ISLAMABAD:
Federal Minister for Religious Affair Sardar Muhammad Yousaf on Monday renewed the demand for the creation of Hazara province, describing it as the longstanding constitutional and democratic aspiration of the people of Hazara division of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P)
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, Yousaf, who is also chairman of the Hazara Province Movement, said the movement for Hazara province has continued for the past 16 years.
Senator Talha Mahmood, former MNA Murtaza Javed Abbasi, MNA Babar Nawaz Khan, Syeda Sonia Shah and other leaders were also present at the news conference.
“The people of Hazara have rendered sacrifices for the cause and now the time has come for the government to move forward with the parliamentary and constitutional process for the creation of a new province,” he said.
Yousaf said the K-P Assembly has passed resolutions in favour of Hazara province on three occasions, while bills seeking its creation have also been introduced in both the National Assembly and the Senate.
He maintained that the demand was not confined to any single political party but represented the collective voice of all districts of Hazara Division, political parties and the people of the region.
He said Pakistan’s growing population and administrative requirements have made the creation of new provinces inevitable. Smaller administrative units, he said, would lead to better governance, faster development, more efficient resource utilisation and improved public service delivery.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Mahmood said if Pakistan was to become stronger, more stable and prosperous, a national consensus on the creation of new provinces would have to be developed.
He said political parties generally supported the idea of new provinces while in opposition but ignored the issue after coming to power. “The Hazara province movement has become a symbol of public support and sacrifice and could no longer be ignored,” he added.
PML-N leader Murtaza Javed Abbasi said a bill seeking the establishment of Hazara province has already been introduced in the National Assembly but remains pending before a parliamentary committee. He urged the government to make immediate progress on the bill and take it to its logical conclusion.
MNA Babar Nawaz Khan said Hazara Division is among the country’s strongest regions in terms of natural resources, hydropower, minerals, industrial base and tax revenues. “Hazara province will be economically viable and emerge as a strong administrative unit if established,” he added.
Last week, Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi sparked a new debate by declaring that the existing governance system was collapsing and that there was a need to establish new provinces.
