ISLAMABAD — The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, or PTM, issued a resolution at the close of its “Justice Jirga” assembly on Sunday, Oct. 13, demanding that all armed groups, including the Taliban, ISIS, and the Pakistani military, withdraw from Pashtun-majority areas.
Manzoor Pashteen, PTM’s leader, read the resolution aloud, cautioning these groups that if they do not leave within two months, the movement will take further action.
The resolution also challenges the requirement of passports and visas for Pashtuns crossing the Durand Line, which separates Afghanistan and Pakistan, asserting that Pashtuns should be able to move freely between the two countries.
During the assembly, Mr. Pashteen proposed forming a 240,000-member unarmed force dedicated to justice and the protection of Pashtun rights. This call for action follows a recent temporary lifting of a Pakistani government ban on PTM’s activities, which had restricted the movement’s gatherings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In his remarks at the event, Mohsin Dawar, a senior PTM member, argued that Pashtuns cannot achieve a dignified life until Afghanistan has a government chosen by its people. He contended that Afghanistan is currently under Pakistan’s influence due to the Taliban’s control and called for an end to this foreign sway.
The resolution also urged the Taliban to reopen girls’ schools across Afghanistan and called for a jirga to address the country’s ongoing crises. Furthermore, PTM reiterated its stance that it does not recognize the Durand Line as an official border.
The Justice Jirga took place amid rising tensions. While Pakistan initially banned PTM’s activities, this restriction was conditionally lifted after a recent assembly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, allowing the movement to hold its event.
