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Express Tribune
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- Politics
- Express Tribune
Opposition calls APC on July 31-Aug 1
An alliance of opposition parties — Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ain — has announced a two-day all parties conference (APC), which will be held in Islamabad on July 31 and August 1 as part of its professed struggle to ensure the supremacy of the Constitution and law. "We will hold an APC and invite people from state institutions as well. We will step out for the sake of this country. Whatever issue concerns any section of society, we will support it unconditionally," said head of the alliance, Mahmood Khan Achakzai during a press conference in Islamabad. Achakzai, who is also the chief of the PkMAP, claimed that the opposition's alliance is the first political alliance not formed at the behest of any institution. It is also not created for spectacle or drama, he added. According to the politician, the alliance would continue until the country has a truly impartial polls oversight authority, supremacy of the Constitution, and a parliament that is the true source of power. Referring to former prime minister Imran Khan, he said the leader of the party that won the general elections of February 8 was jailed and a government was formed by terrorizing the people. This is an insult to governance, he added. Achakzai claimed that anti-terrorism courts (ATC) sentenced both adults and minors to ten years in prison in the May 9 cases. "We will go from street to street and alley to alley in protest against this government. We will protest from Gilgit-Baltistan to Gwadar, but we will neither use abusive language nor violence," he said. PTI's Salman Akram Raja also addressed the media, stating that the country needed to be set on the right path as it could not be run through the use of force. "Our movement for the protection of the Constitution' is constitutional and ideological. We do not intend violence. No one should use this movement as a pretext to impose more repression. Our people have been punished solely because they were affiliated with the PTI," he said.
Express Tribune
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Achakzai slams divvying up of PTI's reserved seats
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Thursday criticised the Constitutional Bench verdict in the reserved seats review case, saying that divvying up the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) reserved seats to other parties made a mockery of the vote. Speaking at a news conference in Islamabad, Achakzai said that the government was violating the Constitution, destroying the judiciary and disrespecting the people's mandate. The court decision, he said, deprived the PTI of its share in the reserved seats. "We believe in the supremacy of the Constitution and the law. But here people are being enslaved," Achakzai said. "Today, the Constitution is being disrespected. Now the PML-N [Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz] and the PPP [Pakistan Peoples Party] are undermining the spirit of the Constitution." The PkMAP chief said that he might have many differences with the PTI, but still he believed that the party faced great injustices. He claimed that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) acted in a biased manner, while the Supreme Court snatched its electoral symbol of bat. He charged that the current government also lacked credibility because it was formed at "gunpoint". He also accused National Assembly speaker of being biased. He said that remaining silent in these circumstances would be tantamount to "criminal negligence".
Express Tribune
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Achakzai warns of proxy war fallout
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai has raised alarm over rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly between Iran and Israel, warning of serious repercussions for Pakistan. Speaking at a press conference in Quetta, the veteran politician and head of the Movement for the Protection of the Constitution of Pakistan urged the nation to avoid becoming entangled in external conflicts, stating, "Proxy wars are returning to our region - and we must wake up before it's too late." Achakzai lamented Pakistan's long-standing constitutional challenges, recalling how there were initially deliberate delays in drafting a constitution. Once established, he said, the constitution was systematically undermined. He painted a grim picture of the country's present state, describing it as mired in a deep political, constitutional, and economic crisis. The remarks came following a two-day meeting of the PkMAP's Central Executive and Working Committees. Achakzai accused the current government of lacking legitimacy, stating that the public mandate had been stolen and that the Constitution was being openly violated. "If this government remains in power, it will inflict irreparable damage on the country," he warned. Citing a recent World Bank report, Achakzai noted that more than 45 percent of Pakistan's population now lives below the poverty line. He criticized the disproportionate allocation of the national budget towards debt servicing and defense, at the expense of public welfare. The PkMAP chief further denounced the judiciary, media, and ruling elites for failing to safeguard democratic principles, and proposed the seizure of illegal assets from public officials to help offset national debt. Achakzai reiterated his demand for the immediate release of PTI founder Imran Khan and other political detainees.
Express Tribune
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Achakzai announces drive for democratic revival
In a historic public Jirga held in Kabal, Swat, Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and Member of the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, announced a nationwide movement to be launched after Eid-ul-Azha, aimed at restoring constitutional order and democratic integrity under the Tehreek Tahafuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan. He delivered a forceful and impassioned speech addressing Pakistan's political turmoil, constitutional challenges, and the plight of the Pashtun people. Speaking before a large crowd under the banner of TTAP Achakzai, who also is its president, emphasized that Pakistan's survival depends on the supremacy of its Constitution. "There can be no compromise on constitutional rule," he declared. He underscored the Pashtun people's right to control their resources, drawing a comparison with global nationalist sentiments. "If Trump can say 'America First,' we too can say 'Pashtun First,'" he stated, clarifying that the demand is rooted in both international law and Islamic principles. Achakzai rejected any form of subjugation, asserting, "We are not asking for separation, but we will not accept slavery." He decried the portrayal of Pashtuns as extremists, pointing to the community's suffering from both global conflicts and flawed state policies. He likened their struggle to that of Palestinians and Kurds, criticizing historical and ongoing divisions imposed by colonial and state authorities. The veteran politician condemned the state's economic policies, particularly the handing over of local resources to foreign investors under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and slammed the February 2024 elections as "blatantly rigged," alleging large-scale vote manipulation.
Express Tribune
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Achakzai rejects 'unjust' water distribution formula
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai has categorically rejected the federal government's proposed formula for water distribution among the provinces as "unjust and unacceptable." Addressing a grand jirga organised by PkMAP in Swabi district on Saturday, Achakzai, who is also the head of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz Aaeen-e-Pakistan, stressed that Pakistan can only function effectively if all four federating units are granted their due share of resources. "This country wasn't handed to us as charity - our elders made great sacrifices for it," he said. "Each province must receive what it rightfully deserves." Achakzai criticised the current water-sharing model, which allocates 50 per cent to Punjab, 38 per cent to Sindh, eight per cent to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and three per cent to Balochistan. He entirely rejected this formula and called for a new, equitable system. The PkMAP chairman also urged Pakistan and India to demonstrate maturity and restraint in their bilateral relations, warning that a nuclear conflict is not child's play. "Neither the people of the two nations nor the modern world can afford such a war," he added. The veteran nationalist politician condemned the exploitation of natural resources by powerful nations and corporations, calling for an end to external control over local wealth. "We demand that our resources be returned to us. Powerful and wealthy countries must stop occupying the natural and mineral wealth of weaker nations," he said. Achakzai slammed the narrative labeling Pashtuns as terrorists, saying that Pashtuns are, in fact, a peace-loving people. "Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa is rich in blessings, many of which are even mentioned in the Holy Quran," he added. The PkMAP chief questioned the legitimacy of using national resources to pay back IMF loans. "Let the government show us how much the IMF has actually loaned and how much has been invested in K-P, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan," he demanded. Achakzai also rejected the outcome of the February 8 general elections as a "national tragedy" in which voters were denied their rights through coercion. "The biggest act of terrorism in Pakistan occurred during these elections when people were forced at gunpoint to surrender their vote," he claimed.
