No events on Abbottabad firing anniversary in Haripur

HARIPUR: Unlike other parts of Hazara division, people of Haripur district have not seen any programme or rallies to mark the fifth anniversary of the April 12, 2010, firing incident of Abbottabad.
Like previous years, Abbottabad and Mansehra took the lead and held processions, press conferences, shutter down and conferences to renew the pledge to continue their struggle till accomplishment of Hazara province.
Five years ago, seven protesters were killed and more than 200 wounded when police fired shots on them at a rally against renaming of the province as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.Since then, the anniversary of the firing incident is marked every year in various parts of Hazara division. However, this year no such programme was held in Haripur despite the fact that some senior leaders of Hazara movement, including former National Assembly speaker Gohar Ayub, his son MNA Omar Ayub, nephew Yousuf Ayub and MNA Dr Raja Amir Zaman, hail from Haripur that is known as the gateway to Hazara.
“They forgot our brothers who had sacrificed their lives for the constitutional right of Hazarawals,” said Naseem Awan, an office-bearer of Hazara Qaumi Mahaz.He said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid, Pakistan People’s Party and even Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf had ignored the people of Hazara though they had promised to create Hazara province.
Rafique Hazarvi, another activist of Hazara movement, said the rulers could not deprive the Hazarawals of their right for a long time. “They will have to succumb to the demand as it is need of the hour to create smaller administrative units on the pattern of India and Afghanistan,” he added.