Achakzai's speech

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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Certain politicians in Pakistan are very good at putting their point across, particular mention should go to Aitzaz Ahsan of the PPP..a great speaker and a clean man..another one is Mahmud Khan Achakzai, his post budget speech received applause from both the treasury and opposition even from religious leaders on the MMA..

MNAs demand more provinces in the country

By Shahzad Raza

ISLAMABAD: A senior opposition leader on Tuesday called for creating more provinces in the country.

The demand was made by Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the parliamentary leader of the Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), during the budget debate in the National Assembly.

His comments were welcomed by a large number of opposition and treasury members including from the MQM. He said that the people of the Saraiki belt deserved to have their own province.

Achakzai called for forming more provinces according to the needs of the Pakhtoon and people belonging to other ethnic groups. He also demanded a provincial assembly for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).

He observed that the 1973 Constitution was a hurdle in resolving some core problems of the Pakhtoon. He said Pakistan could become a strong federation only by giving maximum autonomy to its federating units.

He added that the federal government should only deal with four subjects (defence, foreign affairs, currency and military communications) while delegating all other powers to the provinces.

Achakzai said it was wrong to say that the Balochi, Sindhi, Punjabi and Pakhtoon had become simply Pakistanis after independence and lost their original identities. He said everyone was an equal citizen of the country. He added he would not recognise Pakistan as his country if the people of one province were held hostage by the people of another province.

Referring to the war against terrorism, he said foreign countries believed Pakistan was playing a double game by helping terrorists on one hand and becoming a frontline state against terrorism on the other hand. He said army officials were being accused of training Al Qaeda fighters in Afghanistan. He claimed the intelligence agencies had allowed Afghans to enter the tribal areas after the US attack on Tora Bora, but after realising their mistake, started killing tribesmen who helped the refugees. Achakzai supported the Charter of Democracy, saying the army should have no role in politics. He said former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto might had committed mistakes, but should be applauded for trying to make amends.

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Big words from tiny brains, and even tinier hands. Before giving big speeches, Achkan Mian should come out and prove that he is man enough to set up One university, one hospital, and one high school. And I am not talking about LUMS, AKU, etc. Just three institutions with above average performance. That's all! Is it too much to ask from our politikos and especially Mr. Achkan Mian or his sari wearing supporters?

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Islamabad will never willingly give up any power to the provinces.

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Is Islamabad stopping Mr. Achkan to set up schools, colleges, and hospitals?

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As a person who has a strong family presence in South, Central and North Punjab, I appreciate the concern of a person who calls himself a Pashtun, calls me a Punjabi and then goes on to inform us about what people living in the south of my province deserve - a separate province. It's always interesting to see the responses it evokes from my friends when a Punjabi talks about what ethnic sub-groups in other provinces deserve. If Achakzai sahib had told me that we are all Pakistanis and to empower the smaller units of Pakistan, we need to divide the bigger unit, I would have supported him. However I'm not ready to listen to a person who plays a double game by fishing in troubled waters - being a spokesperson for anti-Pakistan forces on one hand and talking about how we can strengthen Pakistan on the other. Unfortunately, most politicians are like prostitutes. Should I inform him what double games the people like him are accused of playing? These people have drunk deep at the wells of duplicity.

Nevertheless I'm not against new provinces in Pakistan. As a matter of fact I have suggested that more than once here. I'm even willing to support the division of only Punjab IF it strengthens parties of Pakistan and not Pakhtunkwa or BalochKhwa, PunjabKhwa or MohajirKhwa parties etc. etc. However the principle applied to divide Punnjab may also be applied to divide other provinces at some point in the future.

Join Pakistan KherKhwa Party and divide Punjab into two or rather three units.

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first up he advocated redrawing all provinces ..second up the term anti pakistani makes me laugh, a term so often used by pro establishment walas … I suppose patriotism is the last refuge of a scounderal for a reason .

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Redrawing all provinces? Okay.. maybe.. but he was very vague when he 'called for forming more provinces according to the needs of the Pakhtoon and people belonging to other ethnic groups.' What does he mean? A separate province for Hindko people doesn't seem to be Pakhtoon need. Maybe he was talking about merging Attock and North Balochistan with Pakhtunkhwa. Honestly I don't know.. He should've been clear about these things jsut as he was clear about the right of Siraiki people and the double games Pakistan is playing in the region. I'm sure he would elucidate his point in the next speech. However he is right in demanding democratic assembly in tribal areas.

And yes, the people who live in Pakistan and call themselves patriotic Afghans are scoundrels. I merely defend my country just as the people of other countries defend theirs. Perhaps you should ask for a separate province according to the needs of South Asian people or other ethnic groups in England or London and then enjoy the reaction of ordinary British citizens.

Newbies just get ignored by many ....
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A government that sucks the money out of the nation cannot build schools? It has to be the responsiblity of one man now?

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Apples and oranges ..anti-state/pakistani=treason ..in almost all other countries treason is acting or even worse aborgating the constitution. Considering your support for the establishment.. your outrage seems to be very selective.

