Geneva [Switzerland], December 11 (ANI): Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) member Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi lambasted the Pakistani military establishment for trying to stifle their freedom of expression and their right to peaceful assembly and asserted that they cannot stifle their freedom around the world. He said that PTM will continue its struggle until the release of PTM chief Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, who he stressed was arrested arbitrarily and presented before the “kangaroo courts” of Pakistan.
In an interview with ANI, Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi said PTI activists around the world have organised protests after the arrest of Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen. He said that PTM does not believe in Pakistan’s courts, which he stressed, “are compromised under the boot of the Pakistani military establishment.”
Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi said, “After the arrest of Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, the PTM activists around the world organized global protests not only in Pakistan, but we organized the protests all around the world, including United States of America, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria. And there are more in the pipelines until and unless Manzoor Pashteen is released. Manzoor Pashteen was arrested arbitrarily and presented before the Kangaroo courts of Pakistan which are compromised under the boot of Pakistani military establishment.”
“We don’t believe in these courts and we don’t believe in the Pakistani system. And we will continue our struggle till the end, until Manzoor Pashteen is released. We are also intending to establish a tent here in Geneva on the daily basis where we will expose the black face of the Pakistani regime to the world on the daily basis,” he added.
Speaking about Pashteen’s arrest, he stated that the PTM chief was arrested on December 4, six days before the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi said that Pashteen’s intention to travel to Turbat was the main reason behind his arrest. He said that PTM will raise the matter at every forum if Manzoor Pashteen is not released.
“Manzoor Pashteen was arrested on December 4, six days before the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The main reason behind his arrest was that he was intending to travel to Turbat, sit-in where our Baloch brothers were organising protest against the enforced disappearances, target killings and genocide of the Baloch people. So that was the reason to stop Pashtun and Baloch, to show solidarity with each other, to strengthen their relationship with each other. The Pakistani military establishment was afraid of this relationship, and that is why he was arrested while on his way to Turbat city.”
He emphasised that Pakistan does not deserve to be a member of the United Nations as Pakistan’s generals – the Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, and DG ISI General Nadeem Anjum are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He called on the international community to try them before the International Criminal Court as they are violating the international law Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter.
Fazal-ur-Rehman Afridi said, “You know, the Pakistani military establishment is, you know, forcefully trying to stifle our freedom of expression and our right to peaceful assembly. But they cannot stop us around the world. They can stifle our freedom of expression in Pakistan, but they cannot stifle our freedom around the world because we are living in free world.”
“These generals, the Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, and the DG ISI General Nadeem Anjum, they are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity, including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, torture and genocide of the Pashtun people and we want the international community to try them before the International Criminal Court because they are violating the international law, they are violating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the United Nations Charter. So, Pakistan doesn’t deserve to be the member of the United Nations as it violates international law, United Nations Charter and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”
On December 11, a massive protest rally was organised in Frankfurt, Germany and Belgium, in which a large number of Pashtun activists participated.
They shouted slogans like “Pakistan is killing, the world is watching,” “Stop the Pashtun Genocide,” and “Free free Manzoor Pashteen.” Similarly, many Pashtun political activists gathered in front of the White House in Washington, DC with banners reading “Terrorist State Pakistan” to condemn the arrest of Manzoor Pashteen.
In London, a delegation of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement submitted a memorandum at the UK Prime Minister’s House at 10 Downing Street about Manzoor Pashteen’s detention by Pakistani security agencies.
Pashteen, who belongs to the South Waziristan area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, remains critical to Pakistani security agencies.
His social movement, the Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement, has been protecting the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan against state atrocities.
PTM has been raising its voice against the enforced disappearances, torture and killings by the security agencies and also by terrorists like the Pakistani Taliban. (ANI)
