News Analysis |
In the latest development, three leaders of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) have been arrested Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) police department. PTM’s leaders are allegedly involved in an armed attack on police officials that led martyrdom of Inspector Zaheer and wounding two other personnel in Bannu district.
Three PTM leaders arrested over gun attack on police officials#ARYNewshttps://t.co/PgcxbP25gA
— ARY NEWS (@ARYNEWSOFFICIAL) July 4, 2019
Regional Police Officer (RPO) Abdullah Khan and District Police Officer (DPO) Yasir Afridi told journalists during a press conference that the arrested PTM leaders opened fire on police officials during a raid conducted in Township area for arresting the accused persons wanted in different cases.
The police officers said that the PTM leaders were involved in violating law after delivering hateful speeches against the national institutions despite imposition of a ban on rallies and public gatherings under Section 144.
The PTM leadership should not mislead their innocent supporters and must nor continue this war against the armed forces of Pakistan.
“The leaders are wanted to KP police in five different cases, whereas, weapons were also recovered from their possession. The department has referred the case to the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) for further action,” the officers added.
This is not the first occasion that the PTM members opened the fire and killed security officers. Earlier in the month of May, a group of men under the leadership of Mohsin Dawar, Member National Assembly (MNA) from North Waziristan, attacked Kharqamar check post, Boyya, North Waziristan. According to Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) at least three attackers, belonging to Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), were killed and five soldiers got injured.
PTM leaders can be seen in videos threatening and challenging the army.
https://twitter.com/AsharJawad/status/1132562482185342977
Recently, the DG ISPR has said that the “time is up” for PTM. General Ghafoor talked at length about the PTM, its demands and links with anti-Pakistan forces in India and Afghanistan. He advised PTM to remain within their constitutionally determined limits and must not challenge the writ of the state. “RAW and NDS are funding the PTM. Is it not true?” asked DG ISPR.
Experts’ Opinion: A Global Game or a Regional Agenda?
Experts and political commentators have reservations over what happened in North Waziristan, a place cleared by Pakistan army after rigorous and challenging operations since 2014. Professor Dr. Hassan Askari says that “it is important to understand the narratives of India, Afghanistan and PTM against the armed forces of Pakistan are overlapping. Why it so?” Dr. Askari also pointed out that the ongoing so-called rights movements need to be understood global context where agenda has been set to destabilize the developing state through using their internal fault lines.
Read more: PTM want army to leave Waziristan: Terrorists or Rights’ movement?
Dr, Moeed Pirzada, a prominent political commentator, also tweeted and shared an opinion piece he wrote for the Global Village Space Magazine a year ago.
One year ago, I had written a detailed analysis to explain PTM's real agenda, its funding, support by international media & think tanks, history of old ideas and the new international script behind it. Now is the time to carefully read this https://t.co/7SsJznWVPh via @@GVS_News
— Moeed Pirzada (@MoeedNj) May 26, 2019
Dr. Pirzada noted that “we know that “Spring Revolutions” originate and evolve less on ground and more on media and cyberspace and sudden interest of publications from New York Times, Washington Post, Foreign Policy to Asia Times Online and many many others point towards systematic efforts to create a “narrative”. BBC Pashto, VOA –Deeva and France 24 all have been overactive – and all are state-funded broadcasters.
This is being reinforced by plethora of newer western web sites that are all using different words but more or less the same substance, a consistent message moving from different directions to create and reinforce a mental reality. This is further reinforced by teams of activists connected with NGO’s and international media inside Pakistan.”
Read more: ‘Good PTM’ versus ‘Bad PTM’
Experts believe that the PTM leadership should not mislead their innocent supporters and must nor continue this war against the armed forces of Pakistan. It is in the best interest of Pakistan, its people, and people living in the tribal areas.