The question of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s name has resurfaced in political and public discourse. During the proposed modifications, the Awami National Party urged that the term “Khyber” be deleted from the province’s name and replaced with just Pakhtunkhwa, prompting some quarters to make contradicting declarations and comments that are irrelevant.
The point is straightforward: “Khyber” is now a district of present-day Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a result of the FATA merger. In this context, there is no political or geographical rationale for keeping this term attached, thus it is fine to delete it and preserve it just in Pakhtunkhwa.
The tragedy is that instead of writing and speaking the full name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, most people write and speak “KP” and “KPK,” which are similar to the NWFP initials, and it is fair to complain or object that the province’s name should be made short and concise like other provinces to avoid ambiguity.
As for some political quarters’ demand for the formation of a new province, that is a separate discussion, and serious consultation is taking place among the concerned state bodies, there are reports that the administrative structure of many other provinces is being carefully reviewed, but any such decision will not be limited to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, so the matter must be viewed in a broader context.