SWABI: Manzoor Pashteen, chief of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), said here on Thursday that various powers locked horns on the soil of Pakhtuns, using different tactics and strategies to subdue each other.

Addressed a gathering here in Karnal Sher Khan village, he said that those powers had made the land of Pakhtuns a centre of their conflict. He claimed that with completion of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China would get $650 billion annually.

“Now the US, which considers itself the sole arbiter of international order, will never allow it while having the support of its powerful allies to undo it,” he said. He said that the US and its allies had great economic potential and having an eye on future they continued coordinative efforts to stop Chinese march and adopted various counter strategies to cripple Beijing.

“Americans have a long term policy to scuttle CPEC and harm China,” claimed Mr Pashteen. He said that the US and its allies were working to achieve their objectives. He said that Pakhtuns were in a state of disturbance as they had become target of those powers that wanted to fulfil their nefarious designs. He added that it was important for all parties, groups and organisations of Pakhtuns to unite and struggle with unity and determination to address those challenges.

PTM chief announces to hold ‘mammoth’ gathering in Khyber in Oct

“A single district, region, party, group or organisation has not been affected by this ongoing war, but all the Pakhtuns, all their terrains and their entire land have been affected by it,” he said.

The PTM chief said that peace could not be restored in Pakhtun land if there was no unity among them and they did not develop a spirit of unity against those forces. “So we consider it necessary that all Pakhtuns should come together on one platform,” he added.

He said that there would be a big gathering in Khyber tribal district on October 11 in which Pakhtuns belonging to all areas and all groups would participate and sit together, prepare a new plan of action and focus on saving themselves from that ongoing war and rivalry of cogent powers.

Mr Pashteen admitted that forging unity among Pakhtuns was an up difficult task. However, he said that PTM considered it its responsibility to bring gather all Pakhtuns on one platform. “Anyone who wants to take credit should take it, but unite Pakhtuns. Come forward, with the spirit of consensus and unity. Only after that the future generations of Pakhtuns would be saved,” he added.

He said there was a dire need for Pakhtuns to adopt a common approach and that was the only way to save themselves and their future generations.

Earlier, the district administration sealed a wedding hall where the PTM planned to hold gathering. The administration said that PTM did not obtain ‘no objection certificate’ for the purpose. However, PTM held the meeting in another hall.

Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2024