Debate section

Ali Wazeer, MP, is a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan. He lives in a province bordering Afghanistan. His family was decimated by the Taliban. Today he is one of the main leaders of the PTM, the Pashtun Defense Movement.

A general strike has brought Khartoum and all major cities and ports in Sudan to a standstill in response to a deadly rampage by pro-regime militias, the army and security forces, Sudanese trade unionists and community leaders in the UK told a press conference yesterday. The Transitional Military Council, which seized power after a popular uprising forced dictator Omar el Bashir to step down, sent troops to attack a peaceful sit-in outside the Army General Command on Monday 3 June, killing at least 35 people according to reports from Sudan.

We, as feminists who uphold the peaceful resolution of conflict, stand in solidarity with the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) in their struggle for fundamental rights. We condemn the violence that took place on May 26th in the Khar Qamar area of North Waziristan in which 13 civilians were allegedly killed and 46 were injured as a result of army firing. According to the testimonies of eyewitnesses and video footage released on social media, the protesters were unarmed and were peacefully protesting the illegal detention of local residents.

Yesterday was an explosive day at the national parliament. Bilawal Bhutto, son of Benazhir Bhutto who heads the Pakistan Peoples Party had written a two-page letter addressed to the speaker of the Assembly to order for the production of Ali Wazeer, from jail to the National Parliament on Friday. This is a normal practice. Any parliamentarian in jail has a right to attend the Assembly session.

In the morning of Sunday, May 26, 2019, the Pakistani army openend fire on people protesting against its brutal operations in the region bordering Afghanistan. Videos show unarmed, peaceful protesters cheering and chanting slogans when their leaders, Pakistan National Assembly members Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, arrived at the sit-in. Suddenly, shots are fired.