ABBOTTABAD: Speakers at a dialogue on Monday urged political leadership to move beyond promises and initiate concrete constitutional and political steps to address the long-standing demand of the people of Hazara for the creation of a province.
The dialogue was jointly organized by the Human Development Organization (HDO-Pakistan) and the Integrated Human Rights Network.It brought together parliamentarians, civil society representatives, and human rights activists to deliberate on the political, constitutional, and human development dimensions of the proposed Hazara province.
Members Provincial Assembly Shazia Jadoon and Faiza Malik were among the prominent speakers who addressed the gathering. HDO Team Leader Sadaqat Hasan and Programme Director Ahsan Khan outlined the background and objectives of the initiative.
They stated that the dialogue aimed at stimulating an informed and meaningful debate on the creation of new provinces-particularly Hazara, whose residents made significant sacrifices.Sadaqat Hasan presented two constitutional pathways for the creation of new provinces: shifting the authority for provincial reorganization to the National Assembly through a proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment, or conducting a referendum in Hazara to ascertain the will of the people regarding a separate province.
Speakers emphasized that mainstream political parties currently holding power at both federal and provincial levels have repeatedly pledged support for the creation of Hazara province.They stressed that honouring these commitments has now become imperative, describing the demand as a popular and collective aspiration of all tribes of Hazara.
The participants categorically rejected the narrative that the demand is based on linguistic grounds, pointing out that Hazara is home to diverse linguistic and cultural identities. The dialogue also highlighted decades-long deprivations and discrimination faced by the people of Hazara.
Speakers shared qualitative evidence demonstrating the economic, administrative, and governance viability of a separate Hazara province, asserting that the demand is fundamentally rooted in principles of good governance, justice, and human rights rather than narrow administrative considerations.
It was noted that constitutional and political mechanisms for the creation of Hazara province are well-defined and widely acknowledged by policymakers.Participants unanimously agreed on the establishment of a dedicated think tank to ensure effective implementation of the resolution for Hazara province adopted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on December 1, 2025.
MPA Faiza Malik stressed the need for political unity across party lines to achieve the objective, terming the demand fully compliant with Article 239(4) of the Constitution.MPA Shazia Jadoon also endorsed the cause and assured her party’s full support at both provincial and federal levels.
