SWABI - Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai has said that keeping in view the current serious challenges being faced by the Pakhtun nation it is imperative for its leadership to unite for the survival of the nation and future of the young generation.
He was addressing a big public meeting at Shewa Adda of district Swabi on Wednesday. Central and provincial leaders and activists of the party from all over the district and other regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also attended the gathering. He said all the Pakhtun factions should unite because survival of the nation is at stake as killing of Pakhtuns and their financial decline continued unabated for the last many years.
He said the political, religious and tribal Pakhtun leaders should shun their differences, strike an agreed formula to serve the Pakhtun nation from a united platform. He said the Pakhtun leaders’ unity and collective efforts could protect the future of young Pakhtuns, their economic and political interest and dignity while achieving the objective of progress and prosperity. He said as compared to other regions of the country, Pakhtun areas had suffered badly due to war against terrorism, citing the example of sufferings of Balochistan, Federally administrated Tribal Areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and tribal landscapes are under the shadows of war. This is the result of the conspiracies hatched against the Pakhtuns,” he said.
He said that millions of Pakhtuns left their homes, leaving all the belongings and perfect mechanism of earning their livelihood but when the question of their return to country came they confront with numerous difficulties and challenges.
He demanded rehabilitation of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs). “Pakhtuns have rendered countless sacrifices for the motherland and ready to render more but they should not be victimised at the cost of others,” he said, adding that Pakhtuns are a brave nation and whenever there was a threat to the country’s integrity they fought gallantly.
He said Pukhtuns have right over their resources while upholding the principle of fraternity and brotherhood. “We want to make it clear that usurping of our resources will not be tolerated,” he said. About Afghanistan, he said that peace could not be restored in war-ravaged Afghanistan if the neighbouring countries continue meddling in Afghanistan internal affairs. “In case of failure the neighbours will also face the explosive security situation,” he added. He warned the neighbours that they should either stop interference in Afghan internal affairs or face the consequences of instability. “Afghan crisis had already badly harmed Pakistan economic progress,” he said.