On Sunday, Pakistani security forces killed at least eight protestors of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) in Waziristan and took into custody one of its prominent leaders, who is also a member of Pakistan’s parliament. Accusing PTM of being a proxy of Afghanistan and India, Pakistan army, known for its dictatorial history, has threatened to mercilessly repress the Pashtun rights protest movement further.

PTM, a peaceful campaign run by Pashtun people especially youth against violations of their human rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, was founded in 2014. Led by 24-year-old Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, the movement gained momentum in January 2018 over an extrajudicial killing of one of the aspiring models of the Pashtun people. Since then, a few more Pashtun people have been killed by extrajudicial means.

Unlike the Balochistan movement which is violent and separatist, Pashtun rights movement has been peaceful but verbally very critical of the Pakistani army. However, the PTM seeks resolution of its demands within the framework of the Pakistani constitution. It has been asking for a truth and reconciliation commission on extrajudicial killings, the appearance of missing persons before courts and removal of landmines installed by the Pakistani army in their region.

But instead of cracking down on its terror camps which are counter-productive to its own growth and development, Pakistan army has decided to muzzle the voice of every peaceful dissenting group in the country.

The international community has largely been ignoring human rights violations committed against Baloch and Pashtun people. However, given Pakistan military’s oppressive tendencies as was witnessed during the 1971 war and genocide against Bangla people in East Pakistan, the world cannot afford to overlook its persecution of ethnic groups, sectoral and religious minorities.