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KARACHI: Tehrik Hazara Sooba (THS) leader Baba Haider Zaman said on Sunday the government must create a Hazara province without delay if it really wants to protect federation.
Addressing a public meeting near the Quaid’s mausoleum, the THS leader cautioned the federal government against going back on its commitment of carving out a new province where people so desired.
Mr Zaman warned that a civil disobedience movement would be launched in the area if the Hazara province was not created soon.
Criticising the prime minister, he regretted that Yousuf Raza Gilani had backed calls for making a Seraiki province in southern Punjab but he had failed to demonstrate the same support for Hazara people’s demand. He said the prime minister had proved that his support for the Seraiki province was based on political realities, and not in response to the Seraiki people’s demands, otherwise he would have also backed calls for the Hazara province. Mr Zaman said that people of Hazara had been demanding a separate province for decades, adding that their voice could not be suppressed or ignored any longer and the government would have to create a new province.
He said Hazara people had been ‘suppressed’ for long but now they had awakened and with the support of other democratic forces they would soon get their own province where they would make decisions about their future themselves.
Mr Zaman appreciated the support extended to them by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, adding the MQM had proved that it is a national party which believes in democratic principles and supports demands of people no matter where they live.
THS leaders Fida Hussain, Sardar Iqbal, Engineer Sultan and Sardar Gohar Zaman also addressed the rally.
