Leaders and supporters of the Hazara Province Movement have renewed their demand for the creation of a separate Hazara province, insisting that it should be the top priority if new provinces are formed in Pakistan. Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of the Supreme Council of the Hazara Province Movement at the National Press Club in Islamabad, the movement’s chairman Sardar Muhammad Yousuf said that Hazara fulfills all the requirements for provincial status and that the region has made significant sacrifices for Pakistan.
A national-level committee has been formed to build consensus among political parties and initiate talks with the leadership of parliamentary groups, the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Senate Chairman, and the Prime Minister. Sardar Muhammad Yousuf emphasized that they will present their stance to party leaders, including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, to push the demand forward. He highlighted that the resolution for Hazara Province has been passed twice by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, and bills have already been presented at both national legislative forums. He argued that the growing population justified the need for new provinces, as the original four provinces, established for a population of 60 million, are now expected to serve over 250 million people.
Other prominent politicians present at the event, including Senator Talha Mahmood, Murtaza Javed Abbasi, Captain (Retired) Muhammad Safdar, and several sitting and former parliamentarians, also spoke in support of the demand. Senator Talha Mahmood described the call for a separate Hazara province as a unanimous and collective demand among the region’s people and all political parties, stressing the need for immediate action. Captain Safdar added that Hazara is one of the most fertile and resource-rich areas of the country and has the financial capacity to manage its own affairs.
Murtaza Javed Abbasi noted recent progress, such as the formation of the Hazara Electric Company, and expressed confidence that the dream of a Hazara province would soon be realized. He assured that the movement was genuinely grassroots-led and represented the voice of the Hazara people.
The newly formed national committee, headed by Sardar Muhammad Yousuf and comprised of influential leaders from across the political spectrum, will hold meetings nationwide to generate consensus and reintroduce the Hazara Province bill in both legislative houses. Plans are also underway to organize all-party conferences in all Hazara districts, ensuring broad support and inclusive representation.
Several speakers, including Zargul Khan, Nawabzada Wali Muhammad, Prince Fazal Haq, and others, recalled the sacrifices made during the movement for Hazara province, including the loss of seven lives, and reaffirmed that they would not accept any plan for new provinces that excluded Hazara. They expressed their readiness to launch renewed public campaigns if legislative advocacy does not succeed, stating that no office or position is more important than the cause of Hazara province.
The call for creating new provinces, with Hazara at the forefront, remains a central issue for the region’s leaders and people, who say their struggle will continue until their demand is met.
