Renaming the Province as Pukhtunkhwa

The arguments in favour of renaming the province of NWFP as Pukhtunkhwa are many. It is the oldest name of the region and bears the true identity of the majority living there known as Pukhtuns. It has in its favour a resolution of the provincial assembly of NWFP which makes it constitutionally legitimized. It has a history of political struggle dating back to the colonial days and the sacrifices of Pukhtuns. From the federation point of view the name would appease the ethnic tension among the Sindhis, Baluchis, Punjabi, Siraiki and Muhajirs as the rest of the three provinces of the country are named after ethnic majorities in the respective provinces. Morally speaking, the name would compensate some of the miseries the Pukhtun nation has been suffering from like the recent one at the hands of the terrorists.

The arguments against the renaming of the province are few. One of the biggest objections is raised by Pakistan Muslim League (N), the second largest political entity of the country after Pakistan People Party Parlimentarian and the party which enjoys the throne of Punjab, the largest populated province of the country. According to PML (N), Pukhtunkhwa would marginalize the Hindko speaking ethnic minority of Hazara living in the North-East of the province. Another objection is raised by the pro-establishment intelligentsia who are of the opinion that Pukhtunkhwa would fuel the secessionist sentiments, which they fear most since the century’s old colonial division of Afghanistan and the establishment of the Durand Line. These quarters suggest the names Abaseen (Pastu name of the River Indus) and Khyber (the tribal region which is connected through Khyber Pass with Afghanistan).

For majority of Pakistanis the renaming of the province of NWFP is not a big issue. People in Punjab, Sindh and even NWFP are more concerned about the security situation, inflation, corruption and lack of justice etc. Even Pukhtuns are not die hard supporters of the idea of renaming of the province. The Pukhtuns of Baluchistan and Pukhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party are of the view that Pushtuns of NWFP and Baluchistan should be merged into one federating unit and the unit should then be named after consensus. Even Awami National Party, the current ruling Pukhtun Nationalist dispensation in NWFP has been using the renaming issue as political card as the ruling party has so far failed to develop a broader consensus on the issue or pressurize the power centers in this regard.

Note: I am not against ANP. This is just to stir a healthey debate.