In Parachinar (Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) , a beautiful yet strategically sensitive valley near the border, recent developments have left the region in a state of tension and unease. Dr. Ulamam Sid Shafqat Hussain Shirazi, the Head of the Majlis Ulemas of Pakistan and Secretary of the Foreign Affairs Majlis of Unity Muslim, has expressed grave concerns over the treatment of the people of Parachinar by Pakistan in the past years. He questioned the repeated attempts to disrupt the peace in the area, which the Pakistan Army has struggled to control.

The Parachinar region, formerly part of FATA, remains under complete military control, and any threat to the safety and security of these areas raises questions about the performance of Pakistan Army. Dr. Shirazi emphasized the need for a reevaluation of their approach, as the local population, characterized as patriotic, continues to suffer due to a poor strategy that has sown hatred and left the tribes destitute and impoverished.

It is noted that the Pakistani establishment, in the past, had a strained relationship with the people of this region as it provided safe havens to terrorists, a consequence of which is borne by the oppressed population today.

Conflict started over construction of Imam Bargah

It is worth noting that situation has grown increasingly tense in recent days in Parachinar. Incidents have erupted, including an attack on civilians during the construction of an Imam Bargah by Shias in Gander near the Taliban-inhabited area of Bushurhu. An 18-year-old youth lost his life in the attack, and several others sustained injuries.

The attack on Gander village resulted from a dispute over whether the construction was for an Imam Bargah or a mosque. This sparked tensions that quickly escalated, leading to confrontations in multiple areas, including Hundred, Kharklay, and Balshakhail, leaving a total of twelve dead and twenty injured in the ongoing clashes.

Normal life in the district has been severely impacted, with transport routes, educational institutions, and mobile and internet services all suspended. A defamatory voice message from a government website had previously ignited tensions, drawing condemnation from Shiite leaders, who called for the arrest of the responsible individual. Although the police arrested the perpetrator’s brother, the actual instigator, identified as Zeeno Mangal and Saif Allah, remained at large, fueling unrest and extremist rhetoric.

It is well known that Shias have been under continuous threat since the controversial amendments in blasphemy laws. The Shiite communities have become vulnerable which could be easily seen in Parchinar.

The armed wing of the Palestinian resistance organization, Hamas, known as the Qassam Brigades, has claimed responsibility for launching a series of rockets toward an area believed to house Israel’s nuclear facilities.

Israeli media sources have confirmed the rocket attacks on the vicinity of Dimunah. Fortunately, there have been no reported casualties resulting from these rocket strikes. However, sirens were activated in areas including Aries and the Netherlands, causing alarm among residents.

Disturbing video footage obtained from Hebrew sources has surfaced on various social media platforms, notably Twitter (X), depicting plumes of smoke rising near mountainous regions where the suspected nuclear facilities are believed to be located.

This incident has prompted heightened concerns about regional stability and has reignited tensions between Hamas and Israel. Authorities are undoubtedly conducting thorough investigations into the matter, and international observers are closely monitoring the situation for further developments.

It is worth noting that Israel neither confirms nor denies the existence of its nuclear program. Nevertheless, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the persistent challenges in the Middle East and the potential ramifications of such actions on the broader geopolitical landscape.

Kashmiris in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK) look concerned yet united like never before. The reason behind this unity amidst uncertainty is the ongoing public rights movement in the region. The Awami Action Committee on October 2^nd issued a ‘charter of demand’ and announced a plan of action against the increasing inflation and the subsequent exploitation by Pakistan. Based on the plan of action, the Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee held a region-wide protest on October 28. The day marks the completion of the third month of boycotting electricity bill payment. Since last three months more than 78 per cent of Kashmiris have not paid the bills and, in fact, floated them into river.

Three months of boycotting electricity bill payment

October 28 protest also shows same pictures across POJK. In Rajmehal Kotli, Kashmiris protested in a unique and resonating way. Native Kashmiris in the region carried out funeral of the electricity bill and chanted slogans against the establishment.

In Rawalkot, thousands of protestors took to the streets holding placard written with the anti-establishment slogans. The protestors hurled slogans calling “sarfaroshi ki tammanna ab hamaare dil me hai, dekhna hai jor kitna baaju-e-qaatil me hai,” a famous poem written against the British Imperialism during Indian independence struggle which means, “the desire for revolution is now in our hearts, let’s see how much strength lies in the arms of the murder (Pakistan)”.

In Tatrinote village in Poonch and Muzaffarabad, the protestors tied their electricity bills to the balloons and left them into the air, to symbolically denounce the Pak sponsored imposition of price hike by the puppet government of POJK.

Kashmiris in POJK protest like never before

Kashmiris in POJK are protesting like never before. Since the past five months, Kashmiris are raising their voice against the abrupt removal of subsidies on basic amenities especially wheat flour. To make things worse, the occupying government also raised the price of electricity in the region. This caused unrest in the Kashmiris as being the electricity surplus region, they had to pay the quadruple prices as compared to production price. This simply meant that the resources of POJK are exploited, and its benefits are reaped by the entire Pakistan but people of POJK.

