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KP PA resolution calls for formation of Hazara province
APP
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly Friday passed two resolutions with simple majority demanding creation of a Hazara province and renaming of the province as Hazara Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The resolutions evoked heated debate in the house even dividing the treasury bench. The resolution regarding creation of Hazara province was tabled by PTI members belonging to Hazara division. While the other members of the treasury bench brought another resolution demanding renaming of the province name as Hazara Pakhtunkhwa. The resolution about creation of Haraza province was strongly rejected by MPAs belonging to Awami National Party (ANP), PPPP, Pakhtunkwa Qaumi Watan Party (PQWP) and PML(N).
The resolution read that provincial assembly should request federal government to pass a bill for national assembly for creation of new units including Hazara within the ambit of constitution with the objective of easing administrative affairs. The resolution was tabled by MPA Sardar Muhammad Idress and was signed by Senior Minister, Siraj-ul-Haq, Provincial Minister, Sheram Tarakai, Qalander Lodhi, Mustaq Ghani, Muzafar Said, Akbar Ayub Khan, Anisa Zeb Tahir Kheli, Maulana Asmatullah, Waji-uz-Zaman, Mufti Janan and Faisal Zaman Khan.
Opposition the resolution, MPA Sardar Hussain Babak of ANP said passage of this resolution is not suitable at a time when province facing sever crisis in the wake of lawlessness and militancy. Keeping in the view the difficulties being faced by the province, its time to talk about unity instead of disintegration. He alleged that resolution is based on linguistic divide and aimed at political point scoring. PPPP MPA Nighat Orakzai supported the arugments of Sardar Hussain Babak and reiterated that its not appropriate to talk about division of province especially at a time when we are in dire need of unity and cohesion.
PTI MPAs Mustaq Khan, Wajiuz Zaman and Qalander Lodhi tried to dispel the impression that demand of Hazara province is based on dividing the province on the basis of linguistic identities. We just want to improve administrative set up as people of Hazara were facing a lot of problem in reaching to Peshawar. The plea of supporter of resolution was rejected by MPAs belonging to other far flung areas of the province like Chitral, Malakand and D.I.Khan. They said is Hazara is created on the plea of its farness from Peshawar, than people of Malakand and D.I.Khan will also made the same demand.
Provincial Minister for Information, Shah Farman suggested for formation of a committee comprising of Parliamentary leaders of all the political parties to find a consensus way out of this demand. During the debate the treasury which was supporting the resolution about Hazara province become divided and Provincial Ministers including Siraj-ul-Haq and Shaukat Yousazai brought another resolution regarding renaming of province as Hazara Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
In the second resolution it was submitted that due to wrong policies of previous government a sense of deprivation has been felt among different communities including the people of Hazara. For removing this feeling of deprivation, the name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be change as Hazara Khyber Pakhtunkhwan. Speaker, Asad Qaiser later put both the resolution to house for voting which passed it with simple majority as the strength of MPAs was very thin and opposition members voice in opposition.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk