PHC sets aside orders barring Mohsin Dawar's entry in North Waziristan

Published June 14, 2018
PTM leader Mohsin Dawar. — Photo courtesy Dawar's Twitter profile.
PTM leader Mohsin Dawar. — Photo courtesy Dawar's Twitter profile.

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Thursday set aside the North Waziristan administration's directives barring Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) leader Mohsin Dawar from entering the area.

Dawar had challenged the administration's order in the high court.

Ruling on it today, the PHC in its decision — the first after the Federally Administered Tribal Areas' merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — set aside the three-month ban imposed on Dawar's entry by the deputy commissioner via a short order.

"The impugned order of political agent/district magistrate, North Waziristan Agency regarding expulsion of petitioner from the limits of North Waziristan is set aside," said the PHC.

Dawar, a lawyer by profession, is an active member of the PTM. He was also the chairman of the organising committee of the National Youth Organisation — a sub-organisation of the Awami National Party — before he was removed from the position in March 2018.

The notification issued by the local political agent last week had stated: "Mr Mohsin Dawar is acting in a manner prejudicial to public peace and tranquility. He is instigating the people through provocative speeches against the state."

Read: The Pakhtun spring

The court's decision comes two days after tribal elders and PTM leaders held a "successful" meeting in Peshawar, following which the party announced it would no longer be holding a protest on the third day of Eid in Razmak, North Waziristan.

The PTM leaders were assured that their arrested workers would be released ahead of Eid; while the party provided firm assurances that it would cease and desist from using anti-army slogans in protests and gatherings.

A new round of talks will be held on June 22 between the tribal elders and PTM to discuss further concerns.

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