The situation of Kashmiris is worsening with each passing day. They don’t have enough resources to fulfill their basic needs. And so, after months of protests and sit-ins, they realized the need for a more organized and formal movement, which on September 16, gave rise to Jammu and Kashmir Joint Public Action Committee or Awami Action Committee. The committee issued ‘charter of demands’ to be conveyed to puppet government of POJK and other international organisations including United Nations.

Past protests on the call of Awami Action Committee

The committee also announced a series of protests against the Pak sponsored exploitation of POJK. Following the announcement, the first protest was held on October 5 which saw participation from all walks of society. During the protest, a complete shutdown was observed in the entire POJK, marking the biggest and most expansive protest in the POJK history since its illegal occupation by Pakistan.

During the second protest, the women and children across the POJK protested for the fulfillment of the charter of demands. The women and children protest were held on 10^th of October. Following the women and children protest, the student organisations also protested on 17^th of October, as per the call of Awami Action Committee. This protest transcended the boundaries of POJK and was observed in various parts of Pakistan including Islamabad and Karachi.  One of the demand of the student organization protest was the revival of student unions, which Pakistan has abandoned as it fears the voice of dissent.

Nonetheless, the protest of October 28, made it categorically clear that Kashmiris don’t have an iota of patience to take the malicious Pakistani tactics and that they are firm on their demands. On the other hand, Pakistan which has used the coercion at the start, has also got a clear idea that its terrorizing policies are going to make no difference. As of now, the Awami Action Committee is firmly standing its plank, and it looks like it will continue to do so till its demands are met.  

Armita Garavand, a 17-year-old girl who had fallen into a coma following an incident with special officers enforcing compulsory hijab rules in the Tehran subway, has tragically passed away. She was admitted to Tehran Air Force’s Fajr Hospital, where she recently experienced brain death, and medical professionals had given up hope of her recovery.

As reported by the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Armita Garavand, a 17-year-old from Kermanshah (Kermashan), has now become the most recent victim of compulsory hijab regulations, losing her life after spending 28 days in Tehran’s Fajr Hospital. This case has raised serious questions about Iran’s strict dress rules for women, particularly the mandatory hijab laws, as conflicting narratives and concerns of a cover-up emerge.

Manhandling Armita Geravand

It was reported that Armita Geravand was manhandled following an altercation with female officers of Morality Police on the Tehran metro, who had apprehended her for allegedly violating the strict dress code for women. The family of Armita Geravand, represented by the Kurdish-focused Hengaw rights group, have claimed that Armita’s medical team informed them that her brain is no longer functioning, and there is no hope of recovery.
Iran has vehemently denied accusations of any wrongdoing and insists there was no altercation. Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, even published an edited CCTV clip showing a girl being carried out of a train. However, this footage has come under scrutiny as human rights organizations and Amnesty International have raised concerns about its authenticity.

Restrictions on Information and Suspected Coercion

The situation surrounding Armita Geravand has been further complicated by restrictions on information and potential coercion of witnesses. Iranian journalist Maryam Lotfi was briefly detained after attempting to report on Geravand’s condition, and she remains heavily guarded by Iranian security forces.

The controversy deepened with the release of an edited CCTV clip by Iran’s official news agency, IRNA. The clip shows a girl being carried out of a train. However, crucial footage depicting her entering the metro station, boarding the train, and the events leading to her fainting inside the wagon have not been made public. It is worth noting that all metro stations and trains in Tehran are equipped with CCTV cameras. The failure to release this footage has led to increased doubts about the official narrative.

Amnesty International conducted an analysis of footage provided by Iranian media, which purportedly shows there was no altercation. Amnesty’s findings raised concerns, as the footage appeared to be edited, with an increased frame rate, and over three minutes of content was missing.

Tehran metro managing director Masood Dorosti has denied any “verbal or physical conflict” between Armita Geravand and passengers or metro staff.

In a surprising twist, IRNA later published interviews with two girls claiming to be friends of Armita Geravand, who corroborated the official account. However, Hengaw has raised doubts about the verifiability of interviews with family and eyewitnesses of the incident that were published by state-controlled Iranian media.

Amnesty International has expressed “serious concerns” that Armita Geravand’s family and friends may have been coerced into appearing in propaganda videos and echoing the state narrative under duress and threats of reprisals.

A Grim Echo of the Past

This case reminds many of the tragic fate of Jina (Mahsa) Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in the custody of Iranian morality police in September 2022. Her death was labeled as a “state murder” by Iran Human Rights, prompting international calls for a UN fact-finding mission into Iran’s human rights violations.

Iran Human Rights has now called for international pressure on Iran to allow an independent investigation team into the country to determine the circumstances that led to Armita’s coma. Failure to do so, they argue, would be seen as another attempt to cover up a crime and allow the perpetrators to escape accountability.

