Imran gathers thousands to block Nato supplies in Peshawar

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Thousands of workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its allies gathered on Ring Road and blocked it for Nato supplies to press the US to stop drone strikes in Pakistan on Saturday, where Imran Khan asked the federal government to use air force for hitting drones following US disregard for Pakistan and its leadership.

Not a single truck was allowed to transport supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan, or pull out military equipment from that war-torn country where the US and Nato forces are gearing up for withdrawal. The protesters sat on the dual carriageway that forks from the Grand Trunk Road to bypass the city and run through Khyber Agency to Afghanistan. Several containers were stacked one on another across the road to make a lofty stage that blocked the road.

No container-laden trucks, Nato or others, were seen stalled at the site of the sit-in. A police official said containers were stopped in Nowshera and other cities and some were diverted towards Chaman, another route used for Nato supplies.

Imran Khan in his address said they would block Nato supplies not only in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party is in power, but across the country. He asked the provincial government to initiate action for officially stopping Nato supplies through the province.

Before the start of the sit-in in Peshawar, he said it would continue until a US assurance that it was stopping the unmanned aircrafts’ strikes. However, the protest was called off Saturday evening soon after he and other leaders addressed.

The Nato trucks may be able now to use the route for supplies. However, according to PTI’s provincial spokesman, Ishtiaq Urmar, party workers will stop Nato supplies at different points in the province. He said workers will launch sit-ins at Khairabad Bridge, Swabi Moterway Interchange, Charsadda Motorway Interchange and toll plaza on Ring Road near Hayatabad. 

Imran Khan said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had promised with the nation that he would stop drone strikes. “Mian Sahib,” he addressed the prime minister, “will you now issue mere condemnations over drone strikes or order air force to knock drones down.”

He said Nawaz Sharif did not take up the issue of drone attacks in meeting with US President Barack Obama, which shattered his hopes. The PTI leader said he accepted election results despite rigging and trusted Nawaz Sharif in an effort to collectively rid the country of US aggression. “We still stand with you,” he said, addressing Nawaz Sharif.   

He was angry that the US disrespected Pakistan’s parliament and political leadership by carrying out drone strikes at a time they were opposed. “The parliament passed a resolution asking an immediate halt to drone strikes and the US conducted an attack that night. For the first time, an elected government initiated talks after mandate by all political parties and the US attacked [the slain TTP chief] Hakimullah Mehsud to sabotage it. They have no respected for us,” he said. “And Sartaj Aziz’s trust was shattered a day after he was assured of a halt to drone attacks during talks,” he added.

Imran Khan said it was a defining movement for Pakistan to choose between disgrace and self-respect and independence. He said Pakistan should be treated as a friend, not a slave. “There is difference between slavery and friendship,” he said, standing in front of giant banner that read, “our land, our way.”

He asked prime minister whether he would also tell lies to the nation like previous rulers or take a stand. “Nations are not made by begging before others, but by taking stand,” he remarked.

He said the federal government should tell the US it was with it in establishing peace, not in waging wars. He said conflict and violence had wreaked havoc in KP and destroyed lives of six million people of Fata. When Pakistan was joining the US war, he added, it owed Rs5,000 billion debt but now it had soared to Rs14,000 billion. “Increase in debt in one decade of war is more than the debt Pakistan got in several decades. The debt increased because Pakistan spent huge money in the US war,” he claimed.

Imran Khan said that not a single attacker of the 9/11 belonged to Pakistan but it was made to suffer in life and material. He said 50,000 people including thousands of soldiers had died in this war, yet the US was not satisfied. “It is still trumpeting on ‘do more.’ It’s telling us that we are not fighting honestly and competently despite that their soldiers are losing war in Afghanistan,” he taunted. He disgusted the US policy that made Pakistanis suffer immensely and at the same time disgraced and maligned them.

