Arrest orders issued for PTM’s Manzoor Pashteen, others

PESHAWAR: Police in Khyber Pakhtonkhwa on Friday issued arrest orders for Manzoor Pashteen, chief of Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), member National Assembly Mohsin Dawar and others.

The arrest orders were issued by Swabi police against Pashteen, Wazir, Dr Said Alam Masood, Fazal Advocate, Khan Zaman, Mohsin Dawood, Samad Khan and Noorul Salam who were also declared as proclaimed offenders.

According to the first information report registered by the police, PTM workers held a gathering at cricket stadium in Swabi’s Shah Mansoor Town without required no objection certificate from authorities. In the public gathering, the PTM chief and others made contemptuous statements against state institutions.

The persons nominated in the FIR also face charges for disrespecting the national flag.

Swabi Police said that the superintendent of police investigation wrote to the political agents of North and South Waziristan about arrest orders of the PTM leaders.

The PTM, formerly Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement, gained momentum following the extra-judicial murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi.  It sought capital punishment for the prime suspect in Naqeebullah murder case, former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, recovery of missing persons and removal of landmines in tribal areas.

A Jirga, formed by the K-P apex committee and comprising tribal elders, is holding negotiations with the group to resolve their issues.

On August 11, Pashteen was from entering the martyr’s tomb in Swabi by brother of Kargil hero Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed for his anti-state agenda. “I have been following your activities on Facebook they are suspicious,” Anwar Sher, the brother of Nishan-e-Haider recipient, had said.

During a press briefing on June 4, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor said he had met PTM leaders – Manzoor Pashteen and Mohsin Dawar, who shared their concerns regarding the death of Naqeebullah Mehsud and missing persons.

“Their demands are justified and we assured them that their issues will be resolved. Then, all of sudden Manzoor Ahmed turned into Manzoor Pashteen. His IDs began to be operated from Afghanistan and other foreign countries,” he said.