Days after the arrest of various leaders of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), including its chief Manzoor Pashteen, Interior Minister Ijaz Shah on Thursday categorically declared that those “who violate the land of the law will be arrested” without any distinction.
In an interview with BBC Urdu, Shah – while referring towards the arrested PTM activists – said: “They are Pakistani citizens. They have violated the law of the country, and they were arrested.”
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police on Monday arrested PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen on various charges, including sedition. The following day, the Islamabad police arrested at least 29 PTM activists, including its MNA Mohsin Dawar, for staging a protest for Pashteen’s release. Dawar was released within 24 hours of the arrest, however, other suspects were sent to jail.
Commenting upon the arrests, the interior reiterated that those “who violate the country’s law will be arrested”.
“It is the prime minister’s stance, that if you wish to resolve issues, you should come to the table. Nothing can be solved by fighting and going to war. This holds true for the entire nation including tribal areas,” Shah said.
However, when questioned why there was a need for the PTM to come to the table when they stage peaceful protests and there have been reports of ongoing talks between the group and the government, the minister said: “Talks [with them] are also being conducted on the table.
“I am talking to you right now. But if you go and say, kill someone or perhaps commit a crime, does that mean that no action will be taken against you?
However, Shah immediately clarified that he did not mean to insinuate that Pashteen had killed someone. “I am merely giving an example,” he cleared.
“Law enforcement agencies have their own task. If they are committing a crime they will be punished for it,” he maintained, implied responding yo PTM’s demand to put an end to allegedly enforced disappearances.
“As far as the Pashtuns are concerned, they stand with this government,” he said. “The [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf] has a two-thirds majority [in KP]. [Prime Minister] Imran Khan is more popular in tribal and Pashtun areas than he is in his own district.
“No other political leader has done what he [Imran] has done for the merger of tribal districts and for bringing the Pashtun into the mainstream. So then who is their leader, Pashteen or Imran,” he questioned.
“There is a case registered against Pashteen in Dera Ismail Khan on the basis of which he was arrested. Yesterday or the day before, an MNA from his party, a very good person, was using foul language against the country and state institutions and he has been caught.
“Whatever their reasons for protesting, there is a civilised way to protest. They were protesting in the wrong way. The courts are independent, and they will decide the cases.”
