Local authorities in Nagar district have sentenced activist Yawar Abbas to one month in Manawar Jail. The decision, made by the District Magistrate, comes in response to Abbas’s social media activities criticizing the Army.

According to official statements, Abbas is accused of “inciting people” and “trying to sabotage the law and order situation” through his online posts. His most recent Twitter post, which drew particular attention, compared the situation in POGB to that of Palestine.

Abbas has been a vocal critic of the Pak Army’s “green tourism companies”, that are exploiting the region’s resources. His advocacy has focused on issues of land grabbing and the plunder of natural resources in POGB, a region that has long grappled with questions of political status and economic development.

Abbas’s arrest is an attempt to silence legitimate criticism. POGB has seen frequent protests over a lack of basic infrastructure and limited political rights.

The Islamic State Khurasan Province (ISKP), also known as ISIS-K, has claimed responsibility for two high-profile assassinations of political figures in Pakistan’s Waziristan region, according to their latest AI-generated bulletin.

The extremist group stated that they were behind the killing of Mullah Mirza Jan, a local leader of the Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) political party in South Waziristan last week. Additionally, they claimed responsibility for the assassination of another JUI leader, Mullah Noorul Islam Nizami, in North Waziristan a month prior.

The rapid claim of responsibility for these attacks underscores the fierce rivalry between ISIS-K and the Taliban, as both groups vie for control and influence in the region. This conflict has led to increased violence and instability, particularly in areas close to the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

Security analysts warn that these assassinations could be part of a larger strategy by ISIS-K to destabilize local political structures and create chaos in the region.

The JUI, a religious political party with significant influence in Pakistan’s northwestern regions, is yet to comment on these claims.

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is set to hold a major gathering today in Razmak, North Waziristan, drawing participants from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. This significant event aims to spotlight a range of issues affecting the Pashtun community, including the ongoing threats of land mines, bombings and dollar wars.

The PTM, known in Pashto as Pashtoon Jarghunay Ghorzang, has been at the forefront of advocating for Pashtun rights since its formation in 2018. The movement emerged in the wake of the extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a Pashtun youth, in Karachi by former police officer DSP Rao Anwar. This incident, coupled with allegations of over 400 Pashtuns killed in staged encounters in Karachi, ignited widespread protests and catalyzed the formation of the PTM.

Today’s gathering in Razmak is expected to address several critical issues facing the Pashtun community. PTM plan to protest against the persistent threat of land mines and bombings in Pashtun areas, raise awareness about target killings and forced disappearances, and highlight broader human rights violations by the hands of Pak Army. Additionally, the PTM aims to draw attention to the activities of the “dollar mafia,” which is responsible for ongoing violence and exploitation in the region.

Reports indicate that people from numerous villages across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are converging on Razmak to participate in this event, underscoring the widespread support for the movement. This gathering follows in the footsteps of previous large-scale demonstrations organized by the PTM.

Issues such as extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and economic exploitation continue to plague the Pashtun-majority areas. The PTM intends to use this gathering as a platform to bring these concerns to national and international attention, hoping to effect change and improve the lives of Pashtuns across Pakistan.