ISLAMABAD, 28 January 2020, TON: Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Khyber Pakhtunkhawa province of Pakistan over detention of Pakistani human and civil rights activists, Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir.

It is pertinent to mention here that cases against these activities were already filed in Islamabad High Court (IHC) and were repeatedly summoned regarding response from Pashtun Tahafuz  Movemnet (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen, MNAs Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir in a case pertaining to maligning state institutions.

Manzoor Pashteen, a Pakistani youth leader who  remained vocal over foreign military operations especially drone attacks, killing hundreds and thousands of innocent, men, women and children as well as operations by Pakistani security forces and extrajudicial detentions in the northwestern tribal districts. He along with his activists were detained in the city of Peshawar, while court rejected their bail application on 28 January and sent them on 14-day judicial remand.
Manzoor Pashteenm leader of the PTM is accused of sedition, hate speech, incitement against the state, and criminal conspiracy.

Protesters took out rallies in Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Tribal districts as well as Islamabad and Karachi, demanding immediate release of Pashteen, d PTM members, were among those detained during the demonstration outside the National Press Club in the capital.
Afghan nationals in Kabul also protested in front of Pakistani Embassy in Kabul and demanded immediate release of PTM leaders.

Meanwhile, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani while criticizing detention said, “Pakistan must support and encourage peaceful civil movements for justice and must not use coercive force to supress these movements." Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned President Ashraf Ghani for his comments as a clear interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.