PTM Leader Manzoor Pashteen Accuses Pakistani Military of Systematic Violence Against Pashtun Civilians

Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Larawbar May 15, 2025
Manzoor Pashteen, the leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (#PTM), has issued a strong condemnation of the Pakistani military’s actions in Pashtun-populated regions, accusing the army of carrying out deliberate attacks that have injured and killed civilians, including children.

According to @ManzoorPashteen , a recent mortar shelling incident by the military in Sheikh Mela village, near Darra Zinda in Dera Ismail Khan, left five children from a poor Pashtun family severely wounded. In a separate incident, one unarmed young man was reportedly killed by military gunfire in the Tirah Valley of Khyber district.

Meanwhile, in #JaniKhel, #Bajawar, and other affected areas, widespread protests and sit-ins continue. PTM supporters and local residents are holding demonstrations alongside a body in Jani Khel, demanding justice for a victim of recent violence. In #Miryan, #Bannu, another protest is underway demanding the safe return of a kidnapped schoolteacher, Irfan.

Pashteen claims that the #Pakistani army has been continuously targeting Pashtun civilians, particularly children, over the past several days. He stated that in the span of a few days, 44 Pashtuns have been killed or injured in drone strikes, mortar shelling, and ground assaults across Bajawar (#Mamond), Khyber (#Tirah), #NorthWaziristan, Jani Khel, Tank, and #DeraIsmailKhan. Among them, 18 children under the age of ten have either been injured, permanently disabled, or killed.

“When violence threatens Punjab, everyone,including state institutions and Pashtun politicians, unites and declares there will be no compromise. But when it comes to peace in Pashtun areas, even some of our own so-called leaders reject the unity that has been built through years of struggle, sacrifice, and martyrdom,” Pashteen said.

He also criticized the selective activism among some Pashtun communities, urging people to stand up not only for their own region but for all Pashtun territories. “How many people from Dera Ismail Khan have raised their voice for Mardan, Katlang, Swat, Bajawar, Tirah, or Jani Khel? And today, how many people from those areas will speak up for Dera Ismail Khan?” he asked.

Pashteen emphasized that the Pashtun people share a common pain and face a common oppressor. “This grief should not be confined to districts. We must not allow the suffering of our people to be divided by geography.”

Describing his message as a call for reform and unity rather than despair, Pashteen urged Pashtun youth to build their capacity, strengthen their communities, and resist oppression. “Let us rise above regional and organizational divisions and unite as one nation, one people, against tyranny.”

#HumanRights organizations have been urged to take immediate notice of the alleged violations. International bodies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and the United Nations Human Rights Council are being called upon to investigate these incidents and to press the Pakistani government for transparency and accountability regarding the treatment of its Pashtun citizens.