PESHAWAR - The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Friday passed two separate resolutions, demanding the federal government establish a commission for creation of new provinces, including Hazara province, and renaming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Hazara Pakhtunkhwa.
Sardar Idrees, Member of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, on the permission of KP Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, tabled the resolution, demanding the federal government amend the constitution for creation of new provinces, including Hazara province, on administrative basis. The resolution was approved by the House.
Another resolution tabled by KP Health Minister Shaukat Yousafzi demanded renaming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as Hazara Pakhtunkhwa. He said that after naming the province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the people of Hazara are in inferiority complex and want a separate province within Khyber Pakthunkhwa. Criticising both the resolutions, Parliamentary Leader of Awami Nation Party Sardar Hussain Babak said that Hazara is the golden cap of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its separation would be a conspiracy against the Pakhtun nation.
MPA Nighat Orakzai said this was not an appropriate time for the resolutions as the province was facing numerous problems while the PTI members are bringing new resolutions and bills to divide the nation.
Meanwhile, the House also passed five bills, including the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hotels Restriction (Security) Bill, 2014 that was tabled by Parliamentary Secretary Arif Yousaf on behalf of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak.
The session was chaired by Speaker Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Asad Qaiser where Parliamentary Secretary Arif Yousaf on behalf of Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pervez Khattak also tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Finance (Amendment) Bill, 2014, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa River Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2014 and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Surrender of Illicit Arms Bill, 2014. The house passed the bills.
Parliamentary leader of ANP Sardar Hussain Babak and Nighat Orakzai of PPP raised the issue that the province was insecure and the government should arrange licences for every kind of arms to facilitate the people.
Responding to the opposition members, Arif Yousaf said that the government was collecting illegal arms and ammunitions from people without any punishment and would arrange licences.
Meanwhile, the House also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Amendment) Bill, 2014 with two amendments. The bill was tabled by Minister for Local Government Inayatullah Khan. Similarly, the House also approved report of Special Committee for Salaries and Allowances, which recommended raise in salaries and allowances of the assembly members. MPA Mufti Syed Janan of the JUI-F tabled the report.