The Pashtun community on Tuesday organised an anti-Pakistan protest outside the United Nations office in Geneva to denounce the crackdown on workers and leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).
The protest, coinciding with the 55th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), was organized by PTM Europe and was joined by several Afghan Pashtuns.
Fazal Ur Rehman Afridi, a PTM Europe memeber, said: “During the protest, speakers condemned the torture of PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen, the arbitrary detention of Noor Ullah Tareen, who has been languishing in jail for the last four months, and Idris Khattak, who has been in jail for the last few years.”
The protesters urged the United Nations to intervene to stop the systematic torture of human rights defenders, journalists, and PTM activists of Pashtun ethnic minority, including Gilaman Wazir, Eid ur Rehman Wazir, Zakim Wazir, and Zahid Madakhel.
They called upon the international community to exert pressure on Pakistan for the release of detained PTM activists and leaders, including Noor Ullah Tareen and Idrees Khattak.
The Pashtuns also expressed solidarity with the protest sit-ins at Chaman and Angoor Adda on the controversial Durand Line.
(Inputs from ANI)