As far as Britain is concerned, the story of England, Scotland and Wales is simple, the “english” being the dominant ethnic group associate themselves with a British identity and there were strong ethnic nationalist movements in both regions, when the British governement granted autonomy, promoted their culture and language rights in both regions.. the separatist movements no longer had any sway.

The reason why someone like Achakzai gets cheers from both opposition and government is because he opposes what is wrong in his eyes regardless of who is in power and not when is simply convenient..just prior to this speech he critcised the speaker of the assembly for not allowing Punjabi poetry to be said in the assembly.

Also his speech has some interesting references on Waziristan ..considering his knowledge of the area he probably knows a lot more…

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Men with character make a difference. $tupid men on the other hand wait for God, Government, or Gore to come down and do something.

Balochistan (and similar areas) have one top issue. Lack of access to good hospitals, roads, factories, and educational institutions. If you wait for Allah himself to come down and build all that, well you may be to "saada" (innocent).

Each region in our country was developed with the efforts of individuals. Government came in later. In fact Government mostly messed up the good work of those very individuals. Bhutto's Government and the nationalization is a dark chapter in our history.

It is very easy to blame Islamabad. Heck it contains the letters for "bad" in its very name. However time and again the "blaming claiming attacking" leaders have been proven wrong.

Sh. Mujib was a leader in Pakistan. In BDesh he was quickly turned in the packaged minced meat, along with every man, woman, and child of his family. He used to smell jute in Islamabad roads. In fact this poor guy didn't even know the smell of jute. That is why his own Bangali people despised him to the extent that they destroyed his whole "nasal" (family tree). Lucky for him that one of his daughters survived.

Mr. Achkan and his sari-clad supporters are following the same old path of divide and rule. Divide Balochistan, Divide Punjab, Divide Sindh, Divide Frontier, Divide everything until Pakistan falls like Achakzai's jannat Somalia.

For sane people I propose just one quick check for the likes of Achakzai. Here is the test, and it is just a test.

OK! People now living in Balchistan (Balochis and Pushtoons) are spread across non-Pakistan areas in Afghanistan, and Iran.

The test is: Is Iran or Afghanistan giving more freedom and more prosperity to Pushtoons and Balchis?

Off couse people who fail this test will continue to blame Islamabad while sleeping on the heap of sand and dust. Do not do anything to uplift your own people. Just blame blame blame, divide divide divide.

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Mr. Anti, instead of resorting to rhetoric and cursing, like women, you should come up with some convincing argument.

Who would allow Achakzai whose views are diametrically opposed to the interests of the status-quo to build educational institutions? And why should he build schools where extremists, militant, pan-Islamist, and dogmatic ideas and intolerance will be imparted? And how can he build schools if lion's share of resources is divoured by the status-quo? Fauji Foundation, Shaheen Foundation, Bahria Foundation, AWT, etc.

In Pakistan, the powerful status-quo has only supported religious parties formost Jumaati-i-Islami to establish schools and sanctuaries to spread Jehadi zeal and ideology. A religious party has yet to question the huge budget allocated to the status-quo.

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Okay, zakk, abrogating/defacing constitution is treason. Granted. It's time for Musharraf to make up his mind and let the people know what he thinks of his future as the head of the state. But allying yourself with the enemies of the state is no less treacherous. (I'm not exactly accusing Achakzai of treason). I don't know which kind of treason harms the state more. Both are doing a 'fine' job. And I'm not pro-establishment. I'm pro-Pakistan (not pro-Punjabi poetry or pro-Pushto poetry). Just as the term 'anti-state' is used by some pro-establishment walas, the term 'pro-establishment' is used by every other politican/disgruntled elements to attack every person who lends support to any policy of the government.

And honestly, I'm sick of this accusation of 'double games'. Even some former generals of Pakistan suffer from this verbal diarrhoea. Pakistan played double games by supporting Talibans. Okayy... I knowwww Pakistan 'played double games' when every regional and world power was acting all angelic! (Afghanistan dominated by northern alliance leaders with big businesses in India and their hosts are still playing a 'single game' by complaining to the US that Pakistan is not doing enough, and then telling Pakistanis that Pak army is killing Pashtuns in Waziristan). Is the US or other western powers accused of these double games by these very people who are more loyal to Kabul than to Islamabad or even Peshawar? I'm sure you know the kind of double games all these Mengal Murri sardars and pro-Kabul agents have been playing since Russian invasion of Afghanistan. (I'm NOT against Afghanistan). I'm sure people know the kind of 'double games' India has long been playing in Afghanistan and even in Pakistan now. So why just single out one country? You know why? Because they just don't like Pakistan. I wish they said that openly and didn't beat around the 'double game' bush. They could earn more respect from me at least for their honesty.

