The leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has once again strongly criticized the ongoing military operations by the Pakistani army in Tirah and Kurram.
Manzoor Ahmad Pashtun voiced strong protest over the issue on his Facebook page, calling the forced displacement of Pashtuns from their homes—under the pretext of fighting militants—the core policy of the Pakistani state.
He said that under various pretexts, the army has continued oppression and repression against Pashtuns in the area, with the sole aim of harassing them, humiliating them, and looting their property.
Manzoor Ahmad Pashtun said:
“Under the name of military operations, the looting of Pashtun property and belongings, as well as their humiliation and harassment, is the core policy of the Punjabi army and political leadership. For this purpose, they even use courts as weapons and tools in violation of human rights.”
Pashtun also said the ongoing situation has pushed people into psychological distress and mental suffering. He described the Pakistani state as an enemy not only of Pashtuns and Baloch people, but of humanity as a whole, and called for resistance through all possible means.
Residents of Tirah describe the forced displacement of children, women, and the elderly by the army during the harsh winter and deadly cold as a crime against humanity. They warn that if the forced displacement is not stopped, a humanitarian catastrophe will occur.
One resident of Tirah said:
“Today, the children, women, and elderly of Kurram and Tirah are lying out in the snow. If these children trapped in the snow were Punjabi children, they would now be sitting safely in solid homes. But because they are Pashtun children, they have been left stranded in the snow. Our people are lying in the snow while the government carries out military operations inside our homes.”
On the other hand, analysts say the army deliberately chose this time for military operations in Tirah to exploit people’s vulnerability and, at the same time, to create space for militant groups to establish themselves in the future.
Political analyst Shahsawar Sangarwal said:
“No friendship can be expected from Pakistan; its government does this out of hostility. On one hand, Pashtuns are forcibly expelled from their homes under extremely harsh conditions, and on the other, they want to settle ISIS militants in these areas. They previously did this in Mastung, Balochistan, and now want to repeat it here.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information, in a statement, rejected claims that the army and federal government have forcibly displaced residents of the area.
The ministry said:
“These claims are baseless, founded on false assumptions, and raised for specific purposes, including spreading fear among the public, disseminating misinformation against security institutions, and achieving personal and political objectives. No order has been issued by the federal government or the army instructing people in Tirah to leave their areas.”
This comes as the Pakistani army has, over the past several weeks, targeted Pashtun villages and homes in Tirah Valley and Kurram under the name of operations against militant groups, forcing thousands of local residents to flee their homes.
