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Manzoor Pashteen accused Pakistan’s military of using the war on terror as a pretext to displace millions of Pashtuns and exploit their mineral-rich lands.
Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen. (Image: X)
Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen has accused Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies of creating, funding and training militant groups in the country’s Pashtun regions, alleging that counterterrorism operations are being used to forcibly displace local populations and seize control of mineral-rich territories.
Addressing the Hague Justice Dialogue 2026, Pashteen claimed that more than two decades of military operations had left tens of thousands of Pashtun civilians dead, thousands missing and millions displaced, without bringing lasting peace to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
His speech also witnessed a diplomatic walkout, with Pakistan’s representative Asif Durrani and the country’s ambassador leaving the proceedings while he was addressing the international forum.
Pakistan Military Created, Funded Terror Groups, Alleges Pashteen
In one of his most serious allegations, Pashteen claimed that militant organisations operating in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were created, financed and trained by the Pakistani military and its intelligence agencies.
“The truth is that every terrorist organisation in Pakhtunkhwa is created, funded and trained by the Pakistani military and Pakistani intelligence agencies themselves,” he said.
Pashteen alleged that senior Pakistani military and intelligence officials, including former army chief General Pervez Musharraf, former ISI chief Hamid Gul, Colonel Imam and General Abdul Qadir Baloch, had publicly acknowledged their involvement in establishing militant organisations.
He accused the military of following a deliberate strategy of destabilising mineral-rich Pashtun territories through proxy armed groups before launching counterterrorism operations to drive indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
According to the PTM chief, the resulting displacement allows the military to seize and exploit valuable minerals and precious metals while maintaining control over the affected regions.
Pashteen also accused Pakistan’s military establishment of pursuing a divide-and-rule policy among Pashtuns living along the Durand Line, alleging that it sought to prevent peace and unity among Pashtun communities across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.
Decades Of Military Operations Failed To Bring Peace, Says PTM Chief
Pashteen claimed that the Pakistani military had launched dozens of large-scale operations and thousands of smaller targeted operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa since 2004, without restoring peace to the affected areas.
He cited Operation Rah-e-Rast, launched in Swat and Buner in 2009, alleging that approximately two million people were forcibly displaced from their ancestral homes.
The same year, Pakistan launched Operation Rah-e-Nijat in South Waziristan, alongside military operations in Orakzai, Kurram and Bajaur. According to Pashteen, nearly one million people were displaced from each of these areas.
He alleged that residents returning after the operations found their houses, markets and orchards destroyed.
Pashteen further claimed that military officials had sold roofing materials and debris from demolished houses to private contractors, leaving returning families struggling to rebuild their lives.
76,000 Pashtuns Killed, 6,700 Missing, Claims Pashteen
Presenting figures on the human cost of the conflict, Pashteen claimed that 76,000 Pashtun civilians had been killed over the past 22 years, while approximately 6,700 people remained missing.
He alleged that 250,000 houses and 35,000 shops had been destroyed during the conflict, devastating local economies and leaving thousands of families without homes or livelihoods.
The PTM chief also highlighted the continuing threat posed by landmines in areas affected by military operations.
According to Pashteen, landmine explosions have killed 1,250 Pashtuns and left 278 children permanently disabled.
He alleged that residents returning to their villages, particularly in South Waziristan, were confronted with landmines and extensive military checkpoints instead of the security promised following counterterrorism operations.
Pashteen claimed that civilians were subjected to surveillance, including facial scanning and the collection of personal information, while militants were allegedly allowed to pass through the same checkpoints without restrictions.
He also criticised the Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) Regulation, alleging that it provided legal cover for abuses committed by Pakistani security forces.
Over 800 Civilians, Including 72 Infants, Killed In Airstrikes
Pashteen alleged that more than 800 civilians had been killed in over 300 Pakistani drone strikes and aerial bombardments during 2025 and 2026, including 72 infants aged one year or younger.
The PTM chief also raised concerns over continuing forced displacement in Tirah Valley in Khyber, Central Kurram and Shawal in North Waziristan.
He accused Pakistani security forces of using targeted killings, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial executions and repeated military operations to maintain control over these territories.
PTM Accuses Pakistan Of Crackdown On Peaceful Rights Movement
Pashteen said the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement was established in response to years of violence and alleged human rights violations in Pashtun-majority areas.
He said the movement had peacefully demanded an end to the violence, the clearance of landmines and protection of the region’s natural resources.
However, he alleged that Pakistani authorities responded with arrests, fabricated criminal cases, media blackouts, negative propaganda and violence against PTM activists.
According to Pashteen, security forces opened fire on peaceful PTM gatherings on three occasions: June 3, 2018, in South Waziristan; May 26, 2019, in Khar Kamar, North Waziristan; and October 8, 2024, in Khyber.
He claimed that these incidents collectively left 22 PTM activists dead and 108 severely injured.
The PTM chief also accused Pakistani authorities of assassinating members of the movement and imprisoning several of its leaders.
He cited the government’s decision to outlaw PTM under anti-terrorism laws as another example of what he described as the suppression of peaceful Pashtun rights activism.
PTM Urges ICC, EU To Investigate Pakistani Military Abuses
Taking his allegations to the international stage, Pashteen appealed to the International Criminal Court (ICC), international human rights organisations and the European Union to investigate the alleged abuses.
He accused Pakistani officials of seeking international financial assistance and diplomatic support while concealing human rights violations at home.
Pashteen also criticised Pakistan’s efforts to cultivate relations with US President Donald Trump and European leaders, alleging that Islamabad used diplomatic engagement to secure funding and trade benefits despite the allegations against its military.
He specifically called on the European Union to halt financial support and suspend Pakistan’s preferential trade benefits under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP Plus).
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Ask News18Addressing the Hague Justice Dialogue 2026, Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) chief Manzoor Pashteen accused Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies of creating, funding, and training militant groups in Pashtun regions. He alleged that counterterrorism operations were used to forcibly displace local populations, allowing the military to seize control of mineral-rich territories.
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Group Editor, Investigations and Security Affairs, Network18
October 17, 2026, 2:10 PM IST
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