PTM gets govt's nod to hold rally in Peshawar as security threat looms

Officials say the next few days are highly probable for political rallies in terms of security circumstances

PESHAWAR: Amid threats of a possible militant attack most probably in ‘gatherings’ besides section 144 imposed, the district administration has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) for holding its gathering in the provincial capital on Sunday.

Peshawar’s district administration had imposed a ban on Pakistan Zindabad rally after a threat alert was circulated from the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD).

A report from CTD showed serious threats to political gatherings, according to an official statement from the deputy commissioner’s office. This was the reason behind the ban imposed on the Pakistan Zindabad rally which was to be held in Hayatabad.



“Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commanders are planning to target political gatherings in Pakistan considering it an opportunity for an attack,” the letter read. Officials stated that chances of an attack in the next few days were highly probable considering the circumstances of political rallies. According to the announcement, terrorists see this as an opportunity to shift the blame of the attack on the security forces and discredit them.

PTM, however, was determined as it had called for another protest rally in the provincial capital on April 8. On the other hand, an official with knowledge of the situation said that no final decision had been taken as yet regarding the rally, but the consideration was in progress.

Furthermore, all the officials concerned across the Peshawar district decided that the PTM should be permitted to hold its gathering in the provincial capital, a senior official of the district administration told The Express Tribune.



The official, who refused to share his identity since he was not entitled to speak to media, stated that an NOC has been issued allowing PTM to hold its gathering adding that it was a policy level decision.

PTM got fame among the masses after it held a huge protest against extrajudicial killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud and the PTM loyalists demanded that the government immediately arrest SSP Karachi Rao Anwar alleging Anwar was involved in killing Mehsud.

The movement has been active since 2014 demanding demining operation in Waziristan agencies and production of missing Pashtun people.

Besides having been supported by different walks of life, PTM has simultaneously been facing immense resistance, as Awami National Party (ANP) has already distanced itself from the movement where at the same time they have served show cause notices to their youth wing leaders for supporting PTM.

Besides ANP, a large number of people held protest demonstrations calling PTM, an anti-state and anti-forces entity. Such rallies were in Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram agencies and also in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Kohat, Shabqadar and Charsadda areas. Protesters alleged PTM was being funded by Indian and Afghan spy agencies Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and National Directorate of Security (NDS) respectively.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 8^th, 2018.