Pakistan’s Federal Government in its latest notification has banned the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), labeling it as a “proscribed organization” that poses a threat to the peace and security of the country.
This is utterly ridiculous and against the standards of basic human rights. Blaming a peaceful movement and smearing it with the dirt of Pakistan’s failure to ensure security and peace is ironical. The movement has never been involved in any unlawful activity that might threaten Pakistan’s fragile security. Banning the PTM simply adds to Pashtun grievances against the state of Pakistan.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) Police’s recent firing on the Camp of Pashtun Qami Adalat / Pashtun National Jirga, convened by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement in Khyber district, killed three people and seriously injured more than a dozen. It blatantly accentuates a disturbing practice of persecuting peaceful rights activists in the country.
The outrageous encroachment on Jirga – which is emblematic of Pashtunwali, the Pashtun people’s code of honor, values, and customs – and on the community’s long-practiced tradition of collective deliberation has provoked further denunciation from among the Pashtun rights activists as well as the political leadership.
The police raid on Pashtun Jirga Camps unveils the significant disconnection between the state authorities and the Pashtun community. Misuse of state might against dissidents underscores dictatorship and a blatant violation of democratic principles.
In a state where government is grappling with a deteriorated economy, political instability, rampant insecurity and Baloch militancy, suppressing the PTM will add more to chaos and failure.
Led by university graduate Manzoor Pashteen, the PTM undoubtedly has emerged as the “Pashtun Zeitgeist” for advocating long-silenced Pashtun voices. More than 90% of Pashtun youths support the movement for peace and security of Pashtuns, who have endured the havoc of militancy, bomb blasts and violence.
Manzoor Pashteen’s call to hold a grand Pashtun national Jirga – council – today, October 11, to discuss issues of security and peace encapsulates the urgent need for a space wherein Pashtun voices are articulated and considered.
The movement, since its emergence in January 2018 following the extra-judicial killing of Naqeeb Mehsood, has colossally galvanized Pashtun collective consciousness against the securitization and Talibanization of the Pashtun belt.
The movement’s charter makes five demands:
- ending extra-judicial killings,
- establishing a truth and reconciliation commission on missing persons,
- de-mining tribal areas,
- cessation of Pashtun profiling at security check-posts, and
- punishing former Karachi police officer Rao Anwar.
These constitute a legal plea for demanding justice and rights within the framework of the Constitution of Pakistan.
So far, the state authorities have not considered these demands, which are not radical. Nor do they challenge the jurisdiction of the constitution. Instead, key leaders of the PTM including Manzoor Pashteen, Ali Wazir and others have been detained and imprisoned multiple times. This sort of policy adds fuel to grievances that could distance Pashtun youth from the state.
Pakistan is already in a state of chaos and insecurity. Ethnic grievances, social extremism, religious fundamentalism and political instability have trapped the country in a stranglehold. In such scenarios, persecuting Pashtun youth will bring nothing but uncertainty at the national level, leading to a fiasco.
Importantly, in the current politically frenzied situation, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government may also exploit Pashtun sentiments for political gains in its conflict with the federal government, by denying the raid and blaming the federal government for attacking and burning the camps of Pashtun National Jirga.
In either case, the KP government is responsible for the planned assault. Under the 18th constitutional amendment, the police fall under the jurisdiction of the provincial government. The KP government’s denial of responsibility for the raid is a futile excuse.
The authorities must acknowledge that their violent assaults and myopic practices against the PTM represent serious miscalculations that can never be in the state’s interest. The complex tapestry of crisis and alienation of a significant segment of the population on political and security grounds will obviously strengthen the anti-state narrative among Pashtun youth, cementing their sense of marginalization.
The Pashtun belt has faced bitter experiences of terrorism, destruction and military operations. Millions of tribal Pashtuns were made internally displaced persons in a war that wasn’t ours. Persecution and detainment of PTM workers would undermine national cohesion.
The PTM is a blessing in disguise. The movement presents an opportunity for the state to engage Pashtuns, recalibrate the national narrative and embrace a transformative effort to achieve engagement and inclusivity.
An empowered negotiation with PTM and Manzoor Pashteen is a prerequisite for winning the trust of Pashtuns, and strengthening peace and stability. PTM’s demands are legitimate and in accordance with the constitution. These demands must be seriously considered. And prioritizing human rights, political participation, and the rule of law would bolster a sense of patriotism among them.
A straightforward step should be taken to end viewing the Pashtun belt from a security perspective. Instead, the federal government must focus on infrastructure development and equal distribution of rights to ensure Pakistan’s journey toward ethnic and national integrity.