The Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party might join the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s civil disobedience if the situation arises, party chief Mahmood Khan Achakzai has said.

“If this government, which has come by force, continues to disregard everything… and if the National Assembly speaker does not allow parliamentarians to speak on Kurram then we may join the civil disobedience movement,” he said while appearing on Rubaroo which was aired on Aaj News on Friday.

Earlier this month, jailed former prime minister Imran Khan had threatened a civil disobedience campaign starting December 14 unless his requests regarding the release of political prisoners and the establishment of a judicial commission to investigate the events of May 9, 2023, and November 26 were fulfilled.

His sister, Aleema Khanum, stated on Tuesday that Imran would urge overseas Pakistanis to stop sending remittances if his demands went unmet.

Khan announced on Thursday that the first phase of the movement would commence on December 22 if the government does not address his “legitimate demands.”

Achakzai, who is also the leader of the opposition alliance, wondered the reasons behind keeping the PTI founder in jail. “If I had been in Khan’s place, I would have called a jirga of all residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to hold a jirga on PTI supporters killed in Islamabad protest.”

According to the former ruling party, its 12 supporters were killed in firing on November 26 when the party marched to the federal capital for the release of Khan. The party could not achieve its goal because of, what it claims, firing.

“[PM] Shehbaz is mistaken, thousands of people will come out. Maybe we will also take to the streets,” the PkMAP leader said.

Achakzai urged that all institutions should consider the Constitution as supreme and respect Parliament. “Every institution should remain within its domain.”

At one point, the PkMAP leader expressed hope that PML-N President Nawaz Sharif would ask his younger brother and PM Shehbaz to resign.

When asked, he doubted that the PTI founder had allowed its party leaders to speak to the government. “Talks will be held for supremacy of Constitution, release of workers and a democratic government.”

He criticised NA Speaker Ayaz Sadiq for not holding a discussion on Kurram clashes which resulted in the death of at least 130 people and several injured. Achakzai added that PM Shehbaz could have sent aid to Parachinar and sent a minister to offer condolences to the grieved families.

“It is a failure that no one debated on it,” he said and described the NA speaker as a “havaldar”.

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Achakzai said: “The first question is who will be the country’s chief executive? Pakistan cannot progress until this is decided.”

He shunned the impression that US congressmen were being paid to write letters to the president on Pakistan issues.

In response to a question of whether US President-elect Donald Trump would ensure Khan’s release, he shunned such a perception and alleged that there was not just one country’s interference in Pakistan while referring to the visit of a paish imam.