Daily Times

Director General Inter-Service Public Relations (ISPR) Major Gen Asif Ghafoor has issued a veiled warning to the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM); urging it to remain peaceful in nature.

The timing of this is curious. Not least because it was made during a press conference to discuss the country’s so-called fault lines. The overriding message being that the tide has turned in the war on terror. And that better times lie ahead. Indeed, Gen. Ghafoor even indicated that the security establishment is taking seriously the PTM’s fundamental demands: clearance of landmines, reduced number of checkposts and recovery of missing persons. All the while outlining progress on all these fronts; including confirmation that out of the 7,000 registered missing persons some 4,000 cases have been resolved. This suggests that these individuals were picked up in anti-terror sweeps even if no specific clarification on their current status has been forthcoming. Thereby underscoring how the young Pashtuns are voicing legitimate concerns. In fact, the DG ISPR went as far as admitting this much; noting how this group found itself in the militant-military crossfire.

Potential problems, however, appear to arise in the PTM verbalising ‘anti-state’ sentiments. Though whether or not these simply refer to calls for the security apparatus to uphold the fundamental rights of the ethnic Pashtuns appears up for debate. Yet what remains clear is that charges of the movement working for a paid foreign agenda continue to persist. In fact, such allegations were levelled earlier this week by Aimal Wali Khan of the ANP; the son of party chief Asfandyar Wali Khan. The former insinuated a possible Afghanistan connection. Not only that, he also made the damning accusation that casts PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen in the role of bait used to identify people with opposing views. All of which begs the following questions: who is pulling the strings and views contrary to whom? Unless and until evidence towards this end is furnished — this will remain murky. It must also be noted that the ANP stands accused of expelling senior leaders for their close association with the PTM.

Thus the way that we, here at Daily Times, see it — there is an urgent need to review the country’s fault lines. And as a first priority, this must mean ensuring that all state institutions operate within clearly defined boundaries. That is, with FATA having now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the provincial government there must act as the primary conduit to address PTM grievances. Yet as things currently stand, democratic Pakistan is turning into a free-for-all state. Where the security apparatus and Chief Justice of Pakistan are determining policy. Meaning that it is becoming increasingly difficult to see where the political set-up fits into this picture.

Thus if the media is to promote the country’s soft image — the state must give us something to work with.  *

Published in Daily Times, December 7^th 2018.