Afghan Security Forces successfully apprehended six alleged affiliates of the Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) in a targeted operation in Sar-e-Pul province (Afghanistan), the Police Command reported. These individuals are suspected of involvement in recent attacks orchestrated by the terror outfit. While authorities refrained from disclosing names, the arrests underline ongoing efforts to combat the ISKP’s reign of terror in the region.

The ISKP, infamous for its extremist ideology, has openly branded Shias and even the Afghan Taliban as apostates, using religion as a guise for its violent agenda. This is a pattern evident across many terrorist groups that exploit Islam to justify their atrocities, labeling non-Islamist regimes as infidels and Islamist governments as apostates, thereby perpetuating their cycle of bloodshed.

While Afghanistan intensifies its counter-terrorism operations, Pakistan’s role as a breeding ground for such extremist factions cannot be overlooked. The Pakistan Army is not only fostering and shielding terror groups for its geopolitical agenda, but has also played a duplicitous role in the region. By allowing extremist organizations like ISKP to operate and flourish within its borders, the Paki establishment has not only destabilized its neighbors but also sowed chaos within its own society.

Despite publicly denouncing terrorism, the Pak Army has been repeatedly exposed for harboring extremist leaders and providing safe havens for militant outfits. This policy of supporting proxies for strategic depth has backfired, with terror networks like ISKP becoming uncontrollable monsters that now threaten regional and global security.

Once again, Pashtun leader Ali Wazir faces hurdles in his pursuit of justice. Wazir, who was scheduled to appear in court on Wednesday, failed to attend his hearing, with authorities citing the excuse that the prison vehicle transporting him had broken down. This excuse is the latest in a long line of delays and interruptions in the legal proceedings against Wazir, a prominent Pashtun rights activist and member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

Despite the continued efforts to disrupt his legal battles, the court acquitted Wazir in the first case, while the hearing for the second case was rescheduled for January 24. However, this ongoing game of legal cat-and-mouse is more than just an isolated incident. It is indicative of the systemic effort by the Paki establishment to suppress Pashtun voices and the broader Pashtun nationalist struggle.

Over the years, Pashtun activists have faced immense challenges in securing justice, with the Punjabi Pak Army using arbitrary arrests, fabricated charges, and delays in the judicial process as tools to silence dissent. This is part of a broader pattern of Army repression aimed at curbing the Pashtun rights movement, which has long sought justice for extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and other human rights abuses committed by the military in the region.

The delays in Wazir’s case and the unjust tactics used against him are emblematic of the Pak Army’s broader strategy to maintain its stranglehold over Pashtun areas, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where the military has historically used violence and intimidation to suppress any form of resistance.

On his first day as the 47th President of the United States, Donald Trump wasted no time in asserting his authority, signing a slew of executive orders aimed at undoing many of the policies implemented by his predecessor, Joe Biden.

After taking the oath of office and delivering a stirring inaugural address, Trump signed his first executive order at Washington’s Capitol One Arena, mandating that all federal workers return to the office full-time. The new president quickly followed up by signing as many as 80 executive orders, marking a stark departure from Biden’s administration, with significant policy shifts that include withdrawing the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as implementing a temporary freeze on new federal regulations.

Key Orders Signed by President Trump:

1. Crackdown on Birthright Citizenship and Immigration
   One of the most controversial orders issued by Trump on his first day in office was a crackdown on birthright citizenship for children born to illegal aliens in the U.S., a move that runs contrary to the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The president also announced plans to enhance vetting and screening procedures for illegal immigrants. Trump stated, “The federal government will not recognize automatic birthright citizenship for children of illegal aliens born in the United States.”
2. Withdrawal from Paris Agreement and WHO
   In a move that mirrored his actions during his first term, President Trump signed orders to declare a national energy emergency and withdraw the U.S. from the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Additionally, Trump ordered a halt to Biden’s efforts to protect Arctic lands and U.S. coastal waters from oil drilling, while promoting oil and gas development in Alaska. Trump also pulled the U.S. out of the WHO, citing the agency’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and alleged political influence from member states, particularly China.
3. Delay on TikTok Ban
   Trump signed an executive order delaying the planned ban on the popular short-video app TikTok by 75 days, extending the deadline for review until April 2025. The ban had been scheduled for January 19, 2025. The order grants Trump the authority to either sell the app or close it, while the U.S. attorney general has been instructed not to enforce the ban during this period.
4. Pardons for January 6 Rioters
   Sticking to one of his campaign promises, Trump signed an order dropping all charges against most of those involved in the January 6 Capitol riots. He expressed outrage over the treatment of those individuals, calling it “outrageous” and cutting short sentences for 14 members of far-right groups, including the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers, some of whom had been convicted of seditious conspiracy.
5. Return to Office for Federal Workers and Freeze on Government Hiring
   In a move to reshape the federal workforce, Trump ordered all federal workers to return to the office immediately and imposed a freeze on hiring for all government agencies. “I will implement an immediate regulation freeze, which will stop Biden bureaucrats from continuing to regulate,” Trump declared. He also emphasized that only competent individuals, “faithful to the American public,” would be hired moving forward.
6. Recognition of Only Two Genders
   In a bold executive order, Trump declared that the U.S. government would only recognize two genders – male and female – and that all government-issued identification documents, including passports and visas, would reflect an individual’s biological sex, as opposed to their gender identity. This order effectively reversed several of Biden’s policies promoting racial equity and protections for LGBTQ+ individuals.
7. Creation of DOGE Advisory Group Led by Elon Musk
   Trump also signed an order establishing the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an advisory group aimed at cutting back on the size of the U.S. government. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who leads the group, has been tasked with eliminating entire federal agencies and cutting three-quarters of federal government jobs, a move that has already sparked multiple lawsuits challenging the new department’s operations.

