Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party

The Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (Pashto: پښتونخوا ملي عوامي ګوند; Urdu: پشتونخوا ملی عوامی پارٹی), abbreviated as PMAP or PKMAP, is a political party in Pakistan's Balochistan province. It was founded by Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who was elected as the chairman, and Sher Ali Bacha, who served as the General Secretary, in March 1989 in Quetta.[5]

Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
پښتونخوا ملي عوامي ګوند
AbbreviationPMAP
PKMAP
LeaderMahmood Khan Achakzai  
FoundersMahmood Khan Achakzai
Sher Ali Bacha[1]
Founded1989; 35 years ago (1989)[2]
Preceded byPashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PNAP)[3]
Student wingPashtunkhwa Students Organization (PSO)
IdeologyPashtun nationalism
Regionalism
National affiliationTehreek Tahafuz Ayin[4]
International affiliationUNPO
International League of Peoples' Struggle [citation needed]
Colors  orange-red
Senate
0 / 100
National Assembly
1 / 336
Election symbol
Tree
Party flag
Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Flag
Website
Official website

The party was a coalition partner of the PML-N in the Balochistan government following the 2013 elections and stood by the PML-N during some of the latter's most challenging times in government.[2][6]

Ideology

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PkMAP has opposed the merger of Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and has been widely criticized[by whom?] for the position. Its chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai has previously suggested that FATA should be governed either by a governor or a council that should be elected through adult franchise. PkMAP chief Achakzai has also called for the creation of a province for Pakhtuns living in areas from the Pak-Afghan border to Mianwali in Pakistan.[7][8]

Electoral history

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PKMAP leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai

In the 2018 elections, the party could not secure a single seat in the National Assembly but was able to win one seat in the Balochistan assembly. In the 2013 Pakistan general and provincial elections, the party won three general seats in the National Assembly and 10 in the Balochistan Assembly. In 2002, PkMAP secured one NA seat and three provincial assembly seats. The party won two provincial seats in the 1997 polls. It won three NA seats and four provincial seats in 1993. Prior to this, in the 1990 elections, PkMAP won three provincial assembly seats.[9][10][11][12]

In the 2024 Pakistani general elections, the party managed to win one seat in the National Assembly, but did not win a single seat in the Balochistan Assembly. Backed by the PTI, the leader of PKMAP, Achakzai, ran for president against Asif Ali Zardari from the PPP, whom he lost against, only securing 181 electoral votes compared to Zardari's 411 electoral votes.[13]

References

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  1. ^ "In the memory of: PkMAP founding leader remembered". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 2015-12-02. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
  2. ^ a b "Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party - Profile". Dawn. 19 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Mehmood Khan Achakzai". Dawn (newspaper). 1 May 2013. Archived from the original on 4 March 2017. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Pakistan: Opposition alliance launches protest movement against govt in Balochistan's Pishin". 13 April 2024.
  5. ^ "An unmatched leader". The News International. August 15, 2021.
  6. ^ "Achakzai calls for new social contract". Dawn. 26 June 2012.
  7. ^ "Achakzai gives his own formula for Fata reforms". Dawn. 15 December 2017.
  8. ^ "Achakzai advises govt to maintain public contact". Express Tribune. 3 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Heavyweights fall in Balochistan as PTI makes inroads". Dawn. 27 July 2018.
  10. ^ "Balochistan's electoral politics and NA-259". The Nation. 7 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Election 2018: Prominent Politicians ousted". Dunya News. 30 July 2018.
  12. ^ "Achakzai accepts defeat in elections". The Nation. 28 July 2018.
  13. ^ "President of Pakistan - President Elections 2024 Result Dashboard". elections.dunyanews.tv. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
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