 In response to a statement by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam chief Fazlur Rahman, he said PTI did not want to become Shaheed but would emerge as Ghazi. He indicated dissolution of assembly if his party’s government was destabilised in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “We, the allies, have decided not to become Shaheed if our government is detsabilised, rather we will seek fresh mandate,” he said.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s central Secretary General Liaqat Baloch said his party had decided to stop Nato trucks in Karachi today (Sunday). PTI’s Shah Mehmood said if Nawaz Sharif was not pursuing dual policy as he claimed he should convene another APC to make a new strategy. Javed Hashmi said the American nation was becoming extremely intolerant to Washington’s policy of wars and was rising up against the government.    

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With fuelled anger, PTI readying to block Nato supplies in Peshawar

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Workers of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) held meetings across the province to pull thousands of people to a sit-in against drone attacks in Peshawar that would block Nato supplies in the backdrop of the first strike by the unmanned plane in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The attack that also killed a couple of children outraged the PTI leaders and general public. The hit would possibly provide a shot in the arm for the November 23rd protest, prompting people to pour into Peshawar to participate in the sit-in against the US and its operations in Pakistan. 

The PTI said it would place containers on the Ring Road, used for trucking the supplies, today (Friday) and halt flow of supplies to Nato forces in Afghanistan. “We will put containers on the Ring Road on Friday to block it for the Nato supplies,” said Ishtiaq Urmar, PTI’s provincial information secretary.

Imran Khan, leader of the PTI, said the supplies would be blocked until the United States assured a halt to the controversial strikes within Pakistan. His announcement makes the situation uncertain as Pakistan has struggled to persuade Washington to stop the attacks. The Hangu attack came a day after Special Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the US has assured it would not carry out drone attacks if Pakistan initiated talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan. If Imran Khan lives up to his announcement, the protest could prolong for weeks, if not months.

To show its seriousness, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government cabinet meeting is being held today to take stock of the situation after the first drone attack in the province. The PTI had distanced its provincial government of the Saturday’s sit-in to avoid straining relations with the federal government. The cabinet meeting would decide how to react to the attack.

Imran Khan directed his anger against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for his alleged silence over “the attack that violated the limits of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and killed our citizens.”

Five people were reported killed and three injured in the attack on Islami Madrassa Muktaba Darul Uloom in Tal area of Hangu.

Ishtiaq Urmar said he did not know whether the provincial government protested to the federal government over the attack as he could not speak for the KP government.

The Central Information Secretary of the PTI Shireen Manzari lashed out at the US and Pakistan government and the military. “This was a declaration of war against the people of Pakistan by the US,” she said in a statement. “[I] demand to know whether the Pakistan government and military were sleeping while Pakistan was being attacked or were they complicit in this latest drone attack?” he asked.

Mazari in a texted message to The News said the fresh attack would increase the importance of the PTI protest against drones, where Imran Khan would address people. Referred to her and Imran Khan’s statements, she said questions had been asked from the federal government over the incident.

Ishtiaq Urmar said that his party would assemble around 80,000 on Peshawar’s Ring Road. Imran Khan has asked people to participate in the rally to tell the they were against drone attacks and supported peace efforts in Pakistan. Urmar said that all day various organisations of the party held meetings to make arrangements for the sit-in.

PTI had already held a sit-in in 2010 against the Nato supplies but then the Awami National Party was ruling the province. This time his party is governing the province. Then it could not block supplies to the forces of the US and other Nato member countries engaged in the 12-year-old war there.

Pakistan halted Nato supplies to Afghanistan in 2011 but not due to opposition by Imran Khan. Islamabad had angrily reacted to the killing of its 24 soldiers in Salala on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.

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With unsatiated vengeance, Fazlullah becomes new TTP chief

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Mualana Fazlullah was unremorseful after his group killed a two-star general near Afghanistan border in September. Instead, he said their target was corps commander Peshawar. That was unsatisfactory, too. He wished to kill the chief of army staff to avenge his defeat in Swat. After deadly and high profile attacks over the years, his vengeance in fact is still unsatiated. 

