Chief of Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, emphasized the importance of language and demanded due recognition for all languages, including Pashto.
He spoke at a public gathering in Quetta, held to commemorate the sacrifices of students from Dhaka University on February 21, 2023, in connection with the International Day of Mother Languages.
Achakzai stated that discrimination on the basis of language, ethnicity, creed, or caste is inhumane.
He emphasized that his party believes in diversity, plurality, justice, and democracy, which are prerequisites for integration, development, and peace.
Achakzai noted that PkMAP represents Pakhtuns and takes pride in its struggle for the unity of the Pakhtuns and their political and economic rights.
He warned that inflation and poverty are testing the limits of people and may lead to a political storm if left unchecked. In these hard times, he appealed to the well-off segment of society and his party workers to take care of the needy and poor in their neighborhood and surroundings.
Achakzai reiterated his stance that the situation is so precarious that mere elections will not suffice. He suggested holding a round table conference of stakeholders to reach a consensus on how to govern the country.
Achakzai advised the Pakistan government to change its Afghan policy for the sake of durable peace in the region. Such change can also help mitigate its current challenges. He also urged other regional powers to respect the principle of non-interference in each other’s affairs for the sake of peace, security, and development of the region.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2023.
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