Pak cautions Ghani against 'interfering in internal matters' after Pashteen's arrest

Pakistan on Monday expressed concern over Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani's 'interference' in the country's internal matters with regards to the arrest of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen and his associates.

Taking to Twitter on Monday, Ashraf Ghani had said that he was "troubled" by the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen and his colleagues and hoped for their immediate release. He also suggested that governments in their regions "must support and encourage peaceful civilian movements for justice."

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Pakistan's response

Following Ghani's tweet, Islamabad responded describing the statement as "unwarranted, clear interference in Pakistan's internal affairs" and "not helpful to the promotion of good neighbourly relations between the two countries."

A statement by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We have noted with serious concern the recent tweets by President Ashraf Ghani, which are a clear interference in Pakistan's internal affairs and hence, unwarranted." 

"We believe that such statements are not helpful to the promotion of good neighbourly relations between the two countries," it added.

The statement further said that Pakistan is willing to maintain cordial relations with Afghanistan on the basis of non-intervention. Pakistan also urged Afghanistan to work together towards the common objective of peace and stability in the countries.

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About Manzoor Pashteen's arrest

A 27-year-old Pakistani Pashtun minority leader, known for criticising the country's military power, was arrested on Monday for alleged sedition, media reports said.

Manzoor Pashteen, chief of the rights-based alliance Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), attended a gathering on January 18 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Dera Ismail Khan city where he had allegedly said that the 1973 Constitution violated basic human rights, Dawn newspaper reported. He was arrested along with nine other PTM workers from Peshawar Monday, police said.

The other workers were identified as Muhammad Salam, Abdul Hameed, Idrees, Bilal, Mohib, Sajjadul Hassan, Aimal, Farooq, and Muhammad Salman.

The PTM has been critical of the Army's policies in the restive northwestern tribal areas where a massive operation against terrorists was carried out in recent years, leading to large-scale displacement and enforced disappearances, as per reports.

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(With inputs from ANI)

(Image source: AP)