At a press conference organized against the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen, various Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leaders appeared alongside MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir to express condemnation. MNA Mohsin Dawar spoke in detail about his view of the situation. Senator Usman Kakar (PMAP), Farhatullah Babar (PPP) and Afrasiab Khattak were present on the occasion.
Mohsin Dawar took the view that the process of apprehending Manzoor Pashteen was an “abduction” rather than an arrest. He stated that he had been in contact with police but authorities had given no clear grounds for the arrest. In his view, Pashteen is being victimized by authorities for the PTM's recent mammoth gathering at Bannu. Dawar went on to predict that resistance to authoritarian moves on the part of the government will only increase in the country.
In his remarks, MNA Ali Wazir referred to the fact that the ruling party's Pervez Khattak had been trying to negotiate with the PTM. In Wazir's view, the action against Manzoor Pashteen suggested that the government and the state were not on the same page.
Senator Usman Kakar and Afrasiab Khattak also addressed the press conference. In his remarks, Afrasiab Khattak contrasted the government's treatment of Manzoor Pashteen with its lenience towards the conviction of former strongman Gen Pervez Musharraf. He opined that the arrest of Pashteen was a “dangerous” move and that it weakened the government's moral position when it condemned Indian atrocities in Kashmir.
Mohsin Dawar took the view that the process of apprehending Manzoor Pashteen was an “abduction” rather than an arrest. He stated that he had been in contact with police but authorities had given no clear grounds for the arrest. In his view, Pashteen is being victimized by authorities for the PTM's recent mammoth gathering at Bannu. Dawar went on to predict that resistance to authoritarian moves on the part of the government will only increase in the country.
In his remarks, MNA Ali Wazir referred to the fact that the ruling party's Pervez Khattak had been trying to negotiate with the PTM. In Wazir's view, the action against Manzoor Pashteen suggested that the government and the state were not on the same page.
Senator Usman Kakar and Afrasiab Khattak also addressed the press conference. In his remarks, Afrasiab Khattak contrasted the government's treatment of Manzoor Pashteen with its lenience towards the conviction of former strongman Gen Pervez Musharraf. He opined that the arrest of Pashteen was a “dangerous” move and that it weakened the government's moral position when it condemned Indian atrocities in Kashmir.