Or is hamam me sab nange hein. My point is if you don't like Musharraf or establishment, criticize them. Why suddenly become an 'advocate' of oppressed women in Pakistan? Sometimes I feel that, ideologically, I'm closer to social agendas of parties like MQM and ANP. But how can I support MQM when their leader goes to India and calls Pakistan 'the biggest mistake of mankind'? (They are lending their support to Achakzai sahib probably because federal government has not given them their required quota of jobs and land allotment yet. After all they are politicians. So is the chief minister!) How can I support ANP when Nasim Wali Khan starts her interview by saying 'I'm Pashtun and I'm proud of that' and never talks about her pride in Pakistan? Being proud Pashtun is nothing wrong, but if you want the support of a person who was born in the most desensitized region (both ethnically and politically) of the country, you should talk about your pride in Pakistan as well. Unfortunately, most politicians push us to act pro-establishment.

You could earn far more support for your point of view by showing greater concern for the problems of Pakistan and not showing concern only for the concerns of our neighbours. However, I admit that I don't know much about Achackzai and judging him on one newspaper report is wrong. Perhaps some people know more about him. But we can judge at least his proposals.

So can we now please go back to Mr Achakzai's plans for new provinces. Or is this thread going to be hijcked by people playing single or double games like me?

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Hmmm! LUMS, AKU, IBA fell from sky or some Mullah made them with a magic wand?

Where Art Thou living Mr. LTD?

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WOW!!! Top post there Amorphous, you explained the double standard crap beautifully.

Whose Posts Do U Read???
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Your argument is odd Amorphous..if all people and regions were treated equally nobody would be complaining on the basis of caste or region and if they were..in that case you’d have a point. If you go to America or Britain and ask someone where are you from they say “I am from x,y,z region or county”..when they travel outside they say I am an American or British citizen. Why does self pride offend pro establishment people so much?

On a side note..your comment about Mush was quite telling..treason is acceptable if the person quits his uniform and contests an election after the fact… the extent to which some people wish pakistan to go for america would be considered treason as well.

You see this is where I differ with you, yes other countries practice double standards in foreign policy, yes other countries manufactured the OBL’s and the likes of this world…but not many countries manipulate their own system and people the way the establishment does in Pakistan and then refuse to accept blame for it at the same time.

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And yet Pakistanis provide more prosperity and more freedom to their ethnicities compared to "every damn country" in their neighborhood.

Zakk Bhai sahib, stand on the border of Balochistan and look over to the other side. Iranians take all the oil and yet keep Iranian Balochis totally powerless. No assembly, no minister, no prime minister. Iranians publicly hang any Balochi talking about rights. Go out and google. You will find plenty of evidence.

Then look over to Kandhar Afghanistan, and see how the so called cousins of Balochis are being murdered and robbed in the Pushtoon Jannat called Afghanistan. And still Pakistan is bad bad very bad.

Let's ask these anti Pak elements, as to why they don't check their deflowered mouths before speaking $hite against Pakistan? Why?

Still Pakistan loves you, feeds you, clothes you, gives you a passport so that you could go out and take citizenships in UK, Canada, and US. As soon as these antiPaks start $ucking UK taxpayers, they immediately turn against their mother country. Wow! Talk about ghairat of these people. Ghairat? hahah!

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Just because I don’t support treason against the constitution, just because I am not blindly pro america like you and just because I am not someone blindly impressed with the lathi doesn’t make me any more or less Pakistani than you..as

I said you pro establishment types don’t know anything other than slag of your opponents as anti Pakistani (or support their execution or exile) or make racist comments, as for your silly comparisons about the Baloch border..they remind me of the twisted story of the rapist telling his victim how lucky he is ..he hasn’t been killed by his friend the professional killer.

As for ghairat arguing with a person who believes worshipping George Bushs backside is the route to prosperity is pretty pointless?

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Before people burn their own house, or get their nose cut in anger, should look around and see where the world is going.

People like Mr. Achakzai can talk whatever $hite they want, they must look over the border and see how their brethren are being treated over the border.

In case of Balochistan, Iran and Afghanistan should serve them as a good reminder that &itching against Pakistan will land them in either Iranian or Afghan hands.

$arking against Pakistan or lecturing us on the value of constiution is not going to help unless they come up with better scenario in their home.

I tell the same to my Urdu People as well. If Bihar and Bharati constitution is giving them more freedom, and more prosperity then go live over there for at least a month. No I don't advocate kicking them out. They are afterall my brethren.

So far anyone visiting their ancestral homeland in Bihar and UP have not taken up on my offer.

Zakk Bhai, Pakistan can be much better country than what we have today. Unfortunately Achakzai's divide-zai, ghunda-zai, tribal-zai, bomb-zai, blast-mine-wedding-party-zai is not the way.

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Why are you Pakistan haters so obsessed with the word establishment??? I don’t think many people give a damn about your so called establishment, there is another term which you might be unaware of " pro PAKISTAN".:grumpy:

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You can substitute "establishment" with "elite" if you like. It won't change the problem. Antiobl, while India is not perfect, it does have better rule of law than Pakistan. Not to mention a better economy and future. We should look to the east for inspiration.