How the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement can save Pakistan from its own worst impulses

SHANTANU MUKHARJI

Islamabad should heed anti-discriminatory protests like the PTM. By doing so, it will correct the course of its own flawed history.

Pakistan is raring to go for its parliamentary elections to be held on July 25 – hectic political activities are gaining centre-stage in the country. But, alongside, it is also getting more and more saddled with multiple problems of different kinds – and practically no solutions in sight.

Pakistan’s military and civil establishments are on a path of confrontation, with no parties agreeing to blink first.

Former PM Nawaz Sharif’s recent outburst against his detractors, coming down heavily on their reported endorsement on allowing Pakistan’s security agencies dispatching home-grown terrorists to go across to Mumbai and carry out the dreaded 26/11 terror attacks, causing at least 166 deaths, has wreaked havoc in the country. Pakistanis, by and large, are surprised over Nawaz Sharif’s statements as never before has an ex-Prime Minister criticised one’s own government so boldly and so vehemently, directly insinuating military generals in charges of having fomented terror in India and failing abjectly at reining in Pakistan-based terrorists Meanwhile, as the international community frowns upon such revelations and Pakistan gets more visibly isolated in the international community, the Pashtun Movement (PTM) looks like a new rallying force in the embattled country.

The PTM espouses the cause of the neglected Pashtuns. This mint-fresh protest now adds to the already existing protest movements led by the Balochs and the Mohajirs, seeking their share of fresh air, and thus threatening the sovereignty of the tightly controlled nation. The seed of the current movement started when a Pashtun, Naqeebullah Mehsud, and some of his brethren were killed by unprovoked police firing in Karachi on April 8.

The incident was apparently caused by a discriminatory and insensitive police force, led by an allegedly brutal police officer called Rao Anwar. This incident led to Pashtun leadership being taken on by a 26-year-old Pashtun named Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, who has galvanised thousands of disgruntled Pashtuns, organising protest marches drawing attention of the government to their demands to be fair to the community, which is otherwise heavily discriminated against, principally by the brute domination of Punjabis. The latter in Pakistan have always been more muscular, using strong-arm tactics to suppress the Pashtuns and other minorities.

The PTM espouses the cause of the neglected Pashtuns. This mint-fresh protest now adds to the already existing protest movements led by the Balochs and the Mohajirs, seeking their share of fresh air, and thus threatening the sovereignty of the tightly controlled nation.

The seed of the current movement started when a Pashtun, Naqeebullah Mehsud, and some of his brethren were killed by unprovoked police firing in Karachi on April 8.

The incident was apparently caused by a discriminatory and insensitive police force, led by an allegedly brutal police officer called Rao Anwar. This incident led to Pashtun leadership being taken on by a 26-year-old Pashtun named Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, who has galvanised thousands of disgruntled Pashtuns, organising protest marches drawing attention of the government to their demands to be fair to the community, which is otherwise heavily discriminated against, principally by the brute domination of Punjabis. The latter in Pakistan have always been more muscular, using strong-arm tactics to suppress the Pashtuns and other minorities.

This young Pashtun’s meteoric rise and organising ability pose immense threat to the Pakistani establishment.

This has conveniently labelled Indian intelligence agencies as masterminding operations to arouse passions amongst the Pashtuns to rebel against the government. These allegations don’t hold much water though as for the Baluch uprising too was blamed on Indian outfits for apparently fomenting dissent. Earlier, Pakistan shifted the blame to external quarters for its internal discontent over the Mohajir Quami Movement (MQM), which continues to haunt the Pakistani establishment. It is worth recalling that Pakistan’s step-motherly treatment towards the Bengalis cost Pakistan so dearly that it led to the birth of Bangladesh as a new nation in 1971.

This proved the “two nation” theory of Mohammad Ali Jinnah as being totally wrong, various forces in Pakistan aspiring for more freedom. Like the Bengalis, the Baluchis and the Sindhis are no exception to this aspiration. More importantly, now the present Pashtun Tahafuz Movement is a force to reckon with – and it has definitely the promise to carry forward a robust movement.

The leader of this Pashtun movement, Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, is a known human rights activist with a clear goal. He has a dedicated cadre with serious ground experience of clearing land mines, helping the Federally Administered Tribal Administration (FATA). Having been involved in such militarised tasks, it is assumed the agitating Pashtuns must be armed with some degree of discipline and training, which will be handy for a large-scale movement.

The ongoing Pashtun movement is in fact reminiscent of the great Pashtun leader Abdul Ghaffar Khan or Badshah Khan, who led a movement earning him the title of “Frontier Gandhi”. Such giants surface in history after many, many years, but given the organising prowess and the strategic vision of Manzoor, any Pashtun movement now is expected to have and navigate a clear road map. "Frontier Gandhi" remains a great inspiration.

Pakistan has been meddling, rather violently, in the internal affairs of its neighbours, particularly India (specifically within Kashmir ) and Afghanistan, though without much success. Yet, it continues to indulge in these misadventures – without realising its own backyard is burning today with internal problems of immense multitudes threatening the unity of the country. 

It must also be borne in mind that history is always a testimony to the fact that those who do not learn from its lessons are the ones who suffer from eventual disintegration. 

 Now that Jinnah’s "two nation" theory stands repudiated by history itself, religious extremism and fanaticism should be expected to take a backseat in the years to come, with mass leaders like Manzoor Pashteen instead emerging as torch bearers to lead the country into a state bereft of any religious bias. As it is, Pakistan’s Shias, Ahmediyas, Baluchis, Pashtuns and such like continue to face the brunt of religious discrimination due to state parochialism and a distinctly prejudiced approach; they are often even targeted in a systematic manner.

Its military leadership and the Pakistani polity must jointly do serious brainstorming to address the growing dissent lest it is too late and a Bangladesh kind of situation is allowed to come to the fore – with disastrous consequences for Pakistan again.

Therefore, Pakistan needs to watch the ongoing just and anti-establishment movements and take corrective measures with a non-discriminatory approach. It can thus keep its own house in order – and stop blaming India for every bit of the fallout of its own flawed policies and actions.