Pakistan - Tarz Press: Despite the Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM) organizing a major tribal jirga, which granted a two-month ultimatum for all conflicting parties to leave Pashtun regions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it appears that neither Islamabad nor Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has acknowledged these demands.
The Pakistani government faces accusations from PTM leaders of deliberately fueling conflict within Pashtun areas, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. During the grand Pashtun jirga on October 11, PTM officials exposed the identities of hundreds of individuals they allege were either killed or abducted by the Pakistani government.
Recently, PTM senior member Geleman Wazir was also killed in Islamabad under suspicious circumstances, with his killers reportedly leaving the country without arrest. PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen stated that this attack continued a trend of targeted killings allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan’s intelligence agency, ISI.
In response to Wazir’s killing, Pashteen announced a grand tribal jirga on October 11, 2024, to address the fate of the Pashtuns. This jirga, held amid heavy restrictions from Pakistani authorities, presented several demands, including a two-month deadline for Pakistani military forces and militant groups to withdraw from Pashtun regions.
Nearly a month after the jirga’s resolution, Pakistan’s government has shown little response. Officials continue to announce operations against militants in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while militant groups, notably TTP, have threatened large-scale attacks against Pakistan. In a recent incident, the Pakistani government reported the killing of four “terrorists” in an operation in South Waziristan. According to the Pakistani military, the operation occurred in the Sarokai region of South Waziristan based on intelligence reports, with a commitment to eliminate the last “terrorist” in Pakistan.
Despite the jirga’s deadline, set for two months from October 11, the Pakistani government and TTP have shown no intention of withdrawing from the Pashtun areas. TTP previously stated it would disregard the jirga’s demands, while Pakistan’s government and military communications indicate no signs of flexibility on this matter.
