PTM rally: Policy-makers warned against repeating past mistakes

PESHAWAR: The well-attended public meeting of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) held here on Sunday showed that people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) endorsed the narrative and demands of its leadership.

The participation of large number of people was manifestation of the fact that the Pashtuns are fed up with the prevailing situation and uncertainty.

The way the participants of the gathering, largely attended by educated youth, stayed put to listen to the speech of Manzoor Pashteen established the reality that they firmly stood behind him and his movement.

The government and those at the helm of affairs as well as the established political parties could face a daunting challenge if the PTM leadership is not calmed down by accepting its genuine demands.

Encouraged by the public support, particularly from the youngsters, the campaign could gather momentum with the passage of time.

Not only were young educated people seen at the rally but a good number of women were also among the participants. They included non-Pashtuns from the civil society.

In his speech, PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen urged the gathering to stay united for getting their constitutional rights.

He demanded that former Malir SSP Rao Anwar and Ihsanullah Ihsan, former spokesperson for the banned Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Jamaatul Ahrar, should be made to stand trial for their crimes.

He also called for an end to alleged profiling of Pashtuns by the intelligence agencies. He stressed that PTM was a non-violent movement being led by Pakistanis.

Senator Usman Kakar criticised the military establishment for its role in the Pashtun belt. He demanded that Pashtuns should be given equal rights guaranteed under the Constitution. He urged policymakers to learn from history and avoid repeating past mistakes.

PTM leader Ali Wazir, who hails from South Waziristan and has lost 17 family members due to militancy and military operations, demanded that those who killed and kidnapped Pashtuns must be brought to justice. He said PTM was not against Pakistan rather it was working to stabilise the country and hold the Constitution supreme.

Another PTM leader Mohsin Dawar demanded judicial inquiry into missing persons and extrajudicial killings. It is high time for the decision-makers to tackle the situation with care instead of trying to counter the PTM by creating alternate movements.