Govt won't allow parallel judicial system at any cost, Naqvi warns PTM ahead of jirga

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Wednesday said that the government would not allow a parallel judicial system in the country at any cost as the recently-proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) plans to host three-day Pashtoon Qaumi Jirga from October 11.

The remarks came days after the ruling coalition government banned the Manzoor Pashteen-led PTM, citing risk to "peace and security".

"The federal government having reasons to believe that the PTM is engaged in certain activities prejudicial to peace and security of the country [...] is pleased to list the PTM in the First Schedule as a proscribed organisation," read the notification issued by the Ministry of Interior.

The ban has been placed under Section 11B of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997.

Prior to the government's move, the now-proscribed PTM had announced holding a three-day Pashtoon Qaumi Jirga from October 11 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Khyber district.

Addressing the presser today, Naqvi said the government has no objection to the holding of jirga, but “bringing thousands of people isn’t called a jirga.”

“On one hand, they are referring to the gathering as a jirga and on the other, they are portraying it as a court,” the minister said, warning that the government will now allow a parallel judicial system at any cost.

He pointed out that the ban was imposed as the PTM was involved in promoting rhetoric against state institutions and the government.

“No one has any objection to raising voice for rights, but attempts to stoke hatred and ethnic division cannot be tolerated,” he warned.

Furthermore, the security czar said that he was aware that the leaders from a few major political parties had met PTM leaders and expressed solidarity on the issue of rights, but they clarified that talking about rights while advocating picking up weapons was not possible.

Naqvi assured that the federal government was also ready to sit down and hold talks about human rights.

Following the ban, the minister said, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan governments placed 54 and 34 PTM members in the fourth schedule, respectively.

He said if an organisation is declared a proscribed entity, its offices are sealed, bank accounts closed, arms licenses, passports, and identity cards are cancelled, along with media and travel restrictions.

The interior minister made it clear that facilitators and abettors of the banned organisations will also face the same restrictions as per the law. 

PTM leader Ali Wazir from South Waziristan has been incarcerates since August 3 as he was booked in several cases, pertaining to delivering hate speeches against state institutions. He was released multiple times only to be arrested again.

In December last year, PTM chief Pashteen was arrested after his security guards allegedly opened fire targeting the police.

Back in 2019, a petition was filed in the Islamabad High Court seeking a ban on the party. The plea was filed a day after three people were killed and five soldiers injured in a clash between security forces and PTM protesters in North Waziristan.