Mahmood Khan Achakzai Urges Defense of the Constitution, Criticizes Unconstitutional Government Actions

Islamabad/Quetta:Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) and President of the Movement for the Protection of Pakistan’s Constitution, addressed a press conference in Islamabad, where he strongly criticized the ongoing violation of the Constitution, warning that Pakistan’s foundations would crumble if the social contract between the people and the state was torn apart.

Achakzai pointed out that repeatedly, they had taken an oath to defend the Constitution, but today the Constitution itself is being undermined. “The Constitution is a social contract between the people of this land, and if you tear it apart, the foundations of Pakistan will be shaken,” he said. He called on all institutions to support the preservation of Pakistan and the Constitution.

He referred to a past incident during the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz, recalling that at the time, he and many others, including Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, would visit them in jail. He highlighted how Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, then Speaker, had pointed out a member’s continuous absence from Parliament for over 40 days, which was against the Constitution and parliamentary rules. “I congratulated Ayaz Sadiq at that time for remembering his constitutional powers,” Achakzai recalled, criticizing the Speaker for failing to act when members were dragged out of the assembly under his watch. “If you are the custodian of the house, you should use your authority, but you failed to do so,” he added.

Achakzai also drew a comparison between the past and the present, saying that although former military rulers like General Zia-ul-Haq and Pervez Musharraf were criticized for their actions, they still allowed democratic voices to function. He gave an example of the late Benazir Bhutto’s rally in Lahore, where the police did not interfere with the political gathering. “But today, when Imran Khan, the most popular leader in the country, wants to meet with members of Parliament or his family, they are not even allowed to meet him for hours under the harsh sun,” he lamented, questioning the legitimacy of an assembly that mocks itself.

In a strongly worded statement, Achakzai condemned the current government’s actions, describing them as unconstitutional, illegal, and undemocratic. He warned the ruling government that the people would rise against them if they continued down this path. “When the people are pushed to their limits, they can overthrow tyrants, and we have decided to organize the people of Pakistan to continue this struggle until the unconstitutional, illegal, and undemocratic government is removed,” he said.

Achakzai also extended an appeal to all democratic judges, military officials, journalists, intellectuals, and social organizations, urging them to support the restoration of democracy. “This is the time to steer Pakistan back on the right democratic path,” he said. He called for a joint effort from all political parties, including PPP, PML-N, JUI-F, Jamaat-e-Islami, and others, to come together on a set of key points to restore the supremacy of the Constitution, establish a democratic Pakistan, ensure parliamentary power, guarantee an autonomous Election Commission, and protect the freedoms of the press and judiciary.

Achakzai warned that if the political parties fail to unite, they would be forced to take their movement to the streets. “If you continue to suppress us, we will fight back, and if our peaceful democratic movement is pushed towards violence, the responsibility will fall on you,” he cautioned.

Concluding his speech, Achakzai addressed the ongoing exploitation of resources in Sindh, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He stated that if anyone wanted to extract resources from these provinces, they must first recognize the rights of the local children. “We will allow you to extract resources for the development of Pakistan, but not at the cost of the rights of our people,” he affirmed. He warned that if the current situation led to a civil war, the responsibility would fall on the federal government and the political elite, including Shahbaz Sharif.

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