Identity Crises and Politics of Ethnicity: A Case Study of Hazara Nationalist Movement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

Abstract

The Pakistani Federation has vested more autonomy to the provinces through the 18th constitutional amendment. This autonomy has evidenced impetus for the continuing demands of sub-national sets and provincial minorities for the creation of new provinces in Pakistan. The identity crisis and politics of ethnicity have been reawakened after the 18th constitutional amendment. The Hazarawal (variousethnolinguistic groups inhabited in Hazara) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province have been striving for a separate province since the 1950s, andthe voice for separate identity re-emerged as a full-fledged movement after the 18th amendment. This analytical study proposes that the movement seems quite fruitful in attaining some of its essential objectives.Nevertheless, the movement is still far away from achieving its prime and chief political terminus, i.e., the creation of a separate Hazara province.In this context, this paper tries to explore the identity crisis and politics of ethnicity in the Hazara region. The paper contends that without adopting some more effective and substantial measures, the movement could not attain its goalmouth in the near future. However, a more flexible, inclusive and accommodate approach would boost the chance of its ultimate success.