Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
AT-KABUL: An Afghan expert on Saturday slammed protests by Pakistanis against Mahmoud Khan Achakzai’s recent remarks regarding Pakhtunkhwa, saying that Pakistan has no right to forcefully change Afghan nationality through occupation.
According to reports, Pakistan Muslim League-Q’s senior leader and former deputy prime minister Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and other Pak-loyalty figures came hard on Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party chief Mahmoud Khan Achakzai’s recent remarks, who had said he would not allow anyone to harass Afghan refugees in their own land, “because it also belongs to them”. He had said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa belonged to Afghans and they can live there without fear and irritation.
“Afghans who live in Pakhtunkhwa are Afghans which is written ‘Afghan’ in their ID card, so no one has the right to forcefully change their nationality through occupying their soil,” said Afghan Expert Ismail Yoon.
Pakistan has no right to trail and change anyone’s nationality in the occupied areas, he added.
Yoon said that around 300 km square was under occupation of British troops, but later it was left as occupied heritage to Pakistan, where all dwellers are Afghan.
Currently limited a number of Afghanistan’s districts are under indirect occupation of Pakistan, so no one can say to the resident of the district that they are not Afghan, he added.
He said that occupation is short, middle and long term, Pakistan occupation is almost a long term occupation.
He insisted that although there is no a powerful government in Afghanistan, but steel it is duty of the government to defend from Afghan nationality inside the country and in abroad.
He said that Afghan nation stance is clear that they will never accept de-facto Durand Line as border between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pointing to recent clashes between Afghan forces and Pakistan para-military forces, he said that the nation was ready to support Afghan forces and bravely defend from Afghanistan soil.
He also urged other side of Durand Line residence to keep unity and defend from their rights.
University Lecturer Faiz Mohammad Zaland accused Pakistan leaders of leading the country as dictators.
He said that Pakistan is a reason for instability in the region and in the world and this is not the first time that cruelty act against freedom of speech.
Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and military targeted many people and suffocate those figures, who raised voice of freedom, he added.
Pointing to killing of Baluchistan, Paskhtunkhwa people, he said that Pakistan is a fatal land for journalists and freedom seekers.
Pakistan killed Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s father due to the reason of seeking freedom, he noted.
He said that all Pashtuns from both side of Durand line condemned the protest against Achakzai.
Member of Wolsi Jirga of Parliament Nader Khan Katawazai said that Pakistan was federally administered, so each state would have its own autonomy.
He said that based on the federal system, it is the legal right of Achakzai so have such remarks, thus no one has the right to convict him.
Pakistan has no right to trail Achakzai, saying that “Afghan refugees can live without fear in Pakhtunkhwa.”
Achakzai often said that he is Afghan even he repeatedly reiterated in Pakistan parliament that he is an Afghan, thus Pakistan legally con not create any challenge for Achakzai, he added.
Katawazai urged the government to defend true stance of Achakzai.
Political analyst Shahzada Massoud strongly criticized Pakistan government’s protests over Achakzai’s statements.
“Pakhtunkhwa is the soil of Afghans where every Afghan can legally live,” Massoud said, backing Achakzai’s remarks.
“Achakzai’s statements are according to his identity and nationality. Pakistan will face strong reaction from Afghan side if it puts pressures on Achakzai.”
