The Mehsud Tahafuz Movement was rebranded as the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) to enhance its clout in society; now, it is exploiting other issues of public interest to spread anarchy in the country. It has shifted from an anti-war movement to promoting sub-nationalist narratives that aim to incite unrest among the Pashtun masses. Its protests in foreign countries, as well as in front of UN bodies and international human rights organizations, portray it as inviting foreign interventions in the country’s domestic affairs.

On the one hand, it demands that the Armed Forces, law, and intelligence agencies stay away from exercising their legal powers in the country, while on the other hand, it wants indulgence in extraterritorial elements in national issues. These contradictions speak highly about the hypocritical nature of its leaders. Although Manzoor Pashteen presented himself as an anti-war peace activist, his rhetoric was characterized by undemocratic attitudes, hate speech, and racist notions.

PTM has shifted from being an anti-war movement to promoting sub-nationalist narratives that incite unrest among Pashtuns.

Militant outfits have killed over 84 thousand Pakistanis in terrorist attacks and suicide bombings, with victims hailing from various communities in Pakistan. However the shortsighted leadership of PTM is only concerned with Pashtun victims of violence; it lacks inclusiveness, which is against the basic values of democracy. Terrorism has affected the lives of other ethnic communities in Pakistan as well; hence, the leadership of PTM shows racist tendencies in an unjust approach to peace.

PTM’s nefarious agenda to support Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) came to light as it propagated narratives that could create a power vacuum, thereby strengthening terrorist outfits. Therefore, it has shifted its focus to issues of natural resource exploitation and visa regulations in order to maintain its deceptive façade. Pakistan’s constitution clearly addresses the issue of natural resources and minerals, and both provincial and federal democratic governments exist to safeguard shared interests. PTM’s campaign to make it a controversial matter is against the national interest and it has neither a public mandate nor legal grounds to discuss these issues.

TTP destroyed the economy of KP by committing acts of terrorism, and PTM is following suit to keep the Pashtun masses impoverished by opposing projects aimed at developing natural resources. Society regarded PTM as a peace movement, and state authorities actively engaged its leadership to reduce the social influence of violent extremist and terrorist ideologues. Regrettably, PTM leaders began to align themselves with extremist ideologies, leading to hate speech and illegal activities that disappointed pro-peace forces in Pakistan.

The leadership of PTM shows racist tendencies by only addressing Pashtun victims of violence while ignoring other ethnic communities affected by terrorism.

PTM leaders became known for their strong opposition to security forces’ counterterrorism measures and their use of derogatory language against national security institutions. As a result, TTP chief Noor Wali Mehsud lavished praise on PTM leaders in 2018. They crafted a false narrative of survival for Pashtun ethnicity, and PTM became a complementary movement to violent extremist and terrorist outfits.

Manzoor Pashteen’s initiative, the Pashtun national jirga, represents an additional constitutional step in the PTM process. Ironically, the Pashtun national jirga failed to confront the Taliban, who oppressed the ethnic identity of Pashtuns by linking it to terrorism, despite the fact that the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are essentially Pashtun. It should have raised anti-Taliban slogans to set free Pashtuns from the grip of violence. On the other hand, leaders such as Manzoor Pashteen, Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar, and others failed to raise awareness against terrorism within society.

They were unable to address the issue of terrorist outfits recruiting Pashtuns, and they refrained from responding to inquiries about Pashtun’s susceptibility to violent extremism. This indicates a lack of understanding of the true nature of the issue, as well as a lack of sincerity and courage in confronting the Taliban. The TTP exploited the culture of vengeance and carrying arms to promote terrorism in the Pashtun heartland, while the PTM failed to promote healthy conduct in this area.

The PTM’s opposition to visa regulations and border control mechanisms aims to strengthen the alliance between terrorists and smugglers, thereby facilitating the free movement of terrorists, arms, and explosives on the Pak-Afghan border. We expect a rise in the frequency of terrorist attacks and suicide bombings in society as a result. The international community took extraordinary measures to combat the threat of terrorism, with countries such as the USA resorting to discriminatory physical searches at airports to ensure homeland security.

PTM’s opposition to visa regulations aims to facilitate the movement of terrorists across the Pak-Afghan border.

Besides, the PTM leadership remains steadfast in its opposition to the removal of anti-terrorism mechanisms from the tribal district of KP, and it has joined the TTP in demanding that security forces evacuate these areas. PTM’s stance on identity documents and Pakistan’s visa policy is against international law and norms of international relations; it demands the government surrender sovereignty to Afghanistan, which would be unacceptable for any independent state in the world. Its leadership is inclined to support a foreign government at the cost of Pakistan’s interests.

Afghan immigrants participate in PTM protests against Pakistan in other countries. ISAF and NATO forces abandoned them, leaving them with a bleak future. PTM’s involvement with these elements goes against Pakistan’s interests, further exposing its nefarious agenda to undermine national security institutions. The inability of PTM’s leaders to recognize modern state-based international relations and their subversive agenda is a real problem.

The government has declared PTM a threat to national peace and security, citing its activities as prejudicial to the state.

PTM’s use of harsh and derogatory language towards security institutions in Pakistan, along with its lenient stance towards the Afghan Taliban, TTP, and other militant outfits, is questionable and unacceptable to the country’s peace-loving populace. Therefore, the government has declared PTM a threat to the country’s peace and security, in accordance with Pakistani laws, to curb its nefarious designs.

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author. They do not represent the views, beliefs, or policies of the Stratheia.