Achakzai vows not to abandon Imran Khan, offers unconditional talks

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chairman and Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen Pakistan head Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said in an interview with a private television channel that he and Allama Nasir will not leave Imran Khan alone at any cost.

He said that since they began a politics of democracy, the right to self-determination and giving people a share in governance, they have faced objections. He said they are now used to them and do not care. Personally and as a party, he said, their conscience is clear.

He said the sorrow is that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is going through a difficult time. He said they will not step back in these crises under any circumstances. He said they will neither ask people to pick up sticks nor to throw stones, but sitting completely silent is highly condemnable.

Party leadership and nomination of the opposition leader

Mahmood Khan Achakzai said Imran Khan made three decisions. The first, made in his absence, concerned the PTI chairmanship, in which a man who was his lawyer was announced as chairman. The second was that Mahmood would be Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and Allama Nasir in the Senate. Today, he said, there are objections to this.

Criticising the Speaker, he said he has no personal enmity with him, but the Speaker is unable to handle the office. According to him, the PTI and Imran Khan had sent the nomination of himself and Raja Nasir as opposition leaders to the party. There was only a distance of 100 feet between the party and the Speaker, yet the decision was held up for five months.

Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that, according to his own information, the Speaker himself was also involved in trying to ensure that one person was not allowed to remain in that post. He said friendship is one thing, but this is the matter of principle.

Democratic struggle and undemocratic forces

He said Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif took a step towards strengthening Parliament by adopting the line of “respect the vote”. When he moved in that direction, they gave him unconditional support. Their attitude towards Benazir Bhutto was the same, he said.

He said the fight between democratic and undemocratic forces began with the creation of Pakistan. Undemocratic forces, for the sake of their ego and their intention that there should be no democracy or constitution here, do not hesitate even to break up Pakistan. He said allegations are being made against them, although they say Pakistan is a voluntary federation.

He pointed to two kinds of people in the PTI. One is the worker who loves Imran Khan and is ready to do everything for him. The other is the expedient leadership, which stands with Imran Khan out of fear that tomorrow Mahmood may not be an MNA. In his words, both these forces have created problems in the PTI.

Referring to the Battle of Tabuk, Mahmood Khan Achakzai said that when war is declared, those in the ranks of leadership do not need to think but must step onto the field. He mentioned Ka’ab bin Malik and two other companions who stayed behind at the time of Tabuk.

Demand for talks and a meeting

He said the PTI had assigned Maulana Fazlur Rehman to this good cause and an agreement was reached, but it was later denied. According to him, the containers were removed, but the leader of a party is in jail and a meeting with him should take place. He made the same request to all political parties.

He said letters were written to the Prime Minister and a reply was received, which he has kept safe. He said that since the first meeting is a constitutional matter, at least the first meeting should be held in the Constitution Room. He invited Shehbaz Sharif to the opposition chamber and said he would also go to his house, but the talks would be held at Constitution House.

About Rana Sanaullah, he said he is a decent man and he will not say a single word against him. According to him, Rana Sanaullah is compelled to honour his loyalty.

He said that if a decision has been taken for meaningful talks with Imran Khan, he is ready unconditionally. The all-parties conference will be held this month. In his words, the decision on Imran Khan’s release could come soon, and the day political leaders meet Imran Khan will mark the beginning of positive talks.

He accused the government of imposing governor’s rule and said attempts are being made to seize water resources and minerals and to break up the provinces. He said Pakistan is weak from within and all its ruin comes from inside.

On the 28th Constitutional Amendment, he said that if it removed the patchwork from the present Constitution, millions of people in Pakistan would celebrate. But, he said, responsible PTI people say the amendment the government wants to bring is not Imran Khan’s freedom but a path to Pakistan’s ruin and civil war. He warned that if rights are not given, people will come out in Sindh, Balochistan and Pashtunkhwa.

He claimed that more than 140 lives have been lost to gunfire in processions during the present government’s tenure.

Calling the allegations of perks completely false, he said he has taken no perks since becoming Leader of the Opposition. He has not taken a government house or asked for protocol, and has only one small car.

He said Nawaz Sharif had told him that he must join the government with him, which he declined. He said they are ready to go to any extent for the survival of democracy.