In a gathering at Quetta’s Manan Shaheed Chowk, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), alongside political allies ANP, PNAP, and NDM, voiced strong dissent over the arrest of PTM Chief Manzoor Pashteen. The PTM protest started in reaction to the absolute impunity of Pakistan Army and its puppet security forces. Recently Pakistan Army opened fire at Pashteen’s convoy, leading to his subsequent arrest.
Notably, PTM has been protesting in Chaman against the new rule of mandatory passport for border crossing since 21 October, which has hurt the innocent traders who traded across border and local peoples who have relatives on either side of the border. Meanwhile the tragic demise of four Baloch youth in an extra judicial encounter by the so-called Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), led to a protest in Turbat where huge number of Baloch participated in sit-in.
After extending full support to the Turbat protest from the plank of Chaman protest site, Pashteen announced to visit the Turbat protest in person. While he was on the move, Pakistan Amry opened indiscriminate fire at his convoy. The ambush culminated in the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen. They later took him to Islamabad.
This turn of events has incited heightened resentment among the Pashtun community against the Pakistan Army and its leadership. The arrest of Pashteen has fueled existing grievances, intensifying calls for accountability and fair treatment within the democratic framework.