PTI demands end to ‘racial profiling’ of Pashtuns

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf condemned on Friday the “victimisation of Pashtuns” in Punjab and other parts of the country under the garb of a crackdown on terrorists and their facilitators.

PTI Sindh president Dr Arif Alvi, addressing a press conference at the Insaf House, warned that the “racial profiling” of Pashtuns would dent the Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad instead of aiding it.

Alvi, flanked by Firdous Naqvi, Khawand Baksh Jahejo and other PTI leaders, expressed his serious concerns over the arrest of Pashtuns in Punjab and Sindh and their release from police lock-ups in exchange for money.

“This is a deplorable situation and totally against the spirit of the federation of Pakistan,” he said.

“Racial profiling is condemned throughout the world as people are targeted because of their religion, looks or ethnic origins. This damaging attitude on an official level had led to the dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971,” Alvi observed.

“Sindh too has suffered when the law enforcement agencies rather than catching culprits have harassed innocent Sindhi or Urdu speakers,” he added.

“When such issues are created, the deprived classes hold their ethnic origin responsible for their deprivation, instead of focusing on the real issues of corruption and exploitation.”

Alvi said victimisation on the basis of ethnicity had led to severe conflicts in the country’s past that continued to simmer for decades.

“The PTI condemns the stereotyping of Pakistanis under the garb of security measures.” The PTI leader said millions of national identity cards had been issued to Afghans and now the genuine Pakistani Pashtun population living outside Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was being harassed for trying to renew them.

“This is a serious problem in Karachi and the issue is sorted out when Pashtuns are forced to give bribes to officials,” he added.

Alvi demanded that immediate measures must be taken to put a stop to the victimisation of Pashtuns otherwise it would be very difficult to repair the damage.

Alvi also condemned the police action against Jahejo, the president of the PTI Hyderabad.

He said the Pakistan People’s Party was on a mission to victimise all opposition groups to force them to succumb to their wicked plans.

“Those who refuse to bow down are suffering police action. The PTI condemns the actions taken by Sindh police and the PPP government on this issue and urges immediate withdrawal of these cases.”