The Rise of the Pashtun Movement in Pakistan

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is one of the most significant civil rights movements to emerge among Pashtuns in contemporary South Asian history. What began as a small student-led initiative in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province evolved into a transnational movement advocating for human rights, constitutional protections, and political representation for Pashtuns living on both sides of the Durand Line. Over the course ofa decade, PTM brought issues such as enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, militarization of Pashtun regions, and landmine casualties into national and international political discourse.

The movement’s rise, however, was accompanied by intense political controversy, state restrictions, legal challenges, and internal divisions. Despite experiencing a decline in public mobilization in recent years, PTM’s political and social legacy continues to shape contemporary debates surrounding Pashtun identity, civil rights, and state-society relations in Pakistan.

Origins of the Movement

In 2014, a group of students from South Waziristan studying at Gomal University in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa established a civil rights organization known as the Mahsud Tahafuz Movement (Mahsud Protection Movement). The movement emerged in response to the humanitarian consequences of military operations conducted by the Pakistani Army in South Waziristan. According to its founders, entire villages had been destroyed, homes demolished, and thousands of residents forcibly displaced from their ancestral lands.

Initially, the movement received little public attention. Nevertheless, its members continued advocating peacefully for the rights of affected communities through civil activism and public engagement. For nearly four years, the movement remained relatively localized and limited in its influence.

A defining moment came in January 2018 when Naqeebullah Mehsud, a young Pashtun from Waziristan, was killed by police in Karachi in what was widely alleged to be a staged police encounter. The incident generated widespread outrage throughout Pakistan and was condemned by Pashtuns, Baloch activists, and numerous human rights advocates.

In response, activists organized a protest march that began in Dera Ismail Khan and travelled through Kohat, Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, and Swabi before reaching Islamabad. Upon arriving in the capital, the protesters established a sit-in demanding justice for Naqeebullah Mehsud. Within days, hundreds of individuals from diverse ethnic and political backgrounds joined the movement in solidarity.

It was during this period that Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar, and Ali Wazir emerged as nationally recognized leaders. Their activism transformed what had previously been a regional student movement into a broader political and civil rights campaign. Consequently, the Mahsud Tahafuz Movement formally evolved into the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

The movement’s slogans—particularly “Lar aw Bar, Yaw Afghan” (“Pashtuns on both sides of the border are one people”) and “What kind of freedom is this?”—resonated deeply with Pashtun communities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the global diaspora.

PTM’s Four Core Demands

Following its transformation into a nationwide movement, PTM articulated four principal demands directed at Pakistan’s military and state institutions.

1. Release of Missing Persons

PTM demanded the release of thousands of Pashtuns allegedly subjected to enforced disappearances by military and intelligence agencies. The movement claimed that approximately 32,000 Pashtuns had disappeared over the previous decade. PTM further argued that individuals accused of criminal activity should be produced before courts and prosecuted through due legal process rather than being detained indefinitely.

2. Removal of Landmines

The movement called for the removal of landmines allegedly planted during military operations in Waziristan and other Pashtun-majority regions. PTM argued that thousands of civilians had become victims of these explosives over the years and demanded comprehensive mine-clearance operations.

3. Ending Extrajudicial Killings

PTM demanded an end to what it described as extrajudicial killings of Pashtuns through fabricated criminal or terrorism allegations. The killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud became emblematic of this concern. The movement further called for independent investigations into such cases through impartial judicial commissions.

4. Ending Harassment at Military Checkpoints

The movement also demanded an end to the alleged mistreatment of Pashtun civilians at military checkpoints throughout former tribal regions. PTM argued that civilians, including women and men, were subjected to humiliation, excessive questioning, and in some cases physical abuse by security personnel.

Nationwide Mobilization

Pakistan’s security institutions did not publicly accept PTM’s allegations or demands. The movement’s initial sit-in in Islamabad was reportedly disrupted, and protesters were pressured to disperse.

Despite these challenges, PTM continued organizing large public demonstrations throughout Pakistan. During 2018, major rallies and protests were held in Bajaur, Quetta, South Waziristan, Peshawar, Lahore, Swat, Karachi, Dera Ismail Khan, and Swabi.

The momentum continued into subsequent years. In 2019, large gatherings took place in Tank, Wana, and Karachi. In 2020, PTM organized major rallies in Bannu, Loralai, Charsadda, and Miranshah.

However, beginning in 2021, the scale and frequency of PTM’s protests gradually declined. Over time, public mobilization diminished considerably, eventually leading to the suspension of large-scale demonstrations.

State Response and Legal Challenges

From its inception, Pakistan’s military establishment rejected PTM’s claims and political narratives. Pakistani authorities have consistently maintained that PTM violated Pakistani law and promoted narratives allegedly influenced by Afghanistan and India that were critical of Pakistan’s military institutions.

At various times, PTM members have faced charges under electronic crimes legislation and anti-terrorism laws. According to PTM activists and human rights organizations, movement members were subjected to arrests, intimidation, and legal harassment before and after public demonstrations.

Amnesty International reported that Pakistani security agencies arrested 37 PTM activists during June 2018 alone. One activist was reportedly imprisoned for two months for commenting on social media.

PTM leaders further allege that hundreds of activists have been detained, tortured, and subsequently released without formal convictions since 2018. Among those detained were prominent leaders including Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir, and Gilaman Wazir.

