LAHORE – The Punjab government has taken off a paid advertisement, which depicted Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen as a symbol of sectarian violence, following backlash from social media users.
The 29-second ad, which was aired yesterday on television with regard to the holy month of Muharram, shows Pashteen while warning people to avoid sectarian violence.
https://twitter.com/mjdawar/status/1040991498819563522
Pakistanis were outraged when Mohsin Dawar, a Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader and Member National Assembly (MNA) since August 2018, shared the video on his Twitter handle.
Its an indirect attack over all Pashtoon and we strongly condemn it
It is requested to the PM @ImranKhanPTI to take serious notice of this Adver and stop profiling of Pashtoon— kochai lewanai (@KLewanai) September 15, 2018
Many of them consider this to be racial profiling against certain groups of people in Pakistan.
https://twitter.com/gabeeno/status/1040924777060491264
Afrasiab Khattak of Awami National Party (ANP) criticsed the act, asking the government to ‘formally & publicly apologise for running a home department TVC showing PTM leaders as terrorists’.
Reham Khan, the former wife of Prime Minister Imran Khan, also took a jibe at the government for ‘this blatant use of government money by PTI in Punjab for racial profiling of Pushtuns & defaming human rights activists who are law abiding citizens.’
It is an uphill battle but we must persevere against all odds yo ensure equality & freedom for all. https://t.co/fsCsACI6yB
— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) September 16, 2018
Admitting the mistake, the federal government took down the ad. The Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Ch Fawad Hussain said “this advertisement was immediately taken off as soon it was brought to our attention, it was aired hardly a few times before channels were directed not to air such advertisement”.
This advertisement was immediately taken off as soon it was brought to our attn, it was aired hardly a few times before channels were directed not to air such advertisement. I urge people not to circulate this rejected version https://t.co/6wFtgbCsOl
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) September 15, 2018
He also urged the people “not to circulate this rejected version.”
However, many demanded an action against the person who conceived this controversial advertisement.
https://twitter.com/mazdaki/status/1041016886660620288
On Friday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Police had issued arrest warrants for Manzoor Pashteen, MNA Ali Wazir and six others.
A letter issued by a senior police official in Swabi and sent to political agents of North and South Waziristan declared Pashteen, Wazir, Dr Said Alam Masood, Fazal Advocate, Khan Zaman, Mohsin Dawood, Samad Khan and Noorul Salam proclaimed offenders and sought their arrest in connection with a case registered against them on August 28.
https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/kp-police-issue-arrest-warrants-for-ptms-manzoor-pashteen-ali-wazir/
According to the first information report (FIR), PTM workers held a gathering at cricket stadium in Swabi’s Shah Mansoor Town without required no-objection certificate from authorities concerned. At the stadium, the FIR adds, the PTM chief and others made contemptuous statements against state institutions.
The PTM, formerly Mehsud Tahaffuz Movement, gained momentum following the extra-judicial murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi. It sought capital punishment for the prime suspect in Naqeebullah murder case, former SSP Malir Rao Anwar, recovery of missing persons and removal of landmines in tribal areas.
Manzoor Pashteen leads the group, which has been accused of inciting hatred and racial violence amongst the different ethnicities in Pakistan.
During their Peshawar rally, Pashteen, the 26-year-old veterinarian-turned-rights activist, used provocative language and racial slurs, forgetting that civil society groups from Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan supported his narrative and also participated in Islamabad’s sit-in.
A Jirga, formed by the KP Apex Committee and comprising tribal elders, is holding negotiations with the group to resolve their issues.
