Haripur bar demands Hazara province

On Thursday, the cabinet members of the District Bar Association in Haripur voiced their unequivocal and resolute backing for the longstanding call to establish a Hazara province. During a special meeting chaired by Asad Saeed Khan, president of the district bar association, the group explored the ongoing nationwide discussion on new provinces and emphasized the importance of swiftly addressing the demand for a new administrative unit, specifically in Hazara, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The speakers underscored that "Hazara is not merely a geographical territory, but it represents the identity, heritage, history, culture, and collective voice of the Hazara tribes, rather than just a single linguistic community."

They stressed that no single political party or group has the sole authority to determine whether the Hazarawals are entitled to demand a separate province or not. However, the cabinet members noted that the people of Hazara have demonstrated their right to self-determination in the past, notably during Pakistan's 1947 referendum and the province's renaming in 2010.

The District Bar Association Haripur members urged all bar associations within Hazara to set aside individual and institutional differences and unite in a principled and determined voice for the establishment of the Hazara province. They called upon bar associations, lawyers, civil society representatives, and other stakeholders to collaborate, create a joint strategy, and promote this issue at all constitutional, legal, democratic, and political forums.

The Haripur District Bar Association reaffirmed its steadfast commitment to the Hazara province cause and called for unity, collective action, and an organized movement across the Hazara bar associations to advance this legitimate demand.