OP-ED - Restoring #Pashtun dignity in #Pakistan

Dr Saira Bano Orakzai

The Pashtun Tahafuz movement is asking for the implementation and extension of Article 14 of the constitution to restore dignity of Pashtuns in the conflict zones.

After his death in 1960, the Times of London described Faqir of Ipi from the frontier tribal areas as a ‘doughty and honourable opponent’. Honour and Dignity are central to Pashtun identity and culture. The Pashtun youth movement that surfaced as a result of multiple demand to end conflict in the Pashtun areas of Pakistan made restoration of dignity of Pashtuns living in Pakistan as its core demand. In his statements to the state and people of Pakistan, PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen has repeatedly asked for ‘the right to life with respect and dignity’. All other demands from the state of Pakistan, including that of peace, development, withdrawal of the security forces, and reconstruction are central to the conflict resolution process, yet the way vulnerable Pashtuns have been treated in the conflict zones explains why it hurts when dignity is violated. Accountability of dignity violators is central to rebuild relationships and to reconcile in this conflict.

Dignity, the feeling of inherent value and worth, is a birthright of all human and is a conflict prevention method at present and conflict resolution approach. The Constitution of 1973 guarantees dignity of all Pakistanis. Article 14 ensures the ‘Inviolability of dignity of man, etc. (1) the dignity of man and, subject to law, the privacy of home, shall be inviolable. (2) No person shall be subjected to torture for the purpose of extracting evidence’. Similarly, the Universal declaration of Human Rights 1948 equally ensures inherent dignity of all human beings in its preamble.

Restoring dignity is the first step towards peace process in the Pashtun territory and avoiding further escalation of conflict and violence. Pashtuns have been subjected to many dignity violating incidents since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, both at the macro and micro level. Using a pre-colonial terminology of ‘Tribal’, with a historical baggage of ‘primitiveness’ and ‘savagery’ attached to it, is used in all the constitutions of Pakistan. The constitutions of 1973 reinforced both the ‘tribal’ and ‘federally administered’ terms giving not only a sense of lack of ‘progress’ and modernization’ in the areas and among the people , but also a spatial indicator and pejorative label to depict the inability to govern itself. The strong ethno-centric sense of the Tribal connotation emphasize both an emotional /psychological marginalisation and a spatial disconnect from Pakistan. The Tribal areas is neither a correct regional term nor had anything to do with the strategically important mountainous regions and the people living in it. However, it is not too late to influence a change in terminological use. This macro level indignity has been covered up using the self-defeating status of ‘semi-autonomous’ given to the tribal areas, however, it’s the prolong micro level indignities that caused the rise of Pashtun youth against these actions by the state with no foreseen end to it.

Pakistan is playing a leading role in the peacekeeping operations around the world. One of the central concepts in peacekeeping is to treat the people in conflict zone with dignity and respect and not to indulge in anything that is a cause of indignity and thus a harbinger of conflict and violence

The stereotyping of the Pashtuns living in this region, the attitude meted against them by the security forces and by the provinces of Pakistan emerges from this term of tribal as being uncivilized and thus Pakistan’s security forces are on a civilising mission in FATA, taking over the ‘white’s man burden’ to end conflict through a misguided concept of peace. In this regard, the parliament and the national political parties have a crucial role to understand the nature of demands made by the PTM and youth of Pashtuns Honouring others dignity and sacrifices needs an effort to learn and to understand. Since 9/11, Pashtuns of the tribal areas and the Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province have supported and collaborated with all effort of the government of Pakistan to wipe out terrorist and extremist from the region. However, numerous military operations and peace agreements failed to fully secure the areas from the terrorist and restore normalcy in the area. The Taliban, extremist, and security forces killed , arrested and displaced thousands of Pashtuns , however the Pashtun movement surfaced primarily to demand an end to the humiliation practices by the security forces.

These dignity violating acts include arbitrary and regular checking at the check post, humiliation of old , young and women by the security forces at the check post especially giving shameful punishments to white bearded men and not taking in to account a strong sense of honour and respect of old people in the culture of Pashtuns, the indignity of displacement especially problems faced by women due to the cultural code of purdah in the society, the issuance of a separate ‘watan card’ for the tribal people, and queues for food and other daily needs for the displaced and returnees among other issues.

The Pashtun Tahafuz movement is asking for the implementation and extension of Article 14 of the constitution to restore dignity of Pashtuns in the conflict zones. This demand is also in line with the agreement signed between the tribal council of elders and Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the first Governor General of Pakistan, in 1948 under which tribes agreed to join the federation of Pakistan and rendered full support to this country. The parliament of Pakistan, being representative of its people and federating units, and also a body to raise voice for the rights of all marginalised communities has the responsibility to table and pass a resolution by both the houses of parliament calling for restoration of dignity of the Pashtuns, and to achieve peace with dignity in the conflict zones. It is thus incumbent upon the Parliament to make this crucial step to give voice to the constitutional demands made by the PTM and bring normalcy to the Pashtun tribal region.

The need has never been so urgent for the people in leadership position to lead with dignity and to be aware of the volatility of experiencing an assault of self-worth of individuals in conflict zones. Pakistani is playing a leading role in the peacekeeping operations around the world. One of the central concept in peacekeeping is to treat the people in conflict zone with dignity and respect and not to indulge in anything that is a cause of indignity and thus harbinger of conflict and violence. Pakistan’s security forces need to apply this fundamental concept to its own people too in order to facilitate a reconciliation and healing process and to honour Pashtun dignity as a way to begin a new phase of peace in the Pakistan.