There is a severe prejudice towards the Pashtun people in Pakistan. International Forum on Rights and Security has said that state and non-state entities have violated people’s rights by executing them without a trial or forcibly displacing them (IFFRAS).
Mehsud, a Pashtun from South Waziristan, was 27 years old and desired to become a model. On January 13, 2018, he and three others were slain in a “fake” police encounter on the outskirts of Karachi at an abandoned farmhouse. An investigating team eventually concluded that “the cops had staged the whole incident; especially in Karachi and other cities in Pakistan, young Pashtuns and members of other minority groups often invent stories about their encounters.”
The death of Mehsud drew attention to the unjust and marginalised treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, particularly in the context of the “war on terror” and military operations in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Also, Mehsud’s attorney was concerned when prosecution witnesses, who were Karachi police officials, began retracting their initial statements relating to Rao Anwar and his team. The court declared Rao Anwar not guilty despite his involvement in more than 400 extrajudicial executions in Karachi.
Rao Anwar and those engaged in the cold-blooded murder of Naqeebullah Mehsud were released, which was beyond disgraceful and has demonstrated that there was no justice for innocent Pashtuns slaughtered by government-paid individuals. Pashtun activist Mohsin Dawar tweeted, “The trial and judgement in Naqeeb’s case are a travesty of justice.”
How the Pashtun people are mistreated in Pakistan is awful. Minorities must be respected, and their rights must be safeguarded. The government must take action to ensure that this occurs. In addition, it is long past time for a thorough inquiry into the unjustified deaths of innocent Pashtuns. It is time for the rest of the world to take action to ensure the safety and security of the Pashtun people in Pakistan.
The predicament of the Pashtun people in Pakistan is not limited to unlawful murders and disappearances. In addition, they face other forms of racial and religious discrimination, such as being denied access to school, health care, and other fundamental services because of their ethnicity or faith. Additionally, Pashtuns endure prejudice in the labour market, as companies often refuse to recruit them due to their race.
The government is increasingly targeting the Pashtun population in the guise of “counterterrorism.” In recent years, there have been instances of Pashtuns being arbitrarily arrested, detained without a trial, and even tortured in detention centres.
Brutal abuse against the Pashtun people must be stopped. The Pakistani government must take concrete measures to defend the Pashtun people’s rights and ensure their safety. This should involve establishing independent commissions and tribunals to investigate incidents of unlawful murders and hold the perpetrators responsible. In addition, the government must ensure that all Pashtuns have equal access to education, healthcare, and other fundamental services.
The international community must take action to ensure the safety and security of the Pashtun population in Pakistan. The international community should instruct the Pakistani government to follow the rule of law and safeguard the human rights of all its citizens, especially the Pashtun population. Additionally, the international community must ensure that those who violate the rights of the Pashtun people are brought to account.
