Demand of Hazara Province, By Nasir Karlal

Demand of Hazara Province
By Nasir Karlal
Many people from different part of Pakistan frequently asked question to me:
Why you (Hazarewals) demanding separate province over renaming of N.W.F.P?
Is the Hazara Province Movement for Hinhko Speakers? And if formation of Hazara Province is done then what is the status of pakhtoons in Hazara Province?

I told them that the grievances of Hazarewals, are only not over the name Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The renaming of NWFP merely triggered expression of their frustration against the treatment meted out to them. The name issue is just a symptom, the root lies elsewhere.
As you all people know that, Hazarewals are famous for their hospitality and peacefulness.70% of population speaks Hindhko and Hazara is a land of 8 million people.
Most of tribes living in Hazara are “pakhtoons” either hindko speaker or Pashto speakers.
And all tribes whether they are pakhtoons or non-pakhtoons have been living there for last 800 years. And you all people of Pakistan know that there is no problem between them. They all are living their in peace. You people never ever heart about any tribal clash between them. All tribes living in Great land of Hazara call themselves proudly “Hazarewal” regardless they are Karlals, Jadoons, Swati, Kohistani, Tareens, Gujjars etc. There is no discrimination on linguistic basics. But Hazarewals are labeled as "Panjabiyan" when they cross the Attock Bridge into the Pashto-speaking areas of the province, while they are labeled as "Pathans" when they go to Punjab. They are in a situation of neither here nor there.

The labeling of Hazarewals as "Panjabiyan" is an expression of contempt, since a Pakhtun does not hold much respect for Punjabis--let us be honest to us. A Pakhtun's calling someone a "Punjabi" suggests the victim's alleged cowardice or lack of honour. There is a real issue, the unavoidable contempt in this for Hazarewals, which needs to be addressed.

In Punjab, the "Pathan" label similarly denotes contempt, though there is a tinge of humour to it. For a Punjabi the term "Pathan" can be a reference to someone's alleged lack of common sense. I remember Punjabi friends teasing me by saying that "Pathan koi zaat naheen hai. Yeh aik kaifiyat ka naam hai, jo kisi waqt kisi par bhi taari ho sakti hai." ("Pathan is not an ethnicity; it is a condition which can affect anyone, any time.") In other words, regardless of your ethnicity, you are a Pathan whenever you act foolish. These "Panjabiyan" or "Pathan" slurs are similar to Pakistanis' being called "Pakis" with contempt in the West. President Bush had to apologize when he referred to Pakistanis as "Pakis" in one of his speeches.

We (Hazarewals) are demanding new province because they have been depriving from their rights for 60 years. N.W.F.P is governing on Hazara’s revenue. More then 70% of forestry of province is in Hazara.90% of Industry of whole province is in Hazara. People of Hazara had given their land for Tarbela Dam. Despite the all thing we people are not given our rights. Recently, Federal Gov. has given 20 bill. Royalty of Tarbela. But ANP Gov. use all of this money in other part of province. Even a single penny is not surfed in Hazara. Same case is with jobs. Even for lower job in Hazara they are hiring people from Attock Par. They give preference having education inter of Attock Par over Hazarewal having Masters Degree. They treated us as they have conquered us; consider us as white people in south Africa considered black people.

We want Hazara province not on linguistic basis but on Administrative. There is a misconception that this movement is for only hindko speakes. I want to clarify to all people this movement is for Pakistan and for Hazarewals.Our province will consist of five district of Hazara and Shangla District of Malakand and Hazro,Hassan Abdal form Attock and Taxila and Murree from Rawalpindi District. And there will be no discrimination on linguistic basis or on tribal basis. It will be the most peace full province of Pakistan as already Hazara division is.

Hope that I have given answer of all questions and hope that you people got the point.

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