On Sunday (November 27), prominent Pashtun leader Mohsin Dawar informed that he was stopped from travelling abroad allegedly at the direction of the Pakistani army establishment.
The co-founder of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) pointed out that the incident took place despite clearance from the Ministry of Interior of the Government of Pakistan. In a tweet, he wrote, “I was stopped at Islamabad airport by FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) & prevented from travelling to Tajikistan to attend Herat Security Dialogue.”
“This is outrageous as the cabinet had removed my name from ECL for 2 months. Once again Neutral Havaldar demonstrates that he has more authority than the federal govt,” Mohsin Dawar hinted at the high-handedness of the Pakistani establishment.
I was stopped at Islamabad airport by FIA & prevented from travelling to Tajikistan to attend Herat Security Dialogue.This is outrageous as cabinet had removed my name from ECL for 2 months.Once again Neutral Havaldar demonstrates that he has more authority than the federal govt. pic.twitter.com/vveOt13vNK
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) November 27, 2022
It must be mentioned that the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the Exit Control Lists (ECL) are both controlled by the Ministry of Interior of the Pakistani government. The Pashtun leader also posted a copy of the Ministry’s memorandum dating back to October 17, 2022, to back his allegations.
“It has been decided by the Federal Government to allow Multiple Time permission to Mohsin Javed @Mohsin Dawar…to travel abroad to attend conference at Switzerland for a period of 60 days from the date of the first departure, vide Cabinet Decision No. 474/Rule-19/2022 dated 14.10.2022,” it read.
The memorandum was signed by Section Officer Muhammad Azeem Akthar. Mohsin Dawar also lashed out at the Punjabi-dominated Pakistani military of intimidating a Pashtun leader.
Stopping an elected representative of thousands of Pashtuns, from traveling to become part of a regional dialogue is a testimony to the fact that in the coming years Pashtuns will continue to become victims of military establishment policies protecting their corporate interests.
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) November 27, 2022
“Only a few days ago, Pak civil society was celebrating Bajwa’s speech in which he accepted the military’s interference in politics and announced a non-interference policy in this politics. Is this “neutrality” and “non-interference” a privilege limited to Punjab only?” he asked.
It must be mentioned that Mohsin Dawar is a legislator from the NA-48 constituency of Pakistan since 2018 and represents the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
He tweeted, “Stopping an elected representative of thousands of Pashtuns, from travelling to become part of a regional dialogue is a testimony to the fact that in the coming years Pashtuns will continue to become victims of military establishment policies protecting their corporate interests.”
Mohsin Dawar accused Pakistanis of hurling racist slurs at Afghans
Earlier, the Pashtun leader had lashed out at Pakistanis for making racist remarks against the Afghan community and blamed the former for the clash that ensued between the two sides, following a cricket match in the Asia Cup.
Using a cricket match as an excuse to hurl racist abuse against Afghans is peak shamelessness. Pakistan’s decades old strategic depth policy and interventionist misadventures in Afghanistan is why Afghans have a problem with Pakistan. Introspect before belittling Afghans.
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) September 7, 2022
“Using a cricket match as an excuse to hurl racist abuse against Afghans is peak shamelessness. Pakistan’s decades old strategic depth policy and interventionist misadventures in Afghanistan is why Afghans have a problem with Pakistan. Introspect before belittling Afghans,” he emphasised.
