MP Sajjad Barkwal rebels against KP Assembly decision, says party leadership was not consulted
PESHAWAR:
Divisions have emerged within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) over the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s recent unanimous resolution calling for the creation of a separate Hazara province.
PTI MP Sajjad Barkwal strongly opposed the move during an Assembly session, accusing the party leadership of lack of consultation on the issue and vowing not to accept the division of the province.
In his speech in the assembly, Barkwal termed the proposed split in the KP as unacceptable, questioning whether party chief Imran Khan or senior leaders had been taken into confidence. He expressed alarm at the opacity surrounding the resolution, questioning who initiated or approved it and why assembly members like him were not aware of such a proposal on Hazara province.
Barkwal stressed that he and his like-minded colleagues would not support the resolution, highlighting concerns about the integrity of the province.
The resolution, passed unanimously in December 2025 and tabled by PTI’s Nazir Ahmad Abbasi with all-party support, including PPP members, urged the federal government to initiate constitutional amendments under Article 239 for a new Hazara province. It aimed to address long-standing grievances based on cultural, historical and administrative grounds in the Hazara region.
The controversy played out during a larger session of the Assembly chaired by Muhammad Israr, which covered multiple issues. Discussions largely focused on local government challenges, including serious financial crises within municipal bodies (TMAs). PML-N MP Amina Sardar pointed out that thousands of employees and retirees were not paid due to lack of funds, plunging families into hardship. She criticized TMAs, calling them centers of corruption when staff lack incentives.
Provincial Justice Minister Aftab Alam responded that TMAs are autonomous and often manage their own salaries and pensions, with the provincial government providing subsidies where needed, to the tune of 1.3 billion rupees disbursed so far. He acknowledged embezzlement in some cases, where grants were diverted from other chiefs’ salaries. Alam also announced new rental rules for shops and municipal properties, removing old notifications and moving to market rate leasing to address low rental income.
Opposition members, including the ANP’s Arbab Usman, accused the 2022 amendments of diluting the powers of local representatives after the 2021 elections, leading to bureaucratic domination and blocked development. Other issues raised include delays in appointments to the Civil Service Commission and calls for modern skills programs for women beyond traditional professions.
The minister agreed on the need to extend women’s empowerment to the IT, nursing and modern sectors, referring the matter to a standing committee. Issues such as the expiration of welfare funds, contract extensions and the condition of highways were also referred to committees for review.
The session began with the recitation of the Quran and the national anthem, with an hour of questions on women’s development, social protection, fiscal discipline and NFC awards. While the Hazara resolution sparked internal frictions in the PTI, broader debates highlighted ongoing governance and financial tensions within the province’s local bodies.
