Leaders and representatives of the Hazara Province Movement have renewed their call for the immediate creation of a Hazara province, emphasizing that all necessary requirements have already been met. The movement’s chairman, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, spoke at a press conference in Islamabad following a meeting of the movement’s Supreme Council, where a new national committee was announced to build consensus and press for the cause at the federal level.
The press conference brought together representatives from across the Hazara region, including senators, national and provincial assembly members, and leaders from multiple political parties. Sardar Muhammad Yousaf, who also serves as the Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, said the movement will engage with leaders from all major parties and seek support from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Chairman Senate, and the Prime Minister. He underlined that resolutions for the creation of a Hazara province have already been passed twice in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and bills have been presented in both houses of parliament, which can be reintroduced if necessary.
Sardar Muhammad Yousaf highlighted Hazara’s contributions and sacrifices for Pakistan, noting that the country’s population has grown significantly since independence but the number of provinces remains the same. He called for an immediate commission to pursue the process of creating new provinces, insisting that Hazara should be at the top of the list. He dismissed recent theories circulating in the media suggesting the creation of 12 new provinces without Hazara, stressing that any move to create new provinces must prioritize Hazara.
Senator Talha Mahmood echoed these demands, stating that the call for a Hazara province is a unified and consensual demand from all communities and parties in the region. He argued that Hazara meets all criteria for provincial status and urged prompt action. Retired Captain Muhammad Safdar described the region as fertile and rich in natural resources, asserting that Hazara could independently manage its own finances. He also reaffirmed Hazara’s political loyalty and awareness.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi highlighted recent advancements like the establishment of the Hazara Electric Company and expressed confidence that Hazara province would soon be a reality. He described the movement as an authentic public demand, not dictated by any external actors, and committed to engaging with the current coalition government to negotiate the cause.
Central Coordinator Professor Sajjad Qamar announced that the committee—led by Sardar Muhammad Yousaf and including representatives from all major political parties in Hazara—will meet with national leaders to create consensus before resubmitting the Hazara province bill to parliament. The movement also plans to hold all-party conferences across Hazara’s districts to involve representatives from every walk of life and intensify public support.
Other leaders and assembly members reiterated that they have already sacrificed lives for the movement, making clear they would not accept any plan that ignores Hazara’s demand. They insisted the need for new provinces is urgent, but Hazara must be established first. If necessary, they pledged to relaunch a mass public movement to continue their struggle for provincial status.
