THE good news is that PTM lawmaker Ali Wazir, along with several others belonging to his party, has been acquitted in a sedition case by a Karachi anti-terrorism court for lack of evidence. The bad news is that the MNA from South Waziristan will stay behind bars as he faces numerous identical cases. The lawmaker, along with his party men, was booked for allegedly making an anti-state speech in Karachi in December 2020. In a related development, PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen has been booked under terrorism charges for making a hard-hitting speech at the recent Asma Jahangir Conference on Lahore. Slogans critical of some state institutions had also been raised at the same event. But before there is a rush to judgement, one thing should be considered. While the speeches made by Mr Wazir and Mr Pashteen may be unpalatable to some, and while anti-state slogans cannot be condoned, these are largely reactions to the state’s decades-old policy of treating all dissent with an iron fist, which can cause legitimate movements for rights to metastasize into separatist insurgencies. Little has been done to alleviate the concerns the PTM leaders raise, though the state swoops in when their speeches hit a nerve. If injustices continue and are not addressed judiciously by the state, such slogans will only increase in volume and ferocity. And if peaceful leaders such as Ali Wazir and Manzoor Pashteen are incarcerated, radical groups can emerge in their place.

Whether it is Baloch, Pakhtun or Sindhi nationalism, the establishment’s use of crackdowns and force has only exacerbated the problem. While the state periodically offers ‘amnesty’ and ‘dialogue’, these offers are usually half-hearted and skin-deep. To protect the federation and genuinely attempt to alleviate the concerns of all those citizens who feel they are not getting their constitutional rights, the progressive solution lies in talking to estranged elements, and delivering justice. It is unfortunate that Ali Wazir, an MNA, has been kept in prison on dubious charges. The remaining cases against him need to be disposed of, and instead of filing terrorism and sedition cases against anyone who seeks to secure their rights, the state should listen to their grievances. Ironically, those who are using peaceful means to press for their rights are facing terrorism charges, while the state is ready to negotiate with those who have murdered tens of thousands of Pakistanis. A change in the state’s attitude towards nationalists and other dissenting voices is required.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2022