Federation of Pakistan and Creation of New Provinces: A Case study of Movement for Hazara Province

Abstract

Ethnically rich states endeavor on accommodation of all groups and generally offer
various institutional and policy options. At times demands come from ethnic groups for
territorial re-arrangement under the constitutional safeguard to stay away from potential
collides amongst plural groups. In Pakistan, the 1973 constitution, however, allows
territorial settings in the provincial boundaries with the political consent, two-thirds
majority approval from the specific provincial assembly and parliament with the
Presidential final approval. The 18th constitutional amendment 2010, has reshaped the
governance and renamed the NWFP as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The given name has badly
disturbed the Hazara community inhibited in the region for many decades. The study aims
to examine the Hazara separate province movement in the existing scenario, after an indepth review of existing primary and secondary sources and concluded that, a separate
south Punjab secretariat opening by the Punjab government has unlocked a new debate
and the Hazara community is optimistic and seeking it as a step towards new territorial
arrangements in their region.