Pashtuns Tahafuz Movement vs. Pakistan Army: Is Military Risking Another Bangladesh?

Pashtuns Tahafuz Movement vs. Pakistan Army

The Pakistani Army shot and killed at least 13 civilians and injured dozens more at a sit-in staged by the protestors of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM - Save Pashtun Movement), on 26th May 2019, in the tribal belt of the North Waziristan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

As the reactions poured in on social media expressing grief and shock; the Pakistani media remained tight-lipped about the whole affair. However, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor, came out with a statement confirming the killing of only three persons, but swiftly pinned the blame on the protestors for attacking an Army check-post and the soldiers acting in self-defense. For most of its history, the area remains a no-go zone for the independent media. However, military-managed mainstream media of Pakistan echoed the mouthpiece of DG-ISPR and gave a completely different spin to the story by branding the PTM an aggressor and the military a victim. But eyewitness’ videos and statements including those of Mohsin Dawar, a parliamentarian who represents the PTM and who was also leading the protest, contradict the military's claims.

Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, (two leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement and Parliamentarians from North Waziristan), were arrested shortly after the May 26th shootings. The duo and seven others are currently being held by the anti-terrorism police. The Army even arrested a TV reporter for covering the Pashtun meeting.

What is note-worthy here is, what happened in Pakistan during 1971 continues to be the case when it comes to media’s coverage of the North Waziristan. During 1971, state-controlled media backed Yahya the dictator, similarly in 2019, some scared and apprehensive journalists from the Pakistani newsroom are bowing to Bajwa and concealing the truth.

‘Time Is Up’ - Pakistan military’s warning to Pashtun Rights Group

On April 29th, 2019, Pakistan Army’s spokesperson, Major General Asif Ghafoor, had warned the leadership of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) that their “time is up.” Dedicating most of his press conference to the PTM, Ghafoor even accused the group of being an enemy of the state and receiving funds from Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and National Directorate of Security (NDS).

Pakistan has effectively kept up with its long history of labeling anyone who raises his voice against the military dictatorship; as a traitor, or externally funded saboteur.

What does the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement want?

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement is indigenous and was launched by Human Rights activist Manzoor Pashteen to address the various grievances of Pashtuns.

Pakistan should address the Pashtun grievances urgently as the past has shown us how a similar Human Rights movement in former East Pakistan culminated into an independence movement and resulted in the formation of Bangladesh in 1971.

It is unfortunate that the Pak military brass does not learn from history, and seems to be repeating the same mistakes that led to the horrific bloodbath and fragmentation to the nation in 1971.