QUETTA: Pash­tun­­khwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Monday declared that the tragic mistreatment meted out to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto would not be allowed to be repeated with Imran Khan.

Addressing a public meeting in Qilla Saifullah in honour of the martyrs of democracy, Mr Achakzai said if military’s alleged interference in politics continued, Pakistan would keep facing political instability and its future would remain marred by uncertainty.

He vowed to resist any attempts to undermine the Constitution in the name of amendments.

The veteran politician recalled the events of Oct 7, 1983 when the PkMAP held a procession in Quetta calling for then-dictator Gen Zia to restore the Constitution and democracy. The response from the martial law authorities was brutal, he said, adding that the gunfire left four party workers dead and scores injured.

Predicts civil unrest if ex-PM, other ‘political detainees’ not freed

Besides, he said, hundreds of participants were rounded up during the crackdown.

He pointed out that PTI is deeply concerned about the life of Mr Khan, fearing that history could repeat itself and their incarcerated leader could be subjected to the same treatment that was meted out to Bhutto.

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Mr Achakzai pointed out that during the PTI’s recent protests, the link between Islamabad and Rawalpindi was cut off and the party’s workers faced alleged state repression while protesting for their leader’s release.

The PkMAP chief demanded that Mr Khan and other political prisoners be freed immediately, warning that failure to do so could push the country towards civil unrest.

He expressed solidarity with judiciary for standing up for the supremacy of Constitution and reaffirmed his party’s long-standing commitment to democracy and constitutional supremacy.

Mr Achakzai criticised the government for imposing a ban on the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and called the move unconstitutional and a violation of the basic democratic right to freedom of assembly, speech, and association.

He condemned Israel for committing genocide of Palestinian people and called on the global community, particularly the Muslim world, to intervene for the resolution of the crisis based on the two-state solution.

The PkMAP leader also spoke about the Feb 8 elections, calling them grossly rigged and asserting that the government formed as a result had neither constitutional nor moral legitimacy.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2024