Operations carried out by the Pakistani army in several tribal areas have further angered nationalist movements, particularly the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), which has described these operations as targeted efforts to suppress Pashtuns.
According to PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, the Pakistani army carried out more than 300 attacks last year in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal regions, with the majority of victims being women, children, and the elderly.
Pashteen said that under the pretext of military operations, the Pakistani army kills tribal residents, forcibly displaces them from their homes, and loots their property. Referring to ongoing operations in Tirah, he called on all Pashtuns, including the Afridis, to firmly oppose any military action by the army.
“You would have seen in 2025 that more than 300 incidents occurred in which civilians, children, women, elderly people, and homes were targeted,” Pashteen said. “Bombs were dropped on people while they were asleep or sitting inside their homes. They call this a targeted operation.”
Pashteen described the demands of the Khyber Jirga as crucial for easing Pashtun suffering, saying that if these demands had been accepted, many of the hardships faced by Pashtuns could have been prevented. He criticized some political parties for supporting so-called targeted operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal areas, arguing that such operations result only in civilian casualties.
He also condemned the arrest of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement members by Pakistani authorities, alleging that detainees are subjected to severe torture in prisons.
Calling for collective action, Pashteen urged displaced families to march together toward Islamabad, saying that occupying the centers of power would force authorities to accept their demands and allow displaced people to return to their homes.
Pashteen stressed the need for unified Pashtun protests against ongoing military activities, particularly in Tirah, and called for peaceful resistance against all forms of military operations.
“Our national consciousness must awaken,” Pashteen said. “If you cannot do anything else, at least protest on social media. Media pressure also works — even the Punjab chief minister felt compelled to respond because of media pressure.”
Analysts say the forced displacement of Pashtuns under the guise of counterterrorism operations in tribal areas constitutes a clear violation of international law by the Pakistani army. They have urged the international community to increase pressure on Pakistan to abandon such policies.
Political analyst Najibullah Jame said the actions must be condemned and called on human rights organizations and humanitarian countries to defend Pashtuns’ human and civil rights.
Pashteen’s remarks come as the Pakistani army has launched operations in recent weeks, particularly in Tirah, displacing more than 70,000 local residents from their homes in the initial phase.