This militant was yesterday made the new commander of the proscribed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), with all vengeful intentions, capability and a hard-line agenda.  

Maulana Fazlullah, son-in-law of the jailed Maulana Sufi Muhammad, controlled Swat Valley from 2007 to 2009 and unleashed a spree of violence. He was driven out of Swat more than four and a half years ago but, he refused to give in. He continued his violent campaign from his unmolested sanctuaries in Afghanistan and created headlines worldwide. All these years, his ferocious attacks raised his militant profile instead of weakening his power. That profile made him chief of the TTP, an umbrella organisation of militant groups.

In 2011, he launched deadly attacks from Kunar, eastern province of Afghanistan, into Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Chitral districts. These attacks have killed over a hundred security forces personnel and scores of innocent villagers. His fighters slit the throats of 17 soldiers last year in June, underlining the ferocity of the threat he posed to Pakistan’s security.

His attacks precipitated troop deployment on the western border along these districts for the first time in the country’s history. Thousands of army soldiers sent in September 2011 still remain deployed along the border.

Last year in October, Fazlullah ordered the killing of Malala Yousafzai for speaking against the Taliban. She miraculously survived after being hit in the head in the attack. People poured into streets in all parts of the country in her support and against the attack. The world followed. The international community acclaimed her for bravery and her struggle for education.

When he held sway over Swat, he ordered bombing and torching of schools, particularly those for girls. He threatened parents to stop sending girls to schools or else they would be killed. His men publically flogged people for actions he considered un-Islamic, including women. His fighters killed a teacher in Matta for not hiking trousers above ankles, a voluntary practice Islam advises faithful to exercise. Taliban in Swat slaughtered people in streets and hung their bodies in squares, petrifying residents. Suicide blasts were widespread. He had established over 40 self-style Sharia courts that delivered punishments to people.

Fazlullah is a fiery speaker that helped him initially impress the people of Swat. He used FM radio for spreading his support and, later on, his terror. Due to the use of FM radio, local people called him “Mulla Radio.”

The Awami National Party that came into power in 2008 held talks with him in 2008 and 2009. However, on both occasions the talks failed. The Nawaz Sharif government’s desire to hold talks with TTP met a setback with his appointment as its chief. The first announcement that was made after his selection was that TTP would not hold talks with the government.

His appointment has not only brought bad news for the government, but also for the people of Malakand division, of which Swat is a district. Now with central command of the TTP in his hands, it is feared, he will menace the peace of the division by carrying out attacks.     

Maulana Fazlullah’s hiding in Kunar has strained Pakistan’s relations with Afghanistan. Islamabad has repeatedly asked Kabul and Nato forces to stop cross-border attacks and hand Fazlullah over to Pakistan. All such requests have gone unmet.

Pakistan believes Afghan intelligence was providing him support. In recent days, Afghanistan’s intention to use Pakistani Taliban against Pakistan was exposed. The US forces took Latif Mehsud, deputy to the slain Hakimullah Mehsud, from Afghan intelligence that was taking him to strike a terror deal against Pakistan. With alleged nexus with Afghan intelligence, Fazlullah’s appointment as TTP chief would now be a major concern for Pakistan.

It remains unclear whether he would remain to operate from Afghanistan or shift to North Waziristan. Analysts believe he felt safe in Afghanistan. However, the US has already announced that he has been on the hit-list. He is one of the main sources of tension with Afghanistan as Kabul has been accusing Islamabad of firing shells into Afghanistan’s territory.

Analysts believe he would not have firm control on TTP as he lives in Afghanistan and he also is non-Mehsud.