Violent Incidents and Targeted Attacks

Beyond arrests and legal restrictions, PTM activists have faced several violent incidents.

On 26 May 2019, Pakistani military personnel opened fire on PTM supporters in the Khar Qamar area of South Waziristan. According to PTM and media reports, thirteen activists were killed and dozens injured.

Human rights organizations called for an immediate, transparent, and impartial investigation into the incident. Pakistani military authorities, however, maintained that PTM activists had attacked security personnel. Video footage from the incident has remained the subject of public debate and differing interpretations.

Following the incident, Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir, and numerous other activists were arrested.

On 2 February 2019, PTM leader and university lecturer Arman Loni died during a protest-related incident in Loralai, Balochistan. Police stated that he died of cardiac arrest, whereas PTM leaders alleged that he died as a result of physical assault by security personnel.

In May 2020, PTM leader Arif Wazir was assassinated near his residence in Wana, South Waziristan. Prior to his death, he had been arrested by Pakistani authorities on allegations related to statements made during a visit to Afghanistan.

More recently, on 7 July 2024, PTM activist and poet Gilaman Wazir died after sustaining serious injuries in an attack in Islamabad. Human rights advocates and PTM supporters described his death as part of a broader pattern of targeted violence against PTM members.

In October 2024, police reportedly used live ammunition and tear gas against participants of a planned Pashtun National Jirga organized by PTM, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries.

These incidents collectively illustrate the significant security and political challenges confronted by PTM throughout its existence.

Media Restrictions and Political Constraints

PTM has also faced substantial media restrictions within Pakistan.

According to media freedom organizations, journalists reporting on PTM activities have encountered harassment, legal action, intimidation, and security threats. Media coverage of PTM demonstrations was reportedly subjected to restrictions throughout various periods of the movement’s development.

Former Pakistani Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry publicly acknowledged restrictions on PTM-related media coverage, arguing that the movement promoted social divisions and hatred.

PTM leaders, by contrast, have consistently maintained that their movement is a peaceful and constitutional civil rights campaign advocating for Pashtun rights through democratic and non-violent means. Human rights organizations have similarly characterized PTM’s political methods as peaceful.

PTM activists have further alleged that authorities restricted their social media activities, disrupted internet services during major demonstrations, blocked identity documents and passports, and imposed travel restrictions on numerous members.

Ultimately, Pakistani authorities imposed restrictions on PTM’s activities under anti-terrorism legislation, citing concerns regarding national security and public order.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), however, criticized this decision, arguing that PTM had consistently pursued its demands through constitutional and peaceful means.

Internal Divisions and Political Isolation

State restrictions and political pressures also contributed to internal disagreements within PTM.

A significant political development was Mohsin Dawar’s decision to establish the National Democratic Movement (NDM), a political party intended to pursue democratic politics within Pakistan’s parliamentary system. Dawar argued that PTM should remain an independent, non-partisan human rights movement rather than becoming a political party.

Following his departure, several Pashtun nationalist political parties gradually distanced themselves from PTM. Given the legal and political pressures facing the movement, many political organizations appeared reluctant to jeopardize their own participation within Pakistan’s political system.

These developments substantially weakened PTM’s organizational capacity and reduced its ability to sustain large-scale public mobilization.

PTM’s Historical Legacy and Contributions

Despite political setbacks, PTM’s historical significance remains considerable.

Perhaps the movement’s greatest achievement was the emergence of a unified Pashtun civil rights consciousness. For arguably the first time in several decades, Pashtuns collectively mobilized across geographical and political boundaries to advocate for their rights.

From Waziristan to Khyber, Bajaur, Bannu, Mardan, and Quetta—and across the border in Kandahar, Helmand, Paktia, Nangarhar, and Kabul—the movement succeeded in fostering a sense of shared political and cultural identity among Pashtuns.

PTM brought several previously marginalized issues into mainstream political discourse, including:

• Enforced disappearances of Pashtun civilians.
• The humanitarian consequences of military operations.
• Landmine casualties in former tribal areas.
• Questions surrounding terrorism and conflict in Pashtun-majority regions.
• Civil and constitutional rights of Pashtuns within Pakistan.

One of PTM’s most controversial and influential slogans—“Yeh Jo Dehshatgardi Hai, Iske Peechay Wardi Hai” (“This terrorism is backed by those in uniform”)—became central to its political messaging. Through this slogan, PTM alleged that Pakistan’s military establishment bears significant responsibility for instability and militancy in Pashtun regions. Pakistani state institutions have consistently rejected this allegation.

The movement also contributed to increased public discussion of Pashtun grievances within Pakistani media, universities, and domestic and international human rights institutions. According to PTM supporters, sustained public pressure generated by the movement encouraged Pakistani institutions to modify certain policies affecting Pashtun-majority regions.

Conclusion

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement represents one of the most influential civil rights movements in modern Pashtun political history. Although its public mobilization has declined significantly in recent years, its impact on political discourse, human rights advocacy, and Pashtun collective consciousness remains substantial.

PTM successfully transformed localized grievances into a broader political conversation encompassing identity, constitutional rights, militarization, and democratic participation. It united Pashtun communities across national borders and revived debates concerning their political future and collective identity.

Regardless of one’s political perspective on PTM, the movement’s emergence constitutes an important chapter in contemporary South Asian political history. Its legacy lies not only in its political demands but also in its contribution to empowering a generation of Pashtuns to openly discuss issues that had long remained politically sensitive or marginalized.