Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai has raised concerns over Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ongoing negotiations with a government he claims lacks a “legitimate mandate.”
Speaking alongside Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) Chairman Allama Raja Nasir Abbas in Islamabad, Achakzai questioned, “What is the point of negotiating with a government that does not have a legitimate mandate?”
This statement followed the second round of talks between the government and PTI, which National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq described as conducted in a cordial environment. During these discussions, PTI expressed its intention to consult its founder, Imran Khan, frequently to finalize their “charter of demands.”
PTI has emphasized key demands, including the release of political prisoners and a judicial inquiry into the events of May 9, 2023, and the November 26 crackdown. However, these demands have not yet been presented to the government in writing.
Achakzai commented that while they would pray for the success of the negotiations, “in such cases, prayers are not accepted.”
In the meantime, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi voiced skepticism about the ongoing talks, stating that he did not see any substantial outcome from the negotiations.
Kundi, a member of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), which allies with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the federal level, remarked that while negotiations are the only solution to long-standing issues, he did not foresee PTI receiving any NRO-like concessions.
