Achakzai says all provinces have first right over their resources

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PMAP) Chairman and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA) Mehmood Khan Achakzai said on Saturday that it was unfortunate that the Father of the Nation Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah did not live long, reported 24NewsHD TV channel on Sunday.

Addressing a public gathering in Jamshoro held in connection with the birthday of Sindhi nationalist leader GM Syed, he said that it was a practice in Pakistan that every new government was welcomed and extolled, while the former government was held responsible for all the ills afflicting the country.

Achakzai said that the sacrifices given by the people of smaller provinces were matchless.

The opposition leader said that unfortunately, all those politicians who were pro-Pakistan, were thrown in jails after the creation of the country. “National Awami Party (NAP), whose manifesto was that all provinces will have equal rights, was founded,” he said, adding that the NAP was the only party which wanted to make Pakistan a democratic state. “But unfortunately, its leaders, too, were thrown into jails.”

He further said that Pakistan was 78 years old, while the civilisation of Sindh was thousands of years old. “This is our country. And we have to save it,” Achakzai said categorically.

He went on to say that the people of all provinces had the first right over their resources.

He said that the opposition acknowledged the importance of the Pakistan Army. “How is it possible that a country of 250 million people does not have an army?” he questioned.

The opposition leader said that the country’s army would have to remain within the limits of the constitution, just like was the case in other countries. “The constitution is an oath, a covenant,” he said, and referring to the army, added, “Please show regard for the oath you have taken. And we will salute you.”

“Because when you violate the constitution; disregard the oath, the relations between you and political parties are strained.”

Achakzai said that the whole world had witnessed that the country’s Supreme Court (SC) had snatched electoral symbol from a political party. “It is said there is terrorism in the country. But what else could be more terrifying than the fact that the mandate given by the people to a party was stolen on February 8, 2024,” he lamented.

The opposition leader wondered what type of country it was where people slashed each other’s throats. “The Almighty Allah has declared ‘murder’ the biggest sin after ‘shirk’,” he said.

He opined that it was for the army to decide that there would be peace in the country. “If it decides, then there will definitely be peace in the country.”

Achakzai asked why former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan was in jail. “Nowhere in the world is there any restriction on the meetings of jail inmates with their families and lawyers as is the case with Imran Khan,” he lamented.

He said that the government which could not give the masses bread and shelter had no right to remain in power.

He also demanded convening the session of parliament to discuss the situation in Iran.