Never forget: Parties express renewed resolve to create Hazara province
Events organised to mark fifth anniversary of April 12, 2010 riots
PHOTO: ONLINE
ABBOTABAD:
Political parties observed Youm-e-Shuhada or the day of the martyrs on Sunday to commemorate the sacrifices of those who died in the April 12, 2010 stand-down and demanded the creation of a Hazara province.
Separate events were organised by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Suba Hazara Tehrik and Tehreek Suba Hazara (TSH).
PML-N Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, who also heads Suba Hazara Tehrik, arranged an event in Abbottabad to commemorate the day. PML-N MPAs Sardar Zahoor, Saleh Muhammad Khan and Mian Ziaur Rehman attended the programme along with other party activists.
Yousuf said efforts were being made to table a resolution in the National Assembly for the creation of a Hazara province.
“A national conference will be held in Islamabad to gain support from all major political parties in this regard,” he added. According to Yousuf, heads of all regional movements and parties who have thrown their weight behind the creation of a new Hazara province would participate in the meeting.
“The people of Hazara have made sacrifices to make their demands heard,” he said.
During the meeting, Yousuf paid tribute to those who lost their lives on April 12, 2010 and vowed their sacrifices would not be in vain.
Blame game
Baba Haider Zaman, leader of TSH, addressed a public gathering on Jinnah Road, where he criticised PML-N and PTI. Zaman said they had failed to give priority to their demand for a separate Hazara province.
“Both parties had gained votes by promising to create a separate province for us,” he said. “However, they have not remained sincere to the cause.”
According to Zaman, “The people of Hazara had been struggling for liberation from those who had exposed them to discrimination since 1947.” He criticised PTI parliamentarians for going back on their promises to create a Hazara province.
“The party has used the cause for political point-scoring,” he said.
On April 12, 2010, scores of Hazaras were killed by riot police during a procession in Abbottabad. What had initially started off as rallies in support of a separate province took an ugly turn when hundreds of activists took to the streets against the renaming of the then NWFP.
The protest turned violent when the police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling. They opened fire at the protesters, killing seven of them on the spot. Over 120 people were injured.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2015.
Political parties observed Youm-e-Shuhada or the day of the martyrs on Sunday to commemorate the sacrifices of those who died in the April 12, 2010 stand-down and demanded the creation of a Hazara province.
Separate events were organised by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Suba Hazara Tehrik and Tehreek Suba Hazara (TSH).
PML-N Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Sardar Muhammad Yousuf, who also heads Suba Hazara Tehrik, arranged an event in Abbottabad to commemorate the day. PML-N MPAs Sardar Zahoor, Saleh Muhammad Khan and Mian Ziaur Rehman attended the programme along with other party activists.
Yousuf said efforts were being made to table a resolution in the National Assembly for the creation of a Hazara province.
“A national conference will be held in Islamabad to gain support from all major political parties in this regard,” he added. According to Yousuf, heads of all regional movements and parties who have thrown their weight behind the creation of a new Hazara province would participate in the meeting.
“The people of Hazara have made sacrifices to make their demands heard,” he said.
During the meeting, Yousuf paid tribute to those who lost their lives on April 12, 2010 and vowed their sacrifices would not be in vain.
Blame game
Baba Haider Zaman, leader of TSH, addressed a public gathering on Jinnah Road, where he criticised PML-N and PTI. Zaman said they had failed to give priority to their demand for a separate Hazara province.
“Both parties had gained votes by promising to create a separate province for us,” he said. “However, they have not remained sincere to the cause.”
According to Zaman, “The people of Hazara had been struggling for liberation from those who had exposed them to discrimination since 1947.” He criticised PTI parliamentarians for going back on their promises to create a Hazara province.
“The party has used the cause for political point-scoring,” he said.
On April 12, 2010, scores of Hazaras were killed by riot police during a procession in Abbottabad. What had initially started off as rallies in support of a separate province took an ugly turn when hundreds of activists took to the streets against the renaming of the then NWFP.
The protest turned violent when the police resorted to baton charge and tear gas shelling. They opened fire at the protesters, killing seven of them on the spot. Over 120 people were injured.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 13th, 2015.