MASSIVE protests set to rock Pakistan after Pashtun leader's arrest; PTM goes global

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has announced protests across the world after the arrest of its leader Manzoor Pashteen on Monday. According to the PTM, rallies are being organised in countries such as the US, Afghanistan, and Belgium. Besides this, major cities of Pakistan such as Karachi, Islamabad, Quetta, Mardan, Peshawar will also witness protests. On Monday, a local court in Peshawar sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. He has been booked under stringent provisions such as sedition. Meanwhile, section 144 has been imposed in Balochistan ahead of the protests. 

Read: EXCLUSIVE: Massive Protest Erupts In Pakistan, Atrocities Inflicted By Pak Army Exposed

Read the full schedule of the PTM rallies here:

Massive protest

Thousands of Pakistanis gathered in Bannu city of Khyber Pakthunkhwa province on January 12 demanding an end to the atrocities committed by the Pakistani Army. The rally organised by PTM also demonstrated against the Imran Khan-led government. Alleging that the Pakistani Army treated the Pashtuns as third-class citizens, the protesters also revealed that the former indulged in torture and killings. They also pointed out the lack of development in the areas where the Pashtuns lived. 

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The origin of PTM

Occupying the north-western territory of the country, Pashtuns are the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan, representing approximately 15.42% of the population. Despite having a huge representation in the Pakistani Army, they have consistently suffered discrimination at the hands of the authorities. The killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young Pashtun in Karachi on January 13, 2018, led to the advent of the PTM led by Manzoor Pashteen.  

Since then, the PTM organized massive rallies in major cities of Pakistan such as Lahore, Karachi, Swat, Peshawar, and Quetta seeking justice for the death of innocent Pashtuns. As the ire of the protesters was directed at the Pakistani Army, the latter started propaganda about a foreign conspiracy. Despite the opposition’s charge of massive rigging in the 2019 General Election in Pakistan, the Army was unable to prevent the election of PTM members Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir. 

Read: Temple Vandalised & Scriptures Desecrated In Pakistan's Sindh, Imran Khan Silent: SAD

Earlier attempts to curb the influence

Both the Pakistani government as well as the Army has done everything possible to crush the spirit of the PTM. For instance, parliamentarians Dawar and Wazir were arrested on charges of terrorism after a clash between PTM activists and Army troops at a security post in May 2018. They languished in jail for 4 months before being granted bail. 

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