Pakistan Army has once again arrested PTM activists amid the escalating tensions between PTM and the Army over Manzoor Pashteen’s arrest. The recent arrest of Adnan Waziri, a student and PTM activist from Bannu on December 28, has raised serious concerns. In the meantime, another PTM activist Muqib Afridi was also picked up by the Army. Both have been implicated in false FIRs, reflecting a worrying trend of arbitrary arrests by Pakistani totalitarian apparatus.
It is worth mentioning that Adnan Waziri is a PTM worker form North Waziristan while he studies in Peshawar University. After his arrest, he was sent to judicial remand on December 29. On the other hand, Muqib Afridi is PTM’s district coordinator of Khyber district hailing from Bannu town. As of now, his whereabouts still remains unknown.
This development unfolds amidst the ongoing agitation by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) following the illegal arrest of its leader, Manzoor Pashteen. Simultaneously, PTM is actively supporting the Baloch Long March to Islamabad, events that have unsettled the Pakistani establishment.
Pakistan’s apprehension is evident in its arbitrary targeting of PTM activists who possess the potential to challenge the Pakistan Army sponsored persecution.
The arrests of Waziri and Afridi underscore a pattern of suppressing dissent and stifling voices that dare to question the establishment’s policies. This approach not only violates fundamental rights but also expose the undemocratic nature of the de-facto rule of military.
The Pakistan Army’s nervous reaction to these movements signifies its discomfort with dissenting voices and its fear of losing control over the narrative. It’s imperative to recognize and condemn these arbitrary arrests, advocating for the protection of fundamental freedoms and the right to dissent in Pakistan.