Politics of Renaming NWFP: A Historical Appraisal (1947-2010)

Abstract

In British India, June 3, 1947 Plan brought drastic changes in politics and shaped attitudes of various political leaders. Feeling treacherous by the Indian National Congress (INC), Khudai Khidmatgars (KKs) demanded Pakhtunistan (independent state). It was not accepted by the British, the INC and All India Muslim League (AIML), led to a boycott of referendum by the KKs, still, Pakhtuns decided to join Pakistan. In post-partition era, the KKs modified their demand of Pakhtunistan with greater provincial autonomy within the state and renaming of the province later as Pakhtunkhwa instead of Pakhtunistan. The KKs political counteracts have doubts that they were on the track of separation in the facade of province’s renaming. In fact, this was not the real matter. They were moving towards integration. However, they were looking for an identity by renaming of the province like Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Bengal. As the authority was not satisfied with the demand of Pakhtunistan because of its pre-partition record, the demanding name for the province was changed to “Pakhtunkhwa” during Zia’s regime. In April 2010, the Eighteenth Amendment to 1973 constitution was passed and the NWFP was renamed as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This paper will analyze renaming issue of the NWFP from independence of Pakistan considering parliamentary struggle.