New Delhi (NVI): Thousands of people today participated in a “peace seminar” by Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) party in Jani Khel town in Bannu district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan to demand immediate release of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir who has been remanded in police custody till December 30 by an anti-terrorism court.
Locals turned up at the seminar in large numbers which soon turned in a huge gathering and demanded the release of PTM leader Ali Wazir and other activists from the party forcibly arrested by the Pakistani army and police.
PTM held peace seminar in Jani Khel Bannu which turned into a huge gathering.Thousands of locals came out ,& demanded the end of terrorism & release of MNA @Aliwazirna50 and other PTM activists. #GHQ controlled media has once again given no coverage to #PTMJaniKhelPeaceSeminar pic.twitter.com/0JBw0ye5Yr
— Khor Bibi (خور بی بی) (@KhorBibi) December 20, 2020
An anti-terrorism court yesterday remanded in police custody Wazir and three others in a case pertaining to allegedly using provocative language against state institutions at a gathering in Karachi, reported Dawn.
Wazir was arrested on Wednesday in connection with a case registered against him and several leaders of the PTM in Karachi after a recent public meeting by the country’s opposition.
The authorities have accused the PTM leaders of committing several offences, including hatching a criminal conspiracy and passing derogatory remarks against state institutions, as per local media reports.
Notably, Wazir’s arrest came at a time when the Pakistan ruling party is facing growing protests.
Several human rights activists and opposition political parties have also condemned the arrest of Wazir, who is also a Member of the National Assembly of Pakistan.
Pertinent to mention here that Pashtuns are a minority population in Pakistan and they have been targeted by the military for a long time, besides facing ethnic stereotyping at the hands of the Pakistani state and its security forces.
-ARK
