Thread by @tabinda_m

@manzoorpashteen's full VoA interview, via @memzarma

Pashteen asks why press conference wasn't held by govt, as is appropriate for a democracy. He says that PTM is vilified because it opposes proxy wars & ppl who took $33bn foreign funding don't want accountability
#PTMZindabad

Manzoor Pashteen says that if any relative of his is involved in a foreign funded plot to destabilise Pakistan, he will register an FIR against him himself. These rumours about his relatives and foreign funding are just used to turn public opinion against PTM.
#PTMZindabad #PTM

Pashteen says that allegations of foreign funding were made w/o evidence. PTM has obtained clearance for its funding before & will continue to do so. Its jalsas don't cost much. Over 100,000 homes have been destroyed in FATA, bombs exploded, drone attacks...people have suffered.

Pashteen says that instead of adding salt to their wounds, state should provide justice. Countries can't become superpowers by covering up mistakes. PTM is being defamed bcoz it has made it difficult to create an environment of war & militancy in FATA. This damages war business.

What law? The law that Generals crush under their boots? The law in which govt policy is stated by DG ISPR & not Interior Minister? The law in which judges can't say anything in court against some ppl? We have come out for the constitution...we will gladly submit ourselves to it.

Pashteen says that they will gladly submit to the constitution. But in this country, constitution is used to punish rather than protect them. When Arman Loni was killed, the state wouldn't register an FIR. Instead FIRs were registered against the protestors who demanded an FIR.

When asked about a potential crackdown against PTM, Pashteen says that when was there not a crackdown? Before every jalsa, FIRs were registered against them, their travel was restricted, mobiles of organizers were stolen. Intel agencies threatened PTM activists including women.

Pashteen says that @sanaejaz2 travelled to Afgh bcoz she worked with NGOs & as a journalist. Bajwa & IK had also met Ghani. Were they anti-state? Anyone who raises their voice for Pashtuns is targeted, he says. Brother of @salarzai_ is in jail bcoz he questioned an administrator.

Pashteen says that PTM is against oppression whether it is by the good Taliban, bad Taliban, army, MI, ISI or peace committees. Taliban are still housed in Cantts; they are the army's own ppl so it's not hard for them to ask a group to give a statement in favor of PTM & frame it.

Pashteen says that state institutions oppress people practically but discuss reforms theoretically w/o concrete action. He repeats PTM's 5 demands: 1) Rao Anwar must be tried in court, 2) Truth & Reconciliation Commission must be established to investigate extra-judicial killings

Pashteen says that whenever they ask which "unidentified" people were behind killings of Pashtuns, officials get angry. Kulbushan Yadav's family is allowed to visit him but not families of Pashtun missing persons. Abhinandan & Kulbushan are given constl rights denied to Pashtuns.

Ali Wazir's brother was first martyr. His family made a lashkar to fight Uzbek & Tajik militants who army had earlier settled in FATA. He was in FSc in 2010 & when he was older, he protested. Another PTM leader had bullet wounds. How could they accuse PTM of sheltering militants?

Pashteen says that they've been protesting for many years but didn't get media coverage. When ppl were being killed in FATA, media was reporting on illegal blockades in Lahore or about Shoaib Malik & Sania Mirza's wedding. For them, positive reporting meant ignoring FATA's pain.

Pashteen says that they [the army/intel agencies] still have strong militant networks in FATA and can plunge KP into war whenever they choose. The average number of people being killed in the war remains the same. PTM welcomes negotiations with the Senate & provincial govt.

Pashteen says that PTM believes in negotiations. Pashtuns are raised to settle conflicts between 2 sides through jirgas. They're socialized to negotiate but army is socialized in war. He asked Senate Committee to honestly tell them if it had the power to address their grievances.