Pakhtuns say they shouldn't be tagged as 'terror suspects'

Image
Press Trust of India Lahore
Last Updated : Dec 31 2013 | 3:26 PM IST
Over 500 Afghans and Pakistani Pakhtuns have requested Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to stop raids on their houses and businesses on the pretext of "looking for terror suspects".
They described the raids as "racism against Pathans" and requested Sharif in a letter to personally take up the matter and redress their grievances.
"Stop police raids and atrocities against Pathans and Afghans. Why every Pathan is a suspect?" the letter states.
Shahbaz Khan, the leader of the Pakistan Pathan Ittehad (PPI), said police in Faisalabad district, 150 km from Lahore, have been committing racism against Pathans.
"We are being forced by the police to leave Punjab and go back to native localities in the northwestern part of the country," he claimed.
Khan said police have taken a number of Pathans into custody since the start of the Islamic holy month of Muharram after "tagging them as terror suspects". The PPI has demanded their release.
The banned Pakistani Taliban and other militant groups have their strongholds in the northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province and the adjoining tribal areas, where most of the residents are Pakhtuns.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 31 2013 | 3:26 PM IST

Next Story