Trump’s first day in office marked a decisive shift in U.S. policy, with the president taking swift action to implement his vision for the country.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader, Manzoor Pashteen, has once again condemned the Punjabi Pakistan Army for its failure to protect Pashtun communities, accusing it of perpetuating violence and destabilizing the region. Speaking out about the dire situation in several tribal areas, Pashteen emphasized the lack of accountability and effective governance, particularly by the occupying government in Pakhtunkhwa.

Reflecting on the historic October 11 Jirga, Pashteen expressed optimism about its potential impact on the Pashtun struggle. However, he warned that the Jirga’s decisions could only bring real change if Pashtun political parties united to implement them. “We appeal to all Pashtun parties to follow the decisions of the Jirga and work together to solve the issues facing our people,” Pashteen said.

While he acknowledged the difficulties ahead, Pashteen reassured his followers that PTM was not silenced, nor was it backing down from its mission. “We are preparing ourselves for the next phase of struggle,” he said, highlighting the pressing need for resistance in the face of increasing oppression.

Addressing the critical situation in Pashtun-majority areas, particularly Bajaur, Swat, Waziristan, Bannu, and Kurram, Pashteen made it clear that the Paki establishment’s neglect and inability to address the growing violence were unacceptable. “The provincial government of Pakhtunkhwa is a government in name only,” he said. “Armed groups roam freely, and when violence erupts, it is the ordinary people who are pressured, not those responsible for the bloodshed.”

Pashteen Warns

Particularly harrowing was Pashteen’s description of the conditions in Kurram, where he highlighted the dire humanitarian crisis. “People in Kurram have no food to eat, but the establishment is indifferent. While civilians suffer, both fighting sides continue to receive ample supplies of weapons and ammunition to fuel their conflict,” he said.

Pashteen also turned his focus to the Pakistan Army’s brutal tactics, criticizing its actions in Waziristan and beyond. “The Army does not even leave the people of Waziristan alone across the Durand Line. While militants operate near Army bases, the Army bombs children in Khost,” he said, pointing to the Army’s destabilizing role in Afghanistan. “Pakistan continues to foster extremist groups to destabilize Afghanistan while neglecting the needs of its own people.”

In addition to these grave concerns, Pashteen condemned the use of drones by the Pak Army, which he claimed are being used for training purposes on civilians in Waziristan. “Drone attacks and target killings are now a regular feature of life in Waziristan. Areas like Mir Ali have become training grounds for Pakistan’s drone operations,” Pashteen said, underscoring the civilian toll these attacks have taken.

He also warned that the Army’s recent attempts to seize control of newly discovered mineral-rich areas in Malakand and other regions were causing further strife. “The Army has created problems to occupy the mines, and if they attempt to conduct operations in our areas, we will not allow ourselves to be displaced again,” he asserted, adding that PTM was planning a response in case of further forced displacements. “If they force us to leave again, we will march to Islamabad with millions of people to demand justice.”

The Pakistan Army has yet again martyred an innocent Pashtun youth, this time in Bara, Khyber. Khan Wali Afridi, an active participant in the October 11 Jirga, has reported that soldiers entered the home of the victim and ruthlessly killed the young man in front of his grieving family, particularly the women of the household. This brutal act serves as a stark reminder of the Pak military’s ongoing disregard for basic human, Pashtun, and Islamic norms.

The victim, whose name remains withheld, becomes yet another casualty in the long list of Pashtun youth targeted by the Punjabi Pak Army. This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar tragedy in Bajaur, where another young Pashtun was murdered by Pak Army. Such acts of violence have become commonplace in Pashtun regions.

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a grassroots movement that fights for the rights of Pashtuns, has been at the forefront of calling out the Paki establishment’s systematic suppression of Pashtun demands. The PTM has consistently highlighted the ongoing human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and military crackdowns in the Pashtun areas. These actions, aimed at silencing voices of dissent, have left thousands of Pashtun families in mourning, with entire communities displaced, marginalized, and living in constant fear.

For years, the Pashtun people have borne the brunt of military operations, drone strikes, and terrorist activities, all of which have contributed to widespread displacement, poverty, and grief. Yet, despite the overwhelming evidence of injustice, the Punjabi Pak Army remains unaccountable, continuing its reign of terror against innocent Pashtun civilians.