Government – PTM Stand-Off: Why The Meeting Between PM Imran Khan And MNAs, Mohsin Dawar And Ali Wazir Is A Welcome Development

At the height of Pashtun Tahafuz Movement’s (PTM) popularity earlier this year there had been hopes for the government and the PTM leaders to find common ground. The government on its part had pledged to make serious efforts to address the griviences of the Pashtun population while PTM leaders on their part had kept their agitation peaceful throughout.

However, soon those hopes began to seem overly optimistic following an unofficial breakdown of talks. The government claimed that PTM had been hijacked by anti-state elements who were not interested in the welfare of the Pashtuns but whose mission was to de-stabalize Pakistan. The PTM leadership on the other hand asserted insincerity on the part of the government.

For the next few months the country saw allegations and counter-allegations from both sides. DG ISPR Asif Ghafoor famously warned against the exploitation of PTM at the hands of foreign elements while PTM’s social media accounts continue to condemn the state for using pressure tactics to dissuade its activists.

A ray of hope in this (almost) year-long stand-off between the two parties came yesterday when MNAs and prominent proponents of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir called on Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday.

While what was discussed during the meeting is still not known, it is nevertheless a step in the right direction. Given that the state has time and again acknowledged that most – if not all – of the reservations voiced by the PTM leadership deserve empathy, the prolonged stalemate then seemed unnecessary.

 

Talks between the representatives of the government and the citizens is the best way forward to ensure a united and strong Pakistan and here’s sincerely hoping that both the sides will find common ground to pave a way forward.