The “Pashtun Tahafuz Movement”, also known as the “Pashtun Protection Movement”, was initially founded in 2014 with the name “Mahsud Tahafuz Movement”. It gained popularity in 2018 after its justice movement. The movement has gained great prevalence among the Pashtun. It is a social movement for the rights of Pashtun living in the region of Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. As described by the leaders of PTM; the movement is said to be peaceful that follows the laws of the Constitution of Pakistan, showing unarmed resistance against the injustice faced by their Pashtun people. But there is a widespread narrative that paints a different image. According to it, the PTM is a threat to the peace in the North-West region of Pakistan. Relative to the narrative it is believed that PTM is promoting some sort of foreign agenda while creating conflict in the name of ethnicity.
The Pashtun majority region in the North-West of Pakistan has been a war-torn area. That was firstly under the ill-treatment of the Taliban and then under the control of the Pakistan military. The Pashtuns have been violated of their basic human and constitutional rights for the past few decades. The PTM aims to throw light on the sufferings and mistreatment of Pashtuns, Pakistan’s second-largest ethnicity. PTM has a strategy of peaceful and nonviolent protests to get the attention of the state to accept their demands. But have to face inhumane behavior for voicing their concerns. As Manzoor Pashteen, chairman of PTM, stated:
“We are peaceful but we are under persecution.”
The movement demands to establish a truth and reconciliation commission, to remove landmines and put a stop to forced disappearances and extrajudicial killing. The demands highlight the grievances of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement against the establishment. According to the members of PTM, the military officials exploit their power in the region as people related to the movement are treated suspiciously, harassed, and tortured by them. This is because they openly question the role of the military in terrorist activities in the region and call them out for the unjust handling of Pashtuns. Ali Wazir, one of the prominent leaders of PTM, wrote in one of his articles in this regard:
“We name names and are not shy to address powers that the rest ……… are too scared to even identify, let alone criticize.”
Thousands of innocent Pashtuns civilians have been killed in the name of terrorist encounters. Whereas many have disappeared after being suspected terrorists. The landmines installed over the Pashtun land to encounter Taliban in the region have been the cause of death for uncountable innocent Pashtuns. The Pashtuns have had enough of the unjust treatment they are facing for years. They have the right to voice their concerns regarding military acts that are costing them their lives, which were said to be done to protect them in the first place. In addition to this, the members of PTM accuse the military itself of the terrorist activities in the region and a key help for the existence of TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan) too. They have various slogans in the movement pushing this narrative. One of the most famous ones is:
“This terrorism – behind it is the uniform,”
The establishment on the other hand rejects the claims made by the PTM leaders and the members. According to military officials, the military’s foremost responsibility is to safeguard the interest of its state and people. Hence the use of force against them is not endangered. The establishment tends to create a safe place for innocent people. To harm the people of its state cannot be an act carried out by the military. Pakistan military has conducted various operations in the northwest Pashtun region of the state only to protect the Pashtun people of its country. Many soldiers and officers lost their lives for this sole purpose. Debunking the claims of being a threat to the Pashtun community, the establishment considers the PTM to be a danger in itself. It is believed that the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement is a foreign-funded agenda to promote insurgency and internal conflicts in Pakistan. Then, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Major General Asif Ghafoor, openly pointed the finger at PTM for taking funds from RAW (Research and Analysis Wing, India) and NSD (Afghanistan’s National Directorate of Security) to work on their agendas using ethnicity as a tool. Major General Asif Ghafoor used the term “anti-state forces” for the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, considering it a threat to the peace and security of the country. The establishment has the oath to shield the state against such ‘anti-state forces’. The Pashtun community has been urged not to fall prey to PTM’s agenda by the establishment. General Ghafoor gave the following statement:
“Pakistan armed forces will not rest until your issues are resolved. We hope that you will not pay attention to their (PTM) speeches and instead stop these anti-state forces”
While we see the officials from both sides going back and forth with allegations regarding being involved in foreign-funded terrorist activities. The ground reality remains unchanged. There are pieces of evidence in support of almost all of PTM’s grievances against the establishment. But the claim of Taliban militants being supported by the establishment has yet to be backed by solid proof. On the other hand, no proof supports the military’s stance regarding PTM being an anti-state force. PTM has been successful in conducting peaceful protests and sit-ins. PTM leadership believes that they have done nothing unconstitutional. It is their lawful right to protest peacefully and voice their concerns. Ishtiaq Ahmed says:
“From a human rights standpoint, everyone is entitled to be treated with respect.”
It is the right of the Pashtuns to speak up against the mistreatment they face and to be heard by the state. It is the state’s responsibility not only to listen to the concerns of its people but to resolve them too. Discrimination done by the state based on ethnicity is not justifiable. Using force against PTM while it advocates and practices a no-violence strategy and peace may put the military in a bad light. Moreover, imprisoning human rights activists would make the sensitive situation even worse. Both parties should tend to make a settlement to maintain peace within the state. Table talks should be considered as a way forward in this situation.
