Why Hazara Should Be a Separate Province
Ahmed Ali
Islamabad: Pakistan’s administrative structure has evolved over the decades to address governance challenges and regional aspirations.
As the country’s population has grown and governance has become increasingly complex, the debate over creating new provinces has gained renewed attention.
Among the strongest and longest-standing demands is the call for a separate Hazara province. While often viewed through a political lens, the issue extends far beyond politics, it is fundamentally about representation, effective governance, economic opportunity, and regional identity.
Hazara Division, located in the northern part of Khybe-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), comprises districts including Abbottabad, Mansehra, Haripur, Battagram, Torghar, Upper and Lower Kohistan, and Kolai-Palas.
It is home to millions of people who speak Hindko, Kohistani, Gojri, Pashto, and several other regional languages. This linguistic and cultural diversity has given Hazara a distinct identity that many residents believe deserves constitutional recognition.
The demand for a separate province gained momentum in 2010 when the former North-West Frontier Province was renamed KP.
Many people in Hazara felt excluded from the decision because the new name primarily reflected the Pashtun identity, while the majority in Hazara identify culturally with Hindko-speaking communities. The protests that followed, particularly in Abbottabad, resulted in tragic loss of life and left deep political scars that continue to shape public opinion today.
However, the movement for a Hazara province is not solely about identity. Its strongest argument lies in governance.
Provincial administration in KP is heavily concentrated in Peshawar, where major government departments, public institutions, regulatory bodies, and civil service offices are located. For residents of Hazara’s mountainous districts, accessing these institutions often requires travelling hundreds of kilometres. This geographical distance translates into administrative delays, limited public access, and slower delivery of essential services.
Creating a separate province would bring government closer to the people. A provincial capital within Hazara would house departments responsible for education, health, infrastructure, local government, and public administration.
Decisions affecting the region could be made locally by officials who better understand its geography, economy, and unique developmental challenges.
Employment is another major reason behind the demand. Hazara has one of the most educated populations in northern Pakistan. Universities, colleges, engineering institutes, and medical institutions produce thousands of graduates every year.
Yet many young professionals struggle to find suitable employment within their own region. Most provincial government jobs and career opportunities remain concentrated in Peshawar, forcing talented graduates to migrate or remain unemployed.
A separate province would naturally create thousands of new public-sector jobs through the establishment of provincial ministries, administrative departments, police headquarters, health authorities, courts, and educational boards.
More importantly, it would stimulate private investment by encouraging businesses to establish regional headquarters, service industries, and commercial centres. Local employment would reduce migration and allow skilled youth to contribute directly to the development of their own communities.
Hazara’s strategic importance further strengthens the case. The Karakoram Highway, Pakistan’s gateway to Gilgit-Baltistan and China, passes through the region, making it a vital trade corridor under regional connectivity initiatives.
Despite this strategic location, Hazara has not fully benefited from the economic opportunities associated with trade and logistics. Provincial status could enable better planning of industrial zones, logistics hubs, and transport infrastructure that would create sustainable employment while boosting regional and national economies.
Tourism is another underutilized strength. Destinations such as Nathiagali, Thandiani, Kaghan Valley, and the Galiyat attract millions of visitors every year. Yet much of the tourism industry remains seasonal and poorly regulated. Local communities often receive only a fraction of the economic benefits.
A dedicated provincial government could prioritize sustainable tourism, improve infrastructure, train local entrepreneurs, and ensure that tourism revenues directly benefit the people of Hazara.
The devastating floods of 2025 exposed another challenge: disaster management. Flash floods destroyed roads, bridges, homes, and agricultural land across Kohistan, Battagram, and surrounding districts.
Reconstruction has been slow, partly because provincial resources must be distributed across a vast and diverse province with competing priorities. A separate Hazara province would have greater administrative focus on disaster preparedness, climate resilience, and rapid emergency response tailored to its mountainous terrain.
Critics argue that creating new provinces may increase administrative costs or encourage further regional demands. These concerns deserve consideration. However, Pakistan has previously created administrative units to improve governance, and many experts argue that decentralization often results in more efficient service delivery when accompanied by sound planning and constitutional safeguards.
Importantly, the movement for Hazara province should not be viewed as an ethnic or linguistic conflict. Hazara is one of Pakistan’s most diverse regions, where multiple languages and cultures coexist peacefully. Its advocates generally frame the demand as one for administrative efficiency, equitable development, and fair representation rather than ethnic separation.
Ultimately, the question is whether Pakistan’s current provincial structure adequately serves every region. For many residents of Hazara, the answer is increasingly no. They seek a government that is geographically closer, economically responsive, and more attentive to their needs.
They want better infrastructure, stronger educational institutions, more employment opportunities, and faster public services.
Whether or not a separate Hazara province becomes a reality will depend on constitutional consensus and national political will. Nevertheless, the issues driving the demand cannot be ignored.
The aspirations of Hazara’s people reflect a broader national conversation about decentralization, inclusive governance, and balanced regional development. Addressing those concerns, through provincial status or meaningful administrative reforms, will ultimately strengthen both Hazara and Pakistan as a whole.
