The leaders of Pakistan’s Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) have blamed the Pakistani government for the murder of Arif Wazir, one of its key members, who, according to local news reports, was assassinated outside his residence on Friday night in Wana in the Pakistani tribal belt of South Waziristan and then succumbed to his injuries in a hospital in Islamabad.
“On one side of this country, they spill our blood, while on the other side the elders of the Punjab govt are expressing their happiness. They have been in enmity with us from the beginning and even today they are in the same position--they do not leave us alone. The Pashtun now have to choose their way,” said Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen, the leader of PTM.
Arif's burial was held in the Pakistani city of Dera Ismail Khan, and a prayer ceremonies were also held for him in Afghan provinces, including Kabul.
“The murder of Arif Wazir is part of coordinated murders carried out by Pakistan’s ISI (Pakistan’s military intelligence) and the process started years ago. Now they (ISI) want to target leaders of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement to weaken this movement,” said Ismail Yoon, a university lecturer in Kabul.
“We call on organizations across the world to support the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement if they want terrorism to be eliminated from the world. They must choose the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, because this movement wants to combat terrorism through non-violent moves,” said Saydullah Salam, a supporter of PTM.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International in South Asia has also called for an investigation into the murder of the PTM leader.
“The Pakistani authorities must carry out an independent and effective investigation into yesterday’s attack in South Waziristan on Arif Wazir, a member of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement. The suspected perpetrators must be held accountable,” Amnesty International tweeted on Saturday.
“Arif Wazir was killed because he was warned not to talk about a greater Afghanistan, he was killed on his soil, he became a victim because he was supporting the rights of his people,” said Ahmadullah Wazir, a supporter of PTM.
Arif Wazir was also the cousin of Ali Wazir, another prominent member of the PTM.
Wazir's tribe said that Arif Wazir was the 18th member of his family to be murdered.