MANSEHRA: Jamaat-i-Islami here the other day urged the country’s mainstream political parties to play their role in the creation of more federating units, with Hazara province among the top priorities.
“The central leadership of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and other political and religious parties had announced their support for the creation of Hazara province, and now they should honour their commitment to the people,” Abdul Razzaq Abbasi, the divisional emir of JI in Hazara, told reporters.
Flanked by the JI’s divisional information secretary Syed Gayasudden Shah and district information secretary Asim Shahzad, he said that his party’s central emir, Hafiz Naeemur Rehman, during his recent visit to Mansehra, had devolved provincial administrative and other powers to the divisional body.
“As far as our party’s internal protocols and obligations are concerned, the Hazara division body is already exercising powers and authority equivalent to that of a province,” Mr Abbasi said.
The JI leader recalled that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif, PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, and PTI founding chairman Imran Khan had all expressed support for the Hazara province movement following the 2010 protests, and had announced their support for giving Hazara the status of a province.
“We demand from all political leaders to play a proactive role for the creation of more federating units including Hazara,” he added.
Mr Abbasi, who is also a member of the Supreme Council of Tehreek-i-Subah Hazara, led by the federal minister for religious affairs, Sardar Mohammad Yusuf, said the government was working on a strategy to create up to 12 new provinces, and Hazara should be part of that plan as people had laid down their lives for this cause.
CALL TO FILL VACANT POSTS: The residents of Bandi Paraho in Oghi tehsil have demanded of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to fill the vacant posts of doctors, paramedics, and lady health visitors, and provide adequate healthcare services at the only Basic Health Unit (BHU) in the area.
“The BHU is the only health facility for the residents of Bandi Paraho and dozens of surrounding villages but they are deprived of proper healthcare due to the shortage of doctors and other staff, a diagnostic centre, and surgical equipment,” Assad Iqbal, a local resident, told reporters.
A group of villagers said that patients coming to the BHU in Bandi Paraho for treatment often had to return disappointed.
“We have been forced to shift our patients to health facilities in other towns, spending extra money and time,” Mr Iqbal said, adding that they had repeatedly raised the issue of staff shortages with health officials but to no avail.
Another resident, Basit Tanoli, urged Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to take notice of the grim situation at the BHU.
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2025