PTM leader Sana Ejaz making victory sign while in police custody today in Peshawar
Dozens of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) activists have been arrested from Peshawar. The police made the arrests when PTM activists were protesting for the release of Dr Said Alam.
Sana Ejaz, a prominent leader of the movement, was also arrested.
According to details, PTM had called for a protest today in Peshawar to demand release of its detained leader Dr Said Alam Mahsud. Dr Mahsud was arrested by Police last week from his house for “disturbing the peace of the province”.
Peshawar police, now in an attempt to foil the protest, has arrested nearly 50 members of the organisation. The arrested include PTM’s prominent leaders, Sana Ejaz, Dr Mushtaq, Aftab Shinwari and others.
Son of Dr Alam, Taimoor Alam Mahsudd has also been arrested.
Alamzaib Khan Mahsud, a central leader of PTM, confirmed the arrests and said that dozens of “PTM comrades” have been arrested by police in Peshawar today. “The crackdown on the PTM in the current political situation in the country is a testament to our political resistance,” he added.
Mahsud said that their path cannot be blocked by this “barbarism”.
PTM is a grassroots movement with enormous support from the Pashtun youth. The organisation is headed by its “charismatic leader” Manzoor Pashteen.
The Pakistani military has accused the PTM of having the support of Afghanistan and India and being involved in anti-state activities.
The PTM denies the allegations as “government propaganda.” The movement says that it believes in the peaceful struggle for civil rights enshrined in the Pakistani constitution. The organisation’s leaders say, those issuing treason certificates should reconsider their anti-citizen policies. Manzoor Pashteen once said about the movement that PTM is a civil movement, not a political party, and will continue to struggle for the rights of Pakhtuns.