Manzoor Pashteen, founder and leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement, said that the PTM is an anti-terrorism movement, and only the individuals with a “pro-terrorism mentality” will oppose the PTM. He said that the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement has not been bothered in the past by false accusations hurled its way, nor will it be bothered in the future.
Taking to Twitter, the PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen said that the “anti-democratic” comments of Pakistan Democratic Movement leadership are pitiful. He said that the PTM is an organization devoted to rooting out terrorism from society. He said that only the factions harbouring a pro-terrorism mentality will oppose the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement.
Pashteen’s comments came in the wake of the recent statement of the PDM leader Maulana Fazlur Rahman who called out the PTM an “extremist, nationalist, and terrorist organization” in a recent press conference. Rahman’s comments engendered a massive public uproar – thousands of individuals took to social media to condemn his comments and express solidarity with the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement.
Mohsin Dawar, PTM leader and Member of the National Assembly, described Rahman’s words as “shamelessness beyond words.” In a tweet, Dawar said that: “PTM didn’t resort to violence despite #KharQamarMassacre, despite the incarceration of @Aliwazirna50 & others. Molana should explain why Taliban flags fly high in his jalsas? He hates PTM because v will not allow him to sell Pashtun blood again.”
In a separate tweet, Dawar said that the Jamiat Ulema-e Islam, a Sunni Deobandi political party chaired by Maulana Fazlur Rahman, has been at the forefront in disseminating terrorism and causing bloodshed in Pakhtunkhwa. “Maulana Sb has reaped personal and political gains from this bloodletting”, Dawar said.