The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution against the harassment of Pashtoons in Punjab and demanded that the federal and provincial governments take practical steps against racism in the country.
The resolution was moved by MPA Hafiz Sana Ullah of the Pakistan People’s Party.
The resolution condemned the indiscriminate arrest of Pashtuns in Punjab, adding that such acts would create rifts among Pakistan’s various communities.
The resolution further said that a large numbers of Pashtuns were living and working in Punjab, playing their role in the economy. Despite their contributions, they were being harassed and arrested by the Punjab police.
Earlier, Parliamentary leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) and MPA Sardar Hussain Babak represented an adjournment motion on the issue and condemned the arrest of Pashtuns in Punjab.
He said that racism was on the peak in Punjab. Babak said that Pashtuns had been affected the most because of terrorism and that they could not be blamed, adding that terrorists and banned militants groups were residing in Punjab and that despite action against the groups in Punjab, the government was discriminating against Pashtuns. He further lamented that the government had closed the Torkham border to affect Pashtuns on both sides of the border.
Nighat Aurakzai of the PPP said that the issue was an attempt by the Punjab government to divert the attention of the people away from Panama Leaks. “We are all Pakistanis and we should work for our country. No one is Punjabi or Pashtun without first being Pakistanis,” she added.
Bakht Baider Khan of the Qaumi Watan Party also condemned the harassment of Pashtuns in Punjab and suggested that all members of the provincial assembly should together in raising their voice for the rights of Pashtuns.
Jammat-e-Islami leader and senior minister Inayat Ullah Khan demanded that the federal government should take immediate steps to ensure that such racial profiling does not take place. He added that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s issues were not highlighted in the media despite their importance to the country.
Raja Faisal Zaman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz also condemned the incident despite belonging to the ruling party. He further added that he would contact the Punjab government, including the chief minister and the inspector general of police (IGP), and that those responsible for the racial profiling would soon be identified.
The session was adjourned till March 3.