Ending militancy: Achakzai proposes ‘roadmap for peace’

PkMAP chief vows to restore peace by March 23 next year.

ISLAMABAD:

While the government struggles to resume the dialogue process with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mehmood Khan Achakzai has proposed a roadmap for restoring peace in the country.

The PkMAP chief presented his idea on the floor of the National Assembly on Wednesday, claiming it could successfully resolve all militancy-related issues by March 23, 2014.

“If I fail to restore peace, I’ll quit politics,” he announced as he outlined his roadmap, which envisages setting up a 15-member team to tackle all issues pertaining to militancy, terrorism and extremism in the country. According to Achakzai, the team – which will include three or four journalists – will ask both the civil and military leadership six to seven questions before starting work on its plan to restore peace.



“Do you [Pakistan] consider Afghanistan a sovereign state? Why have you deputed intelligence operatives along the length of your border, from China to Iran? Do you guarantee equal rights to all castes and creeds?” he said while unveiling some of the questions he had on his mind.

Although he stopped short of talking about the other questions the proposed committee would ask, Achakzai urged both the civil and military leadership to stop interference in other countries’ affairs. He added that much of Pakistan’s troubles arose because the country’s leaders had been taking orders from the United States since the days of Liaquat Ali Khan.

Achakzai, who addressed the house for 48 minutes, held the country’s two leading political parties – the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party – responsible for the continued spread of violence. He also criticised Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan for “taking emotional decisions without knowing ground realities in the tribal belt.”

“It’s time to use our wit and apply wisdom to get rid of terrorism,” he said, stressing unity among political leaders.

Recalling Pakistan’s history, he accused the Centre of grabbing the resources of people from the provinces, especially in Balochistan, and said similar policies had led to the separation of East Pakistan. He noted Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was being similarly ignored, particularly with respect to its energy needs.

Achakzai said the Sindhis and the Seraikis should similarly receive their due rights and asked the government to declare the Federally Administered Tribal Areas a separate province. “It’s time for ending conflict [in Pakistan]. I’m 100% sure that we could deliver on this front if we give the Baloch, the Pashtuns, the Seraikis and the Sindhis their due rights.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th, 2013.