Naseebullah Khan
The story starts from one of the founders of Pashtoon nationalism, Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, who was an epitome of an anti-colonialist struggle, a stunt defender of human rights, and an embodiment of democracy. He stood against imperialism in united India and struggled against dictator Ayob Khan too after partition. He was jailed for almost 10 years during the Ayob Khan era, but that too, could not tremble from democratic spirit, until his martyrdom 1973. The legacy of Abdul Samad Khan is in the blood of his party with special respect to his son Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a true democrat of time. Ex Major of the ISI, Major Amir opined in his Television interview that despite Mahmood Khan Achakzai, the rest of all politicians have links with non-democratic forces. And attributes him the true Democrat in Pakistan. The forefathers of PKMAP struggled against the dictatorship of Ayob, General Zia ul Haq and Pervaiz Musharraf. In the aftermath of the democratic struggle in a pro-democracy protest in Quetta, many workers got martyrdom in clashes with security forces.From the movement of restoration of democracy (MRD), Pakistan democratic movement (PDM), to the current All Pakistan democratic movement (APDM), Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party has been a key democratic force. It is admirable that, the party has been a true representative of democratic norms in itself, it neither gives preference to turncoats, not any member of the party has taken any cabinet or other slots throughout military regimes.One may disagree with some of the feudal in the party. We may differ with its policies. The workers and leaders also nonconcur on many points within the party level. But, no one can even question the commitment of the leadership of this party to democracy. The democratic heritage of Khan Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai has been in the soul and blood of his heir Mahmood Khan Achakzai__whose credentials for democracy have been lustering for decades__which have been germinated and cemented in the common worker of the party.