Local group threatens upcoming PTM Lahore rally of ‘consequences’

–Police say the rally will get protection as per law

LAHORE: A local group of individuals calling themselves the ‘Watan Tahufuz Movement’ are threatening the Sunday rally of the Pashtun Tahufz Movement (PTM) in Lahore, saying that they will go “as far as necessary” to stop the “anti-state” speeches of PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen.

The Watan Tahufuz Movement has written a letter to the Lahore CCPO and the Punjab IGP in which they have demanded that the police stop the demonstration which is to be held this Sunday at Lahore’s famous Mochi Gate.

The rally is one in a string of many which the PTM has been holding all over the country to protest the treatment of tribal Pashtuns, in which its leader Pashteen has been very vocal about the role of the armed forces and state institutions in the current status of the Pashtun people.

“Pashteen is having his strings pulled by our enemies in India and Afghanistan who are trying to bring harm to our beloved country Pakistan,” read the letter, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today.

“Pashteen has been saying unacceptable things about the Pakistan Army and now this enemy of the country is plotting to hold a rally at Mochi Gate. The Watan Tahufuz Movement will not accept this and thus it is your duty to prevent any such happenings,” the letter further stated.

Speaking to Pakistan Today, Watan Tahufuz Movement Chairman Imtiaz Watanwal said that Pashteen was the result of collusion between Indian and Afghan intelligence.

“We will not allow this and will go to any lengths to stop him,” he said.

“Make for yourself what we mean by anything,” he said when pressed on what extremes his movement was willing to go to.

“This movement has risen in response to the PTM and has risen to the defence of Pakistan. We will not allow such characters to say anything against our armed forces. We will not only condemn such speech but will take action against it,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, Punjab Police spokesperson Nayab Haider has denied the existence of any such letter.

“If a rally is being carried out, we will follow our standard operating procedure and give it the necessary protection as the law requires,” he told Pakistan Today.

“If the government notifies the police that extra protection needs to be given to this particular rally, then we will also do that. However, we have not received any notification that it may be in any particular danger,” he concluded.