Quetta: Delivering the opening address at the three day public jirga of Southern Pakhtunkhwa in Quetta, National Assembly (NA) opposition member Mahmood Khan Achakzai said state authorities should refrain from using force to suppress Pashtun constitutional and economic rights. Speaking under the chairmanship of Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, Achakzai stressed that whilst administrative power might be exerted through military force, the political consciousness, national rights, and natural resources of a nation cannot be permanently controlled. He warned that if domestic constitutional avenues and democratic dialogue remain blocked, Pashtuns might ultimately take their case to international forums, irrespective of the consequences for the country.

Achakzai highlighted that KP is passing through an extraordinary period marked by acute political uncertainty, economic hardship, and worsening insecurity. He condemned the systematic allotment of local tribal lands and mineral resources to external individuals and commercial entities, asserting that ancestral lands must not become a battleground for proxy conflicts.

Emphasising that the gathering was designed to unite political leaders, tribal elders, and civil society, Achakzai called for a broadly representative grand jirga to present consensus demands before the state and international partners. He also reaffirmed that the initiative seeks no conflict with the neighbouring Baloch people, advocating peaceful coexistence and mutual respect across shared territories.