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On its hit-list arleady, US won't spare Maulana Fazlullah

Delawar Jan
PESHAWAR: Maulana Fazlullah, the reclusive Swat Taliban chief who is believed to be one of the front-runners to head the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), is already on the US target list and could be taken out anytime like other TTP leaders.
His name on the US hit list makes him a target for the drones that hover over the tribal areas in search of Taliban and al-Qaeda militants. However, the US drones and troops have failed to kill or arrest him in Afghanistan’s Kunar province, where he has been hiding since 2009. Fazlullah fled to Afghanistan in 2009 to escape a massive military operation that defeated his group in Swat, a valley he had controlled.
The US has made its intention public that it would kill him if he was located. “We will take him off the battlefield if there is an actionable intelligence,” US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olson said early this year. Brig Mahmood Shah, a security analyst, doubts US intentions that it wanted to kill him. “Not so far,” he said.
Beheadings, floggings and kidnappings were carried out on Fazlullah’s order in Swat from 2007 to 2009. He also ordered attack on Malala Yousafzai, the schoolgirl from Swat who was nearly killed by a gunman he had sent. She has become an international icon championing education.
From his sanctuaries in Kunar, Fazlullah planned an attack on a two-star general, Maj Gen Sanaullah Niazi, in Upper Dir and killed him along with another officer and a soldier. Fazlullah’s cross-border attacks precipitated troop deployment on the border with Afghanistan along Lower Dir, Upper Dir and Chitral districts.
But none of these operations is the reason the US wants him eliminated. Washington holds Fazlullah responsible for the killing of three American soldiers in Lower Dir. The soldiers, who were apparently trainers, were killed in a roadside blast in Shahi Koto area in Lower Dir in February 2010. They were accompanying the Pakistani security forces to Maidan, an area in Lower Dir retaken from Taliban militants.
The American soldiers’ killing had unmatched significance as they were the first known casualties of the US troops on Pakistani soil. Fazlullah had claimed responsibility for the attack.
Ayaz Wazir, a former diplomat and analyst, said US did not want to kill Fazlullah. “Fazlullah has been in Afghanistan for years and is carrying out operations. The US technology is so sophisticated that it says it can see an ant on the ground. So, how does the US not see a 5/6-feet Fazlullah?” he wondered.
He said Fazlullah might be on the hit-list of the US but it doesn’t want to target him now. “Hakimullah was also on the hit-list of the US for years, but it targetted him on a particular occasion. Fazlullah will also be hit at a time that suits the US,” Ayaz Wazir said.
If Fazlullah is made leader of the TTP, the Nawaz Sharif government would find it difficult to shore up the derailed peace talks. Pakistan has failed to persuade or force the US to stop drone strikes in the tribal areas to make peace talks with Taliban successful. After TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud’s death, the US has not promised to halt drone operations to allow the negotiations to happen. The drones might intensify the search for Fazlullah and it would contribute to the uncertainty about peace talks.
Also, Fazlullah who had been defeated in Swat would possibly seek revenge from the Pakistan Army instead of holding talks for peace. Fazlullah manifested this intention by organising attack on Maj Gen Sanaullah after the all parties’ conference that offered Taliban talks to seek solution to the ongoing conflict.
Analysts, however, believe he has thin chances to become TTP leader as he doesn’t belong to the Mehsud tribe. “If the leader of the TTP came from outside the Mehsud tribe, Taliban would become weaker,” Mahmood Shah said. “Fazlullah would not be able to hold control of the TTP. His network is weak in Pakistan, and he would have no influence over Punjabi Taliban and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, the groups that are not part of TTP but support it,” he added.
Ayaz Wazir argued TTP was founded by Mehsuds and its leadership would be retained by them. “No Mohmand, Afridi, Wazir, Bhittani or anyone from any other tribe would be allowed to take up reins of this organisation,” he maintained.

At Pak-Afghan border, people nostalgic about past but happy over security measures

Delawar Jan

BARAWAL BANDI (Upper Dir): A group of senior citizens fondly recollected how people of this border region maintained trade with Afghanistan and walked across the Durand Line unhindered.

