He was delivering his speech on 'Pakistan's Survival Lies in Democracy, Rule of law and Constitution', at the Islamabad Bar Association, on Thursday.
Achakzai suggested holding a roundtable conference of the stakeholders to evolve consensus and decide how and who should govern the country. “Without deciding this, we will run around in a vicious circle,” he maintained.
The PkMAP chief urged all political and democratic forces including Imran khan to come forward to forge national consensus for the future of Pakistan. “I am ready to play a role necessary for this purpose.”
He recalled that from the very beginning, politicians were maligned to create an artificial political class willing to be part of every government, whether it was so called democracy or dictatorship. He called upon the political parties to not accept such turncoats in their ranks.
He stressed that Pakistan is a plural and diverse society and it’s survival, unity, and prosperity can only be ensured through unity in diversity and a true federation guaranteed by a supreme constitution and parliament.
If India, with its religious, creed, ethnic, linguistic diversity, and poverty could establish the world largest democracy and proceed towards economic stabilisation and development, why can't Pakistan, he asked.
In the face of poverty, inflation and prevailing economic situation, Achakzai warned, we don’t have much time as the prevailing issues would push the country into an anarchic and civil war-like situation.
“Yet we (the people) can manage the situation and negate through the troubled water, provided that the establishment is ready to swallow the bitter pill of adhering to the Constitution in letter and spirit.”
Pakistan has all the resources required for development and prosperity, except a functional constitutional and true democratic governing system, he observed and called for a conducive democratic environment.
He also called for acknowledging judges who stood by democracy and refused to take oath under PCOs during martial laws.
Similarly, he said, political activists and journalists who paid sacrifices for restoration of democracy, and human and constitutional rights should be acknowledged.
On the regional situation, PkMAP chief warned that the world and regional powers were planning a new phase of ‘great game’ in Afghanistan and on the pashtun land which could lead to balkanisation of the entire region.
“Endangering the integrity and independence of any state in the region can jeopardise all the regional states whether it is Afghanistan, Pakistan or Iran”, he said.
He asserted that an independent Afghanistan could be a good friend of Pakistan and both countries can reap the economic benefits offered by friendship on the basis of peaceful co-existence. To achieve this, Achakzai volunteered to play his role.
Pashtuns, he added, live on both sides of the Durand Line. "We are Pakistani citizens and want a federal democratic and prosperous Pakistan on the basis of equity and equality."
While responding to a question on Ali Wazir's detention, Achakzai said PkMAP had been raising voice for him for the past two years. On Dec 16, the party organised countrywide demonstrations for Ali Wazir. He requested the lawyers to join them in the campaign.
The bar's president Chaudhry Hafeezullah Yaqoob advocate and Muhammad Billal Mughal also addressed the event. In his welcome address, Hafeezullah paid tribute to Achakzai’s struggle for democracy.