Daily Times

Islamabad: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) on Tuesday agreed to cancel its plan to hold a sit-in protest in Razmak area of North Waziristan, after a jirga of tribal elders assured that all those arrested from protests held in Mir Ali, Wana, and Islamabad would be released ahead of Eidul Fitr, PTM leader Mohsin Dawar confirmed to Daily Times.

The Jirga comprised tribal elders Malik Khan Marjan, Ajmal Wazir and Shah Farman (of the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf). Mohsin Dawar represented the civil rights movement in the gathering held at the Hayatabad residence of former MNA from Khyber Agency, Al-Hajj Shah Ji GulAfridi.

On reports in the media that the PTM had agreed to not chant ‘anti-state’ slogans at its gatherings, Dawar said that none of the movement leaders had ever chanted an anti-state slogan.

“We only highlight our grievances and expose the violence committed against us . All our demands are well within the domain of the constitution, and we will keep highlighting elements involved in violence in our area,” he said, adding that criticising state institutions could not be termed as anti-state.

He said if the demands agreed upon in the Tuesday gathering were not met, the PTM would resume its country-wide protests after the Eid. He said that if problems were created for the movement despite the jirga’s assurances, it wold hold more protests and come out with an even powerful response because freedom of speech and political assembly were guaranteed under the country’s constitution as well as the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights.

Malik Khan Marjan, who is also the head of the FATA Grand Alliance, confirmed that talks were underway between jirga elders and government functionaries, including military officials, to secure the release of PTM activists and supporters under arrest in different places. He added that the demands made by the PTM were the demand of tribal elders as well. “We are suffering from the war on terror in our area. Our talks have been successful and the next meeting will be held on June 22 to discuss the matter further,” he said, adding that the jirga would urge the government to fulfill all constitutional demands of the PTM.

Published in Daily Times, June 13^th 2018.