Both trade and cross-border movement stopped after Pakistan Army’s deployment on the boundary along Upper Dir following attacks by militants based in Kunar.

The valued mushroom, good quality timber, wool and desi ghee no more reach this region from Afghanistan’s Kunar province that borders both Upper Dir and Lower Dir districts. Afghans, who until recently crossed over from Afghanistan to buy clothes, shoes and food items, can no longer come to Barawal Bandi.

During a visit to the border town recently, one found the elders discussing the past in a poky second-floor room of the bazaar.

“I remember my last visit when I stayed for a night in [Pakistani area of] Karakar and reached [Afghanistan’s] Machbina area midday next day as part of a jirga,” Fazl Hanan said.

Upper Dir has no road link with Afghanistan and people used to trek mountainous paths to cross over to Zorr Barawal, Dolai, Qasim, Batash, Chiragal, Loya Dera, Marano Dabona, Mashango Kass, Barikot and other villages and towns of Afghanistan. Trudged under the weight, mules or men would take goods to Afghanistan.

Apart from mutual trade, tribes on both sides of the border had friendships and relations. Ghulam Muhammad, a 75-year old man, said he had visited people on the other side of the border more than 20 times.

Some tribes like Mishwani and Katani (also called Kohistanis) straddle the boundary and maintained connections. Elders say Mishwani is the major tribe that inhabits Sonai Darra, Nusrat Darra, Bin Darra and Shingara Darra, all situated on the border. Other tribes that live in these areas are Katani, Taran, Swati, Tajak and Bahadar Shahkhel.

The trade and cross-border movement stopped after Pakistan sent thousands of troops in September 2011 to protect the border against incursions by Pakistani Taliban entrenched in Kunar and Nuristan provinces of Afghanistan.

The deployment hardly disturbs people here. For them, their security and the country’s sovereignty are more important. “Had the army not been deployed along the border, the Taliban would have also slaughtered people by now in Barawal Bandi and strutted around its streets,” Fazl Hanan said.

He referred to the June 2011 attack by Taliban that killed 27 police and Levies officials and some civilians in Shaltalo, a border village some 15 kilometres west of Barawal Bandi. In 2012, the fighters loyal to the reclusive Swat Taliban leader Maulana Fazlullah slaughtered 17 soldiers deployed on the border.

However, the militants never crossed the border after the deployment and could not launch attacks for 15 months, giving confidence to people that they were now secure. That confidence was shattered by the mid-September attack this year. Fazlullah’s group killed a two-star general, Maj Gen Sanaullah Niazi, in a roadside blast, an incident ‘unthinkable’ for the local people.

The incident disturbed Fazl Hanan and others. “What happened that day was wrong and shocking. The incident caused us bad name and many problems,” he said.

Investigations are underway but it still remains unclear how the attacker(s) managed to stalk the general and kill him. Some officials in Dir speculated that it could have been a ‘coincidence’. These officials see ‘complacency’ behind the decision not to clear the dusty road before the general’s visit. They said a vehicle that carried jammers and led the way was asked to follow the general’s vehicle as it was raising clouds of dust off the road.

Around 40 suspects, according to officials, are being interrogated at a military base but no breakthrough has been reported. An army officer said investigations continued but could not be shared with the media.

The militants, who have escaped military operations in Malakand division in 2009, have built sanctuaries in Kunar and Nuristan provinces and regrouped under their leader, Maulana Fazlullah.

Two weeks after the high-profile attack, calm prevailed in the town of Barawal Bandi and other areas up to Shahikot, a small town some 34 kilometres west of Dir near the Afghan border. A walk by schoolchildren in Barawal Bandi, usual business in its bazaar and normal flow of traffic and construction of houses and roads indicated that routine life had not been disturbed. There was no unusual movement of soldiers or any visible tension.

