The case of PTM

Letter April 14, 2018
It won’t take much for an apolitical grouping to embark upon an entirely political path

Starting off as a political movement primarily focused on securing the political and social rights of Pashtuns, Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement has now taken a rather concerning turn with it earning a supportive voice from Afghanistan and a bid to seek assistance from international mediatory bodies.

In a country with political conditions as volatile as Pakistan, it won’t take much for an apolitical grouping to embark upon an entirely political path and hence turn into a dissenting or separatist movement.

The case of PTM is no different. It would have been better had its young leadership not touched upon sensitive issues such as the presence of the military in the northwestern areas of Pakistan. As facts go, the military operation in those regions has played a pivotal role in bringing life back to normal, albeit to an extent. Moreover, with civilian and military leadership already trying to defuse the Faizabad debacle, another one staged on similar grounds would outright destabilise the order.

Sameen Saqib

Karachi