Pakistan's PTM launches US chapter to reach out to Congressmen and influencers

Founders and central leaders of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, including Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar and Abdullah Nangyal, addressed the launch event at the National Press Club over the weekend.

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement or PTM of Pakistan has launched its US chapter with the aim to reach out to Congressmen, government officials, think-tanks and diaspora about civil rights movement and ground realities inside Pakistan. Founders and central leaders of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, including Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar and Abdullah Nangyal, addressed the launch event at the National Press Club over the weekend. It was attended by eminent members of the Pashtun, Baloch, and Sindhi diaspora here.

"The peace in Afghanistan and Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan is inextricably linked to each other. There cannot be peace in Pakhtunkhwa without peace in Afghanistan," said Abdullah Nangyal of PTM. "I want to give the message of unity in political struggle, we've bigger goals to achieve through PTM and that can only be possible if we can as a united front," said PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen.

Asserting that PTM is an anti-war movement, Mohsin Dawar in his address demanded a truth commission to investigate the war on the Pashtun land, to pin responsibility on those responsible for bloodshed, enforced disappearances and land mines cultivated during this war. "The Taliban have marked their return in the Pashtun belt, they are regrouping and attacking the locals. We demand peace for our land," he said.

State authorities instead of curbing terrorism is using regressive anti-terrorism, cybercrime and sedition laws to curb voices of dissent in Pakistan, alleged Gulalai Ismail. Muhammad Rasool said that the war economy of Pakistan has destroyed the lives and economy of the Pashtuns across the Durand Line.

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