QUETTA:
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday warned of severe public backlash if Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s democratic mandate is undermined or any attempt is made to impose governor’s rule. Addressing a large public gathering at Ayub Stadium on Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai’s 52nd death anniversary, he said people would take to the streets to protect their vote.
Addressing thousands of supporters, Achakzai criticized what he described as the erosion of constitutional values, saying the constitution has been reduced to a ceremonial document while its principles are ignored. He questioned the legitimacy of a parliament formed through pressure, manipulation or contrived processes, highlighting that such assemblies lack the moral authority to amend the constitution.
“The public voted decisively, yet candidates trailing in the polls were declared winners through rigged procedures and financial deals,” he said, denouncing the mass disqualification of opposition lawmakers as an attempt to create an artificial majority disconnected from the people’s mandate. Achakzai added that raising concerns about election transparency has only provoked anger from those who wield parliamentary power, while the credibility of the judiciary continues to wane.
On governance and law and order in the Pashtun and Baloch regions, he highlighted the link between resource wealth and recurring unrest.