Shahikot had, however, signs of calm tension. An army barrier stopped vehicles from entering the bazaar as these were diverted to the bypass. As shops continued routine business, with some drying the fresh produce of walnut in the sun, several were closed. Customers hardly figured.

“Troops corralled us near the stream after the attack, but we had no idea about the incident,” said the young Nisarul Haq in Shahikot.

“When we came to know about it and I returned home, my father told me ‘I cannot show you my heart but it’s bleeding’.”

He said soldiers were not tough on them even after such a major attack.

In this hard area, resources with the security forces are limited. As some soldiers have been billeted in government buildings, others live in shops. Surprisingly, the area’s police station was working in a single shop.

Several posts on the ridges overlooked the area, in addition to dozens more that dot the forward areas.

People to govt after deadly terrorist attacks: We want action

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Deadly terrorist attacks that mowed down over 140 innocent people in Peshawar during the last eight days are eroding people’s support for talks with the Taliban, dealing a major blow to efforts by the federal and provincial governments to seek a peaceful solution to terrorism.

The feeling among the people that Taliban have no respect for talks is rising. The attacks are fast changing the public opinion and many are now demanding military action against the militants. Also, anger against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government is raging for its failure to protect the people or take a clear-cut stance against terrorism. Imran Khan’s suggestion to allow the Taliban to open an office prompted many to heap scorn on him.

“No talks, launch offensive (against Taliban),” chanted members of the civil society who protested at the blast site. “Imran, open your eyes,” they yelled, urging him to realise the Taliban were irreconcilable.

The All Parties Conference on September 9 agreed to hold negotiations with the Taliban to find a solution to the decade-old terrorism. However, the atmosphere was vitiated by the Taliban attacks, all major.

The September 15 attack in the border region of Upper Dir killed a two-star general who was in command of the security forces in the Malakand Division, a lieutenant colonel and a soldier. Suicide attacks on the All Saints Church on September 22 killed 84, a bus explosion claimed 19 lives in Gulbela and on Sunday the car bombing in Qissa Khwani killed over 40.

“The government should decide whether they stand with the people or terrorists,” said a protester, Sikandar Hayat, who held a placard and a lit a candle to remember the people killed in the blast. He said the PTI government should come out of fear and stand to the ‘terrorists.’

“We want one decisive thing: a military operation,” said Taimur Iqbal. “Repetitive talks have borne no result,” he added. He said the PTI government had surrendered to the militants and the federal government was also unwilling to take on them.

Nighat Orakzai, a woman lawmaker of the Pakistan People’s Party, said talks could not be held with terrorists. “All the people martyred today must be asking God that for what fault they were killed,” she said. The aggressive MPA said she would throw the shoes of a two-year-old girl killed in the blast in the coming assembly session to shame the PTI out of silence and fear.

“Tell the leader who is demanding an office for the Taliban to set it up at his home,” she taunted, prompting people around her to shout, “establish the office in the Chief Minister’s House.” At the blast site, faces were grim. People had no idea what to do and who to turn to. “Pray that God help us,” Mohammad Abid helplessly told a caller. The explosion took place a few metres away from his watch shop. Pointing to a muddied teapot and cups, he said that he and his cousin took Qehwa minutes before the blast. “As my cousin left towards the site of the blast, the explosion occurred,” he said, without showing any expression. “He ran to me soaked in blood,” he added.

Sardar Khalid Mehmood, who lives in the street behind the site of the blast, said the explosion shook their houses. “There is no house where windowpanes are intact,” he said. “A hotel caught fire and several Chitralis were trapped there. We evacuated them from the rear of the building,” he added. Mehmood said one of their neighbours, who had suffered injuries in the blast on Bashir Bilour, was killed in this blast.

The spate of bomb explosions is worrying everyone for the safety of their dear ones. “Today, I received more than 20 calls from my mother after the blast to inquire whether I was fine,” a taxi driver Abdul Hakeem said. “And she didn’t get satisfied with my assurances, demanding of me to return home,” he added.

