ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Religious Affairs and Chairman of the Hazara Province Movement Sardar Muhammad Yousuf has said that the renewed debate on the creation of new provinces is fully supported by his movement, but Hazara should be granted provincial status first.
He expressed these views while addressing a press conference at the Islamabad Press Club along with Senator Talha Mahmood, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Babar Nawaz, Professor Sajjad Qamar, and assembly members Syeda Sonia Shah and Shazia Jadoon. Prince Fazal Haq, Qari Mehboobur Rehman, Sardar Syed Ghulam, Malik Sajjad Awan and Sardar Zahid Mannan from Kohistan were also present on the occasion.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the issue being discussed today had been pursued by the people of Hazara for the last 16 years. He said seven sons of Hazara laid down their lives in April 2010 and founded the movement for a separate Hazara province through their sacrifice.
He said Sardar Shah Jahan Yousuf had moved an amendment in the National Assembly at that time. He added that Hazara was the only region whose provincial assembly had passed a resolution in favour of Hazara province three times.
The minister said a bill for Hazara province had been presented in the National Assembly by Murtaza Javed Abbasi and Dr Sajjad Awan, and it was signed by members of the Muslim League. Similarly, Senator Talha Mahmood had presented the Hazara province bill in the Senate.
Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said the demand for Hazara province was based on administrative grounds. He said 17 tribes lived in Hazara and different languages were spoken in the region.
He said leaders of all major national political parties had visited Hazara and supported the demand for a Hazara province, including the PML-N, PPP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, PML-Q and other parties.
He said it was now necessary to pay attention to the public demand and move the matter forward without delay.
Speaking on the occasion, Senator Talha Mahmood said he fully supported the position of Mohsin Naqvi. He said if the country was to be given development and stability, Hazara province and new provinces wherever required should be created immediately. “We support every point made by Mohsin Naqvi,” he said.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi said Hazara Division should be made a separate province. He said the struggle had been continuing for 16 years and, now that the issue had come under discussion, they supported it.
He said the people of Hazara had rendered sacrifices, adding that the debate on provinces had started from Hazara. He said they believed in democracy, as the Pakistan founded by Quaid-e-Azam was a democratic Pakistan and no other system could work.
He said the Hazara province bill was presented in the National Assembly in 2021, and it was supported at the time by then opposition leader Mian Shehbaz Sharif, the PML-N, PPP, JUI and the independent group.
Member National Assembly Babar Nawaz said the proposed province would be self-reliant. He said Hazara had immense resources, which would not only help the region develop but also strengthen the federation.
Syeda Sonia Shah said women were at the forefront of the movement.
Central Coordinator Professor Sajjad Qamar said the movement fully supported Mohsin Naqvi’s stance, adding that he had taken forward the position of the Hazara Province Movement.
It was announced that a meeting of the senior leadership of the Hazara Province Movement would be held tomorrow to decide the next line of action. The movement, the leaders said, would continue without interruption.
