QUETTA:
Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Tuesday warned of serious public backlash if Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s democratic mandate is compromised or any attempt is made to impose the rule of the governor. Addressing a large public rally at Ayub Stadium on the 52nd death anniversary of Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, he said the people would take to the streets to protect their vote.
Speaking to 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, stressing that such assemblies lack the moral authority to amend the Constitution.
“The public voted decisively, but candidates behind in the polls were declared winners through manipulated procedures and financial deals,” he said, condemning the mass disqualification of opposition lawmakers as an attempt to create an artificial majority disconnected from the mandate of the people. Achakzai added that concerns over electoral transparency have only angered parliamentary power holders, while the credibility of the judiciary continues to decline.
On governance and law and order in the Pashtun and Baloch regions, he highlighted the link between resource wealth and recurring unrest.
