Achakzai cautions against becoming part of war

QUETTA: Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) leader Mehmood Khan Achakzai on Wednesday said Pakistan’s foreign policy should be based on the recommendations put forth by all the four provinces, reported Geo News.
Achakzai linked the completion of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with peace in the region. He said peace could not be achieved unless the environment of distrust between Afghanistan and Pakistan was overcome. “Both the countries (Pakistan and Afghanistan) need peace,” he added.
He was addressing a rally organised in connection with the 42nd death anniversary of Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai at the Sadiq Shaheed Ground.Achakzai said the soil of their land was dearest to a Pashtun after the Holy Quran and Kalima and the nation would not make any compromise on that. He added that the people of Balochistan should be given their basic rights.
He said only parliament had the mandate to frame foreign policy and termed its supremacy “integral for strengthening democracy” in the country.Achakzai said foreign policy must be framed “as per the aspirations of masses” and the provincial governments should also be taken into confidence on the subject.
Foreign policy formulated by only three or four individuals was not acceptable, Achakzai told his party supporters. and religious leadership to “remain neutral” to protect the country. Religious leadership must avoid becoming party to any conflict, he said, demanding that religious leaders from Pakistan and Afghanistan should remain impartial in prevailing situation.
The region, he said, was facing civil war and bloodshed for more than four decades, as he referred to the war in Afghanistan and its impacts on Pakistan.
The veteran Pakhtun nationalist leader said Pakistan did not have to be part of any war after the withdrawal of USSR from Afghanistan. “Enough is enough. Now is the time for peace and development,” he said, adding that war had only inflicted harm to people living in the region.
Achakzai underlined the need for resuming dialogue process between the two countries to bring an end to unrest and ensure peace in the region. He stressed that Pakistan and Afghanistan “must end the blame game” and restore mutual trust to initiate dialogue.
Referring to the influx of refugees in the country, the PkMAP chairman said Afghan refugees had come to Pakistan under UN agreement as a result of civil war in Afghanistan. “There should be no discrimination against Afghans living here,” he said, lashing out at law enforcement agencies for “unnecessarily arresting” the Afghan refugees.
Regarding China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Achakzai said the success of the mega project was “linked with peace” and that development could only be ensured through peace in the province. He demanded the federal government to “address the grievances” of the Baloch people with regard to CPEC.