Tide turned: Protest rallies held against PTM

Newly formed Pakistan Zindabad Movement says Pashtun movement working against security forces

SHABQADAR: A social movement for demining the once militancy hit Waziristan agency and recovery of missing Pashtun people has been painted as a force working against the security forces and the state of Pakistan.

People in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) took out rallies against Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

The rallies were organised by a newly formed Pakistan Zindabad Movement, across the FATA and K-P.

PTM had rose to prominence after it held mammoth protests for the arrest of Karachi’s SSP Rao Anwar for the extrajudicial killing of Naqueebullah Mehsud.



Protestors in rallies said they were marching to pay tribute to the sacrifices rendered by the security force for maintaining peace in FATA and K-P.

Anti-PTM rallies were held in Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram agencies and also in the K-P towns of Kohat, Shabqadar and Charsadda. People from different walks of lives praised the Pak Army and its sacrifices for maintaining peace in FATA and K-P. Protestors termed PTM anti-state and anti-forces.

The organisers of these rallies even called PTM an agent of RAW and NDS with a mission to defame the Pakistani security forces.



The organisers warned that if PTM did not let up their foreign agenda the Pashtun people will come after them.

The PZM organisers were of the view that Pakistan had been achieved by sacrifices rendered by their forefathers, but now some educated youth poisoned by anti-state propaganda were working against security forces. PZM said it seems that PTM has forgotten that peace had been restored by the sacrifices of the security forces. They added that they will give any sacrifices for keeping respect of their forces.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 3^rd, 2018.