The Pashtuns and Pakistan have come face to face on many issues since past few months. Be it the Afghan refugee issue or Pakistan’s ignorance towards the region. In all these conflicts, PTM has emerged as a forerunner of the Pashtun cause. In fact, it would not be wrong to say that it is single handedly resisting the arbitrary and oppressive actions of Pakistan. To that extent, a new protest has been organized by the Pashtuns against the passport checking at Pak-Afghan border.

The protest against the mandatory passport checking at Pak-Afghan border was started on 21 October in Chaman district of Pak-occupied Balochistan, which is the major route for the trans Durand trader movement. As of now the protest has entered its 7^th day. On the 6^th day of protest, i.e. October 26, the protest was made fiercer by organizing a rally which saw participation from the entire Pashtun and Afghan community. Lakhs of people hit the streets of mall road in Chaman as a symbol of protest against the Pakistani establishment of passport checking at Pak Afghan border for cross border movement for trade. They raised the slogans of “passport namanzur, namanzur” (Passport unacceptable, unacceptable).

Passport checking at Pak-Afghan border under ‘One document regime’

It is worth mentioning that after the Taliban take over of Afghanistan and especially after the Chitral clashes between TTP and Pakistan Army, the relation between the terror regimes of Pakistan and Taliban have seen a new low. Unanticipatedly, Pakistan got the taste of its own medicine from the Taliban. As a result, Pakistan launched a crackdown on unregistered Afghan civilians since a couple of months ago. In line with that the Paki establishment has recently declared that its “one document regime” policy will replace the decades-old practice of granting special travel permits to individuals with divided tribes straddling the nearly 2,600-kilometer Durand line between the two countries.

According to an official federal directive sent to immigration authorities at all Afghan border crossings, “passport as the only traveling document is going to be implemented from November 1, 2023.”

Accordingly, the passport and visa requirement are primarily going to hit the Pashtun dominated regions where the Pashtun population is spread on either side of the border.  Thousands of families from Afghanistan side travel to Pakistan to meet their family and relatives or in search of work and return to their homes slip of paper, locally called tazkira. Tazkira is granted under the easement rights that guarantee free travel. Almost every Pashtun use Chaman border to travel to Pakistan.

And so, the issue is crucial for Pashtuns and the abrupt decision of Pakistan has left the community in disarray. Consequently, the Pashtuns are protesting with full vigour.

An online petition has surfaced, calling for an end of the evacuation of Afghan migrants in Pakistan and seeking international support for Afghan refugees. The petition has gained momentum, with hundreds of people from various linguistic backgrounds endorsing it. It is available in English, Pashtun, Dari, Urdu, Turkish, and other languages, making it accessible to a broad audience.

The petition emphatically states that signatories reject the government of Pakistan’s deportation plan and stand in solidarity with Afghan nationals residing in Pakistan and elsewhere. It advocates for the official recognition of all Afghans as integral citizens of Pakistan, stressing the importance of preserving principles like permanent residence, citizenship, and asylum.

Furthermore, the petition underscores the interconnected struggles of Afghan migrants in Pakistan with those of ethnic and religious minorities, individuals facing political differences, homeless Pakistanis, women, and various segments of society. It asserts that the cause of Afghan migrants in Pakistan aligns with the global struggle of oppressed people, migrants, and refugees, as well as the broader Afghan diaspora.

Solidarity, a fundamental right and responsibility

Importantly, the petition clarifies that this solidarity is not an act of charity or mere human sympathy but a fundamental right and responsibility. It calls for the rejection of any attempts to divide ethnic and religious minorities and tribal communities within the country.

The petition also urges individuals, activists, communities, and organizations globally to continue expressing solidarity with Afghan refugees and to take proactive measures to protect Afghan community members from racial violence.

A heartfelt appeal is made to people worldwide to acknowledge their responsibility for the well-being of Afghans, both inside and outside Afghanistan. It demands an end to the ongoing migration of Afghans to Pakistan and other destinations.

The petition also directs its pleas to governments of countries like Britain, Germany, Canada, America, and others. It implores these nations to expedite the relocation of Afghan citizens, particularly those who find themselves stranded in transit in Pakistan. The immediate opening of asylum routes for Afghans is deemed a pressing need.

Furthermore, the petition highlights the necessity of shifting the international migration system’s focus from immediate repatriation programs to advocating for the long-term legal rights of Afghans in Pakistan.

Call to halt arbitrary detention

In addition, the petition calls upon the Government of Pakistan to halt arbitrary detentions and harassment of Afghan refugees, as well as the demolition of their residences. It insists that calls for Afghans to leave Pakistan cease immediately, and ongoing migration be halted. It urges continued protection for vulnerable Afghan populations in their pursuit of safety. Moreover, it advocates for the inclusion of undocumented Afghans in the asylum system and the development of a legal framework for refugees and asylum seekers within Pakistan, including long-term residence and pathways to citizenship.