June 2, 2026
By Aitzaz Ibrahim
LAHORE
A criminal case has been registered against Opposition Leader and head of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), Mahmood Khan Achakzai, over a speech he delivered at a public gathering in Chaman, with authorities alleging that his remarks incited the public and targeted state institutions.
The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged in Chaman following a rally held on May 29 in the border town of Chaman, located in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province.
According to the FIR, Achakzai is accused of making statements that allegedly provoked public sentiment against the government and state institutions during his address to supporters.
The complainant in the case is Abdul Wali Khan, chairman of the Balochistan chapter of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society. He is also the nephew of Senator Abdullah Shakoor Khan of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Pakistan.
The FIR includes charges under sections 153-A, 505, 341, 147, 149 and 131 of the Pakistan Penal Code. These provisions relate to promoting enmity or hostility among groups, making statements that may incite public disorder, wrongful restraint, rioting, unlawful assembly and offenses involving the abetment of mutiny or disaffection among members of the armed forces.
According to the contents of the FIR, Achakzai told participants at the rally that vehicles were being set on fire in Balochistan on a regular basis and alleged that the provincial government had failed to provide security to the public. The FIR further states that Achakzai referred to the current administration as a “Form 47 government” and allegedly proposed the formation of an alternative army to the Pakistan Army.Authorities alleged in the FIR that the speech incited participants at the gathering and created unrest among members of the public.
Achakzai, is currently serves as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly and heads the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan alliance.Leaders of his party have strongly rejected the allegations and described the case as politically motivated.
Speaking to Voicepk, Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Abdul Qahar Khan said there was nothing in Achakzai’s speech that he had not already stated on the floor of parliament.
“What statement did Mahmood Khan Achakzai make at the rally that he has not already made in the National Assembly?” Khan said. “These are the same positions he has maintained from the very beginning. They want to intimidate democratic voices by using state functionaries to register false FIRs.”
He also criticized the current government, referring to it as a “Form 47 government,” a term frequently used by opposition parties in reference to the February 2024 general elections.Khan said the party’s legal team would pursue legal remedies in response to the case.
Voicepk attempted to contact complainant Abdul Wali Khan by telephone to obtain his position regarding the matter. However, no response had been received by the time this report was filed.
The registration of the FIR has drawn criticism from opposition politicians and members of the Tehreek-e-Tahaffuz-e-Ayeen-e-Pakistan alliance.
In a statement, the alliance described the case against Achakzai as condemnable and termed it an attack on freedom of expression.
The statement, issued by alliance spokesperson Hussain Ahmad Yousafzai, said Achakzai had merely articulated the concerns and grievances of people in his constituency and presented viewpoints based on what the alliance described as facts and ground realities.
The alliance alleged that certain elements were unwilling to tolerate criticism of state policies and had therefore resorted to legal action against a political leader expressing dissenting views.
“We consider this action a serious violation of democratic values and constitutional rights,” the statement said, adding that pressure tactics and criminal cases could not silence what it described as the voice of truth.
The statement further argued that legal proceedings against political leaders and elected representatives could widen the gap between the public and institutions rather than strengthen institutional credibility.
Former senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar also criticized the case in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Khokhar described the FIR against Achakzai as a reflection of what he called the government’s nervousness and said it constituted a blow to freedom of expression.
“At a time when there is a need to reduce political tensions, such authoritarian tactics are making the situation more bitter with each passing day,” Khokhar wrote.
He added that regardless of government actions, many Pakistanis continued to view the administration as controversial and urged authorities to avoid taking steps that could further deepen political divisions.