In a powerful address, Manzoor Pashteen, a prominent leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), reflected on the events of October 11, when a peaceful assembly known as the Khyber Jirga was violently disrupted. Pashteen said that this gathering was not an end but rather a new beginning for the Pashtun struggle for justice and peace.
“We were gathering for peace under the banner of the Pashtun National Court, but the oppressors responded with overwhelming force to thwart our efforts,” Pashteen said, highlighting the Punjabi Pak Army’s brutal response to a peaceful assembly aimed at advocating for Pashtun rights. The violence erupted when Pak Army forces clashed with peaceful participants, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least four Pashtuns and leaving many others injured. Additionally, hundreds were arbitrarily detained, illustrating the severe crackdown on dissent by the Punjabi Army elites.
Pashteen’s remarks underscore the ongoing plight of the Pashtun community, which has faced systemic oppression for decades. “This is how the Pakistan Army deals with those who seek peace,” he said. “The Army generals are allergic to peace, fearing the unity and strength of a people who have long been marginalized.”
The Khyber Jirga was intended as a platform for dialogue and reconciliation, yet the heavy-handed tactics employed by the Army forces served as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by those advocating for peace and justice in Pakistan.