Activist condemns arrest of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir

Dec 18, 2020

Paris (France), Dec 18 (ANI): Political activists have condemned the arrest of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir, who is also a Member of National Assembly of Pakistan over charges of passing derogatory remarks against state institutions. Members of the Pashtun ethnic minority have long blamed that they have been targets of military operations and ethnic stereotyping by the Pakistani state and its security forces. Police arrested Ali Wazir on Wednesday (Dec 16) in connection with a case registered against him and several leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement for charges including hatching a criminal conspiracy and passing derogatory remarks against security forces, police, Rangers and other state institutions. Pashtun Tahafuz Movement a socio-political group is known for exposing military offences in Pakistan. Massive anti-government protests are ongoing in Pashtun dominated areas in Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan. The protesters demanded an immediate release of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir and blamed the government for targeting the Pashtuns.