The site was marked by shattered glasses, twisted shutters, hanging wires and several notes announcing death and Namaz-e-Janaza of individuals. One note said, “Zalimo jawab do, khoon ka hisaab do.”

Tractors were removing the scattered debris; Pesco workers were repairing the damaged electricity supply lines and fire brigade sprinkling water on the smoldering hotel building. Police had cordoned off the area, probably the only thing they are left to do as they have been unsuccessful to foil the attacks.

Television channels had lined up DSNGs to broadcast activities live from the site. The Khyber Bazaar and Qissa Khwani Bazaar were shut down after the blast, a common sight by now after every attack. “Only the name of Qissa Khwani has remained. It has lost all charm and attraction,” Muhammad Abid said. “Graveyard is better today than the Qissa Khwani Bazaar,” he lamented.

Support for Hazara province in KP Assembly, thanks to PTI

Delawar Jan

PESHAWAR: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly said they would support the creation of Hazara province by endorsing a resolution in the assembly submitted by three party representatives from Hazara Division if the PTI leadership told them to do so.

The support has significance because it came from PTI MPAs elected in the Pakhtun-belt of the province. The Hindko-speaking people in Hazara division started a violent struggle for a separate province in anger against renaming of the erstwhile NWFP in 18th amendment in 2010. This was celebrated as success in the Pakhtun-belt by Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and others, as they saw it achievement of identity for Pakhtuns.

There was hardly any support for Hazara province in the previous assembly dominated by ANP and PPP. However, this assembly has negligible presence of ANP and PPP and there seems to be support for Hazara province. PTI has allowed its three MPAs from Abbottabad—Mushtaq Ghani, Qalandar Lodhi and Sardar Mohammad Idrees—to submit the resolution in the assembly that is likely to be tabled in its ongoing session.

PML-N that is supporting the demand of the Hazara people also has 17 members in the assembly. If passed, this would be the first resolution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly that would support the division of the province and the creation of the new province.

“We support the demand for Hazara province,” said Fazal Elahi, a PTI MPA from rural Peshawar. “We have no objection to this demand and there exists no differences in our party on the issue,” he added. The MPA was confident that their support would not annoy their voters. Certain other PTI members of the assembly shared this opinion.

Mahmood Jan, another PTI MPA from a rural constituency in Peshawar, favoured creation of more provinces and said it would have no negative impact. “If Afghanistan and India could have a large number of provinces why couldn’t we have?” he argued. “Hazara province is not the people’s issue. People want relief from price-hike, measures against corruption and other issues that affect them,” he added. He said the party had not discussed this issue yet as it was the initiative of ‘a few people.’

It appears the PTI has not briefed its lawmakers on its policy on Hazara. Amjad Ali, a PTI MPA from Swat, also said the party had yet to hold discussions on the issue.

Some members privately said the resolution appeared a political gimmick as it would not result in the creation of Hazara province. The PTI’s willingness to allow the three lawmakers to submit the resolution seems to be an attempt to please them and placate the people in Hazara.

PTI promised during the election campaign that it would support the creation of Hazara province. The PTI’s official version on Hazara province could not be obtained. Ishtiaq Urmar, PTI’s provincial information secretary, did not answer calls. The central spokesperson Shireen Mazari ignored calls and a text message.

Amjad Ali, the MPA from Swat, added new dimension to the submission of resolution for Hazara province. “Though I don’t oppose Hazara province, I will better wait for the party policy. But if new units as small as Hazara could be created, then Malakand division better qualifies for a new province,” he said. “And such a demand can also come from the southern districts,” he added, warning it could open a Pandora’s box.

Amir Muqam, PML-N leader from Shangla district of Malakand division, has many times taken up demand for status of province to the seven districts of the division. However, he or any other leader did not turn the demand to a struggle.