a PM.
With smaller provinces, it will provide services to people nearer to their households and it will reduce dominance of one province and give voice to other provinces.
We need to have smaller provinces and PTI being the only true democratic party see that and is making the change.
Takht-e-Lahore will never let Punjab be divided and Zaradari will never let Sindh be divided as that means they get a smaller cut for being in politics.
Mirza ji, We are not happy with our cities name not only i want to chnage it but the whole region too and if u remember in 90s there was a plan to change the names but never happend due to political jockeys playing footbal in NA ... and biggest problem is jobs which are occupies by pushto lang speakers of mardan, kohat, peshawer, char seda, swabi and we want our share in it..
These people do not see any problem in the country except dividing the smaller provinces and further name changes. That is the real progress beside rehabilitating TTP and legitimizing it. Hazar residents are happy with Christian, Hindu and Sikh names (rightfully so) but they cannot tolerate Khyber or Pakhtoon. They live happily forever with Haripur, Mansehra and Abbottabad to name a few but cannot live with KPK. Why are we after the division of already small provinces and not the largest province with old demand in S. Punjab for separate province?