QUETTA: Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said this region, particularly Pakhtun-Baloch belt, is once again in the eyes of storm due the emerging international political order, the realignment of powers and their conflicting interests.

This situation warrants extraordinary vigilance on the part of political forces, especially the security establishment of Pakistan, he said.

Speaking at a party event in Ziarat on Sunday, Mr Achakzai warned: “This time there is little or no room for mistakes and blunders.”

“Our region has already suffered enough because of the world powers’ rivalries and their contest for grabbing resources and maintaining hegemony of the region. For more than 40 years, Afghanistan had been turned into a battle ground of proxy wars which almost destroyed everything there but the bloodshed is still going on both sides of the Durand Line,” Mr Achakzai said.

Political forces, security establishment urged to maintain vigilance

The PkMAP chairman, however, expressed the hope that with the diplomatic efforts of China, the thaw between Iran and Saudi Arabia is a silver line in this regard as cordial relations between these two Middle Eastern powers may have positive impact for stability of the Middle East as well as beyond.

He also said that the process should be expanded and asked Afghanistan leaders that while using the good office of China, they should demand the UN secretary general to convene a special meeting of the Security Council on Afghanistan.

Mr Achakzai further explained that Pakhtun-Baloch land, Afghanistan and Central Asian states are bestowed with enormous natural resources and the world powers have their eyes on them. Mr Achakzai said while Gwadar provides the shortest sea route for the region’s transformation, after the development of Gwadar sea port, some powers want to turn the region, the Baloch-Pakhtun land, into a major point of contention.

“No foreign power is interested in the independence of any ethnicity, but in their own vested interests.”

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2023