PKMAP chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai. PHOTO: INP
LAHORE:
Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan (TTAP) Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai on Sunday warned that Pakistan risked further fragmentation if constitutional violations and political repression continued unchecked, and said some regions could be pushed to declare separation within months if the crisis deepened.
At a news conference and public interactions in Lahore, Achakzai said the country was facing an “existential moment” driven not by external threats but by internal injustices, the erosion of democratic norms and repeated interference with the Constitution. He described the TTAP move as a final alarm, likening it to an emergency call issued when a ship is sinking.
“Pakistan cannot survive without its Constitution,” Achakzai said, arguing that the state had remained trapped in a perpetual struggle between democratic and non-democratic forces since its creation. He said successive violations of constitutional principles had weakened institutions, hollowed out governance and alienated large segments of society.
The TTAP chief stressed that the alliance had not come to “conquer Lahore” but to mobilize public support for an eight-day protest movement centered on February 8, marking what he described as a turning point for constitutional restoration. Despite what he called an atmosphere of fear and pressure, he praised Lahore residents for welcoming the delegation, calling it proof that public sentiment remained firmly attached to democratic values.
The TTAP chief criticized what he called selective patriotism, saying that loyalty to the Constitution is increasingly portrayed as dissent, while compliance with power is rewarded.
Referring to the violence and unrest on May 9, he questioned why sensitive facilities had been left unprotected and why demands from an independent judicial commission had gone unanswered. He said no democracy in the world had seen an entire political party stripped of its mandate through judicial or administrative measures, and warned that such actions only deepened polarization.
At the same event, TTAP Vice President Allama Raja Nasir Abbas echoed concerns about shrinking democratic space and accused the ruling authorities of blocking all avenues for reform. He said parliament had become ineffective and basic freedoms had been restricted, leaving citizens with no choice but to take to the streets.
“Punjab is known for its warmth and openness,” Abbas said, adding that its rulers should reflect the same spirit. He argued that laws restricting assembly and dissent had created a climate in which peaceful protest was treated as a crime rather than a constitutional right.
Both leaders reiterated calls for nationwide peaceful protests on February 8, urging citizens across political, ethnic and professional lines to participate.
