Naqeebullah killing: Afghan president supports ‘Pashtun Long March’

PESHAWAR: Announcing support to the protest against the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah, Afghan President Muhammad Ashraf Ghani on Friday said the main purpose of the protest was to mobilise people against ‘fundamentalism and terrorism’ in the region.

Naqeebullah belonging to South Waziristan was recently killed in an alleged police encounter in Karachi.

“I fully support the historical ‘Pashtun Long March’ in Pakistan. Its main purpose is to mobilise citizens against fundamentalism and terrorism in the region,” the Afghan president said in a statement carried by the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP).

The statement was posted on the Facebook page of the Afghan president. He said that historical importance of the march traced back to the great proponent of non-violence, Bacha Khan, whose philosophy was based on the non-violent ideology.

“Just like the lawyers community in Pakistan succeeded in their movement, I hope Pashtun Long March would also succeed in uprooting and eradicating terrorism from their region,” he added.

He urged media to impartially fulfill their duties and help Pashtun Long March in voicing their grievances and demands and presenting their true image to the world.

“After the tragedies of Kabul, I had remarked that Afghans and the people of this region should align against terrorism. I consider the Pashtun Long March a response to those remarks and a wake-up call against fundamentalism,” he said, adding the Pashtun Long March was a very positive initiation against fundamentalism.

Besides the Afghan president, Pashtuns living across the world have also announced support to the Pashtun marchers.