Achakzai is a Pashtun nationalist who was elected as the chairman of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party[2] following the assassination of his father Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai in a bomb attack in Quetta in 1973.[2] He was elected as a member of the Provincial Assembly of Balochistan in a by election.[4] Achakzai was elected as a member of National Assembly of Pakistan in 1993 Pakistani general election from Quetta constituency. Reportedly, he had won his first election with the support of Pakistan Muslim League (N).[4][6][3][7] Achakzai lost the National Assembly seat in 1997 Pakistani general election.[7]