QUETTA, Oct 16: Pashtun nationalist leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai has called for respecting the sovereignty of the Afghan people and the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
“No one will be spared,” leader of the Pashtunkhawah Milli Awami Party, Mr Achakzai warns every visitor, mostly foreign journalists, to his office.
Sitting under the shadow of a life-size portrait of his illustrious father late Abdul Samad Achakzai Mr Achakzai blames Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, the US, former Soviet Union and the United Nations for the miserable conditions in Afghanistan.
He appreciates President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s concern about Afghanistan’s demographic complexion and that due recognition should be given to all groups in any future government setup.
Mr Achakzai is the acting convener of the Peoples of Oppressed Nationalities Movement (Ponam), a conglomerate of 37 parties that call for the rights of all nationalities to govern and to have control over their national resources in their own territories.
“Osama bin Ladin is an alien in Afghanistan and should not be the cause of the unending miseries of the Afghans,” he declares in very clear terms.
Mr Achakzai is the only leader in Quetta who demanded the expulsion of Osama from Afghanistan in a big public meeting on October 7, the day Americans began their air strikes on Afghan cities.
“The Afghans have been kind to Osama by offering him hospitality in the most difficulty circumstances,” he says and pleads that “now is the time that Osama should leave Afghanistan voluntarily.”
In case Osama is tried in another country, his supporters can always arrange for the best legal team to help him.
Mr Achakzai’s formula to resolve the current crisis in Afghanistan is to set up an administrative nucleus around the former Afghanistan King Zahir Shah or his nominee, and a Loya Jirga that should draw its members from all groups. This Jirga can form a provisional government to create conditions for elections.
He said that many generals and senior officers of the army of Afghanistan are living in Europe and the Middle East. “They all would be too willing to be of any service in the plan.”
He said, “Time is running out and quick decisions must be made so that air raids in Afghanistan could stop.” Afghan’s should not be punished for someone else’s crime,” he added.
He blames the various factions of Mujahideen for destroying the infrastructure, institutions, and the massacre in Afghanistan. “Not much damage was done during the Soviet invasion”, he said, most of the destruction came at the hands of the Mujahideen after the Soviet troops left.
Mr Achakzai holds the UN responsible for the death of the ex-President of Afghanistan Dr Najibullah. He said that after the signing of Geneva accord Dr Najibullah offered to resign.
He took refuge in the UN promises in Kabul. He was in UN protective custody at the time when the Taliban in 1996 dragged Dr Najib and his brother out of UN building; they were lynched and their bodies mutilated, against all principles of Islam.