SWAT: Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) Chief Manzoor Pashteen said on Tuesday that the two global powers, the USA and China, are engaging in proxy wars on Pashtun lands for their own interests, with only Pashtuns suffering casualties on both sides.
He was speaking at a grand jirga of Swat elders in the Hazara area of Kabal Tehsil, which saw participation from elders across Swat, along with representatives of lawyers, journalists, traders, transporters, youth, teachers, and political parties. The jirga was organized to invite the people of Swat to the Pashtun Adalat (Court), which will be held on October 11 in Khyber district. Key attendees included Attaullah Jan advocate, Dr. Khalid Mahmood, Javed Bhai Jan, Muhammad Khan, Wakil Ahmad, and others.
On the occasion, Manzoor Pashteen lamented that the Pashtun nation in the country is divided into various groups, each fighting for the interests of others. “Pashtun land is rich in minerals and resources, but these are being looted by powerful forces, while Pashtuns remain occupied with personal feuds,” he said.
He explained that both superpowers, the USA and China, are using Pashtun territories for their own geopolitical battles. “China is setting up the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to connect the world with shorter export routes, while the USA seeks to destabilize Pashtun lands to disrupt the project. Unfortunately, Pashtuns are being caught in the crossfire of these superpower conflicts,” he added.
He further stated that thousands of Pashtuns have been killed, with thousands more missing, and their valuable resources, including oil and gas, are being stolen without any formal record. “Nations that fail to document their losses and resources cannot progress. Therefore, we have decided to compile data on Pashtun casualties, missing persons, mineral wealth, and lands seized by external forces,” he said
Mr. Pashteen emphasized that the games of these powers are being played with the blood of Pashtun men and the tears of Pashtun women. “As long as Pashtuns remain divided and preoccupied with burying their dead, their resources will continue to be plundered by the establishment. Unity is the only way Pashtuns can defend themselves against external forces,” he stressed, adding that the ongoing violence on Pashtun soil can only be stopped through unity among all Pashtuns.
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Pashteen argued that the solution to Pashtun issues lies in their unity, especially with the involvement of the youth from various ethnicities, professions, unions, associations, and federations among the Pashtuns.
