Over 150 PTM activists booked for sedition, terrorism

The Newspaper's Staff Reporter Published May 11, 2018

KARACHI: Police have registered cases against workers of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) on terror, sedition and other charges for carrying out rallies at three separate places in the metropolis a few days ahead of their main rally, police and PTM officials said on Thursday.

Manghopir police registered FIR (165/2018) against over 150 workers of the PTM under Sections 124-A (sedition), 125 (waging war against any power in alliance with Pakistan), 500 (punishment for defamation), 505 (statements conducing to public mischief), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon) and 7-ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997). The case was registered on behalf of the state through a police officer.

According to contents of the FIR, around 150 workers of the PTM, some of them mentioned in the case, held a corner meeting in the Sultanabad area of Manghopir under direction of their leader, Manzoor Pashteen.

According to the FIR, the speakers allegedly levelled “serious charges” against military institutions.

An identical case was also registered against PTM workers at Shah Latif Town police station, said area SHO Abdul Ghaffar Shah. One more case was registered at Bin Qasim Town police station.

So far, no one had been arrested, added the officials.

Meanwhile, Advocate Mohsin Dawar told Dawn that the cases were a “tactic” to sabotage PTM’s rally scheduled for May 13 in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, May 11th, 2018

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Truth

May 11, 2018 03:50pm

I am a Pushtun and absolutely denounce the anti-state and anti-Pakistan propaganda by this foreign funded group.

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Khan

May 11, 2018 05:27pm

@Truth why a person should be labelled a foreign Agent if he talks about his rights,if their is something wrong or against the state in their demands them they should be taken to task but if their demands are genuine,then they are the citizens of this country like anyone else should be listen to with great urgency.these people are not a bunch of illiterate people rather awakened young educated people who talks about their rights,like what is FAR in this 21 century etc

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Ibrahim

May 11, 2018 08:53pm

Every body is calling PTM a foreign funded movement but none could produce a single evidence againts them.

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mnaseem pashtoonmn

May 12, 2018 01:51am

we againt those people/state who arrested PTM worker in karachi. uder law the life enjoying is right of every one in this state.

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Raheel

May 12, 2018 02:04am

Sad that foreign agencies for years have been allowed a free hand to fund and promote separatists movements in Pakistan. However, better late than never than this action is taken

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Aamir Shams

May 12, 2018 02:45am

I am also a pushtoon and support PTM as their demands are genuine, for the rule of law and to respect the constitution of this country. No one is above the law. The only way to suppress this movement is to meet their demands through negotiations. They are citizens of this country and labeling them as foreign agents will worsen the situation. We need to learn lessons from the fall of East Pakistan..

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May 12, 2018 10:42am

@Truth: And who told you that they are anti-state and anti-Pakistan? They are not. They are only demanding their constitutional rights.

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BhaRAT

May 12, 2018 06:09pm

@Khan The problem is with the language they’re using against the state not their demands

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saad

May 12, 2018 07:22pm

@Aamir Shams if that is the case why isn't so-called the pashteen talking to jirga and military which is ready to talk to them from last month and according to same news portal negotiations were going on since February with the military what changed that they stop talking to military and government? still jirga is waiting for their reply since April which pashteen claim that he need time to talk to his associate. how much time does he need? 1 year? plus he openly and happily gives a speech to rallies held by Afghans with Afghan flags but doesn't allow flags of the country from whom he asking for constitutional rights. no one is a fool here it's easy we want constitutional rights but hide your real agenda. FYI it's his own so-called pashtun nationalist leaders who are against giving constitutional rights to FATA but we don't see him bashing them.

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