Unity is indispensable for the defense of the homeland, the sovereignty of the nation, and its honor and dignity; we do not want to break Pakistan – Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai

Addressing the ongoing protest sit-in at Koyla Phatak against the Ziarat tragedy, Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that five years ago he had called for unity, adding that attacks were carried out on elders including Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Asfandyar Wali Khan and Aftab Sherpao – what was their fault? “Our blood has been shed for ages and today we are told that Pashtuns are terrorists.”
Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that if the government is ready to form a judicial commission, it is essential that the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner be removed from their posts first, as a transparent investigation is not possible in their presence. “They are the killers of our children.” Addressing Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, he said that his entire government is responsible for these killings.
He said that the Pashtun-Afghan homeland is located among major powers, with Russia and Mawara-un-Nahr to the north, Arabs and Iran on the other side, China on one side and India below. “We are small in number, but history bears witness that Pashtuns have never acted as agents of any major power. This country is now 78 years old; Pashtun, Baloch, Sindhi, Saraiki and Punjabi have been owners of their historic homelands for thousands of years.”
He said that in Swat and Waziristan, hundreds of thousands of people were displaced, houses and markets were demolished and turned into cricket grounds. He said they tell the major powers of the world that the government with which you are striking deals over our resources has not been voted in by the people. “Wherever minerals are discovered, talk to the people of that land and the owners of that land; give them their share according to the laws of the world, and then you may extract the rest.”
He alleged that in Gulistan, Qila Abdullah and other districts, hundreds of thousands of tons of opium crops are being cultivated and money is being collected per acre, while in Bajaur and other areas people were shot for cultivating the same crop. “We should not destroy ourselves by fighting each other at the behest of others.”
Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that whoever is not happy with the freedom, sovereignty and independence of Afghanistan is neither a Muslim nor a Pashtun. On this issue, he demanded that the UN Secretary-General convene a conference of Pakistan, Afghanistan and all neighbors to reach an agreement based on non-interference and respect for sovereignty, guaranteed by the permanent members of the Security Council.
He said that all minorities living in Pashtunkhwa Watan, including Hindko, Persian, Hazara, Gujjar, Chitrali, Kohistani, Sikh, Hindu and Christian, have as much right to it as we do; they are all our brothers. Whoever violates the Constitution or does not act upon it is a traitor and an enemy of the country.
Addressing Sardar Akhtar Mengal, he said that just as allotting Gwadar lands to non-Baloch is wrong, similarly, allotting the historic lands of Pashtuns to non-Pashtuns must be stopped. All such allotments and the Mines and Minerals Bill must be revoked.
He clarified that he neither desires leadership of any lashkar nor kingship, nor does he have any overt or covert links with any general, ISI or MI. There is no enmity with the army and agencies, but they must stop interfering in politics and abide by their oath like the armies of the rest of the world.
In the end, he demanded that a joint Jirga of all Pashtuns be convened, comprising Pashtuns from Chitral to Hazara, Kashmir, Waziristan and Swat, which should continue for two to three days to decide the future course of action.