Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday warned the government will not permit the banned Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) to establish a parallel court under the guise of a jirga (tribal council), as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) appeared divided over how to respond to the decision.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Naqvi said the government had no problem with jirgas, which have a historical precedent, but the format proposed by the PTM was inappropriate. “A jirga involves tribal elders,” he said. “Bringing in thousands of people does not constitute a jirga; it’s something else entirely,” he added.
Emphasizing that the PTM’s description of its public gatherings as a Jirga and a court was unacceptable, he said the incumbent government had decided it would not permit any parallel courts under any circumstances. Justifying the decision to ban the PTM, he said it was the result of their verbal assaults on state and police and promotion of ethnic discrimination that were divisive for the nation.
Advising the PTM to advocate for their community’s rights without resorting to derogatory language, he added: “It is not acceptable to incite the public against the government.”
The interior minister noted that leaders of almost all major political parties had met with the PTM leadership prior to its ban and expressed support for their rights. However, he warned, it was untenable to demand rights while simultaneously resorting to violence. There was no further contact between political leaders and the PTM subsequently, he added.
“People tried to make them [PTM] understand and said if it was a matter of rights then let us all speak as one,” he said, adding the federal government was also ready to sit down and have talks about human rights with those “who only talk about rights in a proper manner.” He said it was not possible for “state institutions [to be] relentlessly slandered for years” without any response from the federal government.
“Anyway, it was banned and then the KP government placed 54 people on the Fourth Schedule and Balochistan placed 34,” he said, referring to the list under the Anti-Terrorism Act that highlights proscribed persons. Restrictions imposed on such persons include passport embargo, freezing of bank accounts, a ban on financial support and credit, arms license embargo, and employment clearance restrictions.
Following the PTM’s proscription, said Naqvi, federal and provincial governments were bound by law to seal their offices, adding such groups also faced many restrictions with regards to media coverage, financial services, travel, arms licenses and identity documents. “It has been banned. Now, whoever assists them in any way or tries to help them out will also fall under these sanctions,” he warned.
During his press conference, the interior minister alleged that “foreign companies with external funding” shot videos released by the PTM. “Whichever masters are behind you, we have a clear message for them that if you do this [spread division] in our country, then we will treat you accordingly,” he maintained. “Then don’t expect that you will try to spread discord in our country and we will remain silent. The same is the message for the anarchists that there will be no forgiveness,” he added.
PTI divided
A few hours prior to Naqvi’s press conference, clashes occurred between PTM activists and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa law enforcement agencies in Jamrud, where the group had announced it would hold its jirga. The PTM subsequently alleged that three of its supporters were shot dead by law enforcement agencies, while another 10 were injured. The incident has triggered protests from lawmakers in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, as well as the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which said it was “deeply concerned” over the reports of violence. “We oppose any use of unwarranted and unlawful force against those protesters who are unarmed,” it added.
Prayers were offered in the KP Assembly for those killed in the violence and a special committee formed to probe the incident.
Subsequently, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa spokesperson Muhammad Ali Said issued a video statement claiming Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur had directed officials to resolve tensions in Khyber after the violence ahead of the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga. Noting the PTM could not be allowed to stage any public gathering after the federal government imposed a ban on it, he said the provincial government was thus withdrawing permission for the announced gathering from Oct. 11-13.
Saif said the district administration had also banned any political gatherings in Khyber district with the imposition of Section 144. “Despite all the legal measures in place, when the proscribed organization tried to hold a gathering in the area then violence broke out between their members and the police,” he said, adding the chief minister was chairing a meeting of the provincial cabinet when he learnt of the “unfortunate incident.” He said the chief minister had taken immediate notice and directed PTI MPAs from Khyber to reach the venue and establish contact with tribal stakeholders and parties to find a peaceful solution to the matter.
According to the spokesman, the engagement and consultation processes were being carried out under the Peshawar commissioner and district administration’s supervision, with the authorities aimed at preventing the situation from spiraling out of control. “The KP CM is very seriously looking after the matter and it is his utmost effort to resolve matters and control the law and order situation peacefully,” he said. “Let it remain clear that all denizens of KP, no matter which organization or political party they may belong to, the responsibility for their protection belongs to the KP government and we are performing our duties while seriously considering the peace and order situation in the province,” he added.
Saif concluded his statement by announcing that Gandapur had summoned a Jirga of all stakeholders to resolve the situation, adding he hoped everyone would invite to achieve a peaceful resolution.
However, the PTI—which rules over Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa—issued a conflicting statement, decrying the ban on the PTM and expressing support for its Jirga. The divisions between the PTI leadership and its government in KP have sowed conflict among its supporters, who have demanded that the government follow the stance of the party and not the federal government.
The PTM’s “grand Jirga” was set to commence on Oct. 11 in Khyber district. Despite the ban, several dozen activists gathered ahead of the date at the venue Jamrud, defying government restrictions.
Earlier today, a two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court also restrained the PTM from holding the jirga on disputed land, directing the police to take action to maintain law and order.