CHARSADDA: Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Pashteen has welcomed the Afghan peace deal signed by the United States and the Taliban in Qatar on Saturday and expressed the hope that it would prove durable.

Addressing a public gathering at Muni­cipal Park on Sunday, he said Pashtuns had been looted in the name of peace and reconciliation while their resources had been usurped by others.

According to him, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cannot use its resources, but Punjab is allowed to do whatever its wants with it resources.

He said KP had only 40 seats in the National Assembly while Punjab had 200 seats. In this situation, he said, the Pashtun nation could never be able to rule the country.

The PTM leader demanded immediate release of leaders and workers of his party.

MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, Nargus Amin Khattak, Mohammad Nazeef, Jehangir Mohamand, Hassan Nasir, Sheryar Yousafzai, Obaidullah Babak and other PTM leaders also spoke.

Meanwhile, police have registered an FIR against some PTM activists under Section 123B of the Pakistan Penal Code and arrested them for allegedly desecrating the national flag.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2020