Mahmood Khan Achakzai Urges for Constitutional Governance and Protection of Pashtun Resources

Peshawar/Quetta (Qudrat Daily) – Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) and head of the Movement for the Protection of Pakistan’s Constitution, has strongly criticized the government’s handling of Pashtun resources, particularly water distribution and the utilization of IMF loans.
Speaking at a National Jirga in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Achakzai condemned the unequal distribution of resources, especially water, which he said has been unfairly diverted from Pashtun-majority regions. He questioned the legitimacy of agreements like the 1990 Water Distribution Accord, stating that the Pashtun population had been given a meager share of resources. “Pashtun-majority regions, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, are being robbed of their rightful share, and this exploitation has turned our land barren,” he said.
Achakzai also raised concerns over the IMF loan agreements, demanding transparency in how the funds were used in Pashtun-majority areas. “We are prepared to pay back double the share of the loans if we are given a proper account of how these funds were spent in our homeland, but we will not allow our resources to be misappropriated,” he added. He criticized the ruling government for its perceived manipulation of the IMF deal to take advantage of Pashtun resources, while sidelining the actual stakeholders. “You have promised to the IMF that you will use Pashtun resources to repay the loans, but what will we do when you come to take away our resources by force?” he asked, addressing foreign dignitaries who had visited Islamabad to discuss these agreements.
He also highlighted the issue of mass unemployment among Pashtuns, with millions of young Pashtuns living as economic migrants abroad, despite the region being rich in natural resources. Achakzai stated that the people of Pashtun-majority areas, especially the youth, were facing dire economic conditions due to the mismanagement of these resources. “We are the owners of these resources, yet we remain jobless, displaced, and hungry. Why? Because we have no control over our own assets,” he lamented.
Achakzai emphasized that the problems faced by the Pashtun nation were shared across the region and that unity among Pashtuns, irrespective of political affiliation, was essential for safeguarding their rights and future. “Our dignity and survival as a people are shared concerns, and we must unite to address them,” he urged.
He also took a stand against the labeling of Pashtuns as terrorists or mercenaries, which, according to him, is part of a larger conspiracy to undermine the Pashtun identity. “We are not terrorists. We are not sectarian. Our belief is in the unity of all humanity. Our battle is against oppression, wherever it may come from,” he asserted.
Achakzai made a strong call for justice, urging that Pakistan could only survive if constitutional governance was upheld and the rule of law prevailed. “Pakistan will only thrive when the Constitution is respected, when justice is served, and when the rights of every individual, including Pashtun women and children, are safeguarded,” he stated.
He concluded by reiterating that the Pashtun people sought no charity, only control over their own land and resources. “We do not seek charity or alms; we want to have control over our own resources for the benefit of our children and future generations,” Achakzai declared.
The speech was met with strong applause from the audience, and the leader emphasized that it was time for the Pashtun people to take matters into their own hands and advocate for their rights on a national and international level.