PTM holds rally at Bannu, calls for unity among Pakhtun leaders

[HAIDER]

The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) held a public gathering in Bannu on Sunday during which prominent leaders, including Manzoor Pashteen and MNAs Ali Wazir and Mohsin Dawar, addressed the crowd.

The gathering, held at Mundan Park, came after a 7-month hiatus following the arrest of Dawar and Wazir — independent members from the tribal areas backed by the PTM — last year and was attended by a large number of supporters from south and north Waziristan, Peshawar and other districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attended the public gathering.

PTM is a rights-based alliance that, besides calling for the de-mining of the former tribal areas and greater freedom of movement in the latter, has insisted on an end to the practices of extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances and unlawful detentions, and for their practitioners to be held to account within a truth and reconciliation framework.

Wazir and Dawar were arrested on charges of attacking a military check-post at Kharqamar in North Waziristan on May 26. They were granted bail by the Peshawar High Court’s Bannu bench in September.

During today's rally, the movement's leadership announced the formation of a jirga to convince Pakhtun leaders to join the PTM to strengthen its cause and jointly fight for Pakhtuns' rights.

“We want the unity of Pakhtuns,” said Manzoor Pashteen while addressing the gathering.

“Pakhtuns have suffered for long and are still suffering,” he said, asking that Pakhtun political leaders unite. Pashteen added that they were not opposing any political party or Pakhtun leader.

“We want peace and justice, but unfortunately, new waves of targeted killings have been seen in former tribal belt and justice is not being served,” Pashteen alleged, adding that PTM leaders' resolve to fight for their rights has only gotten stronger with time.

He added that PTM is a civil movement, not a political party, and will continue to struggle for the rights of Pakhtuns.

“I assure you, PTM will always stand by you in any difficult time," Pashteen told the gathering.

MNAs Dawar and Wazir also addressed the gathering.

“Today’s big gathering proves that PTM is alive and has strong roots among Pakhtuns,” Dawar said, adding that the movement "will never stop".

Dawar thanked the supporters for attending the gathering despite rain and harsh cold weather.

The gathering was also addressed by Arman Loni's sister. Loni, a prominent PTM leader, died allegedly during a police crackdown on a sit-in in Balochistan's Loralai on February 2, 2019.

PTM will hold a public gathering in Balochistan in February on Loni's death anniversary.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1527893/ptm-holds-rally-at-bannu-calls-for-unity-among-pakhtun-leaders

 

[El Sidd]

#StopPashtunGenocideInAfghanistan

 

[Path-Finder]

#StopPashtunGenocideInAfghanistan

#FakeNewj

 

[Pakistani E]

I want justice for my relatives killed by Mehsud tribals in the guise of jihad. Where do I do my dharna? Pashteen or his supporters on this forum (if there are any), any suggestions?

 

[BHarwana]

#Pashtunlongmarch origin of most tweets.

 

[Kaniska]

There is some video circulating about this march? Are you discussung about the same

https://twitter.com/x/status/1216364114903216128

 

[hussain0216]

There is some video circulating about this march? Are you discussung about the same

https://twitter.com/x/status/1216364114903216128

Yep, peaceful democratic and police didn't murder 50 protesters

India could learn a lot

 

[Pakhtoon yum]

View attachment 599527
#Pashtunlongmarch origin of most tweets.

Free Ireland and Scotland. The British occupation and genocide must end

There is some video circulating about this march? Are you discussung about the same

https://twitter.com/x/status/1216364114903216128

That's the song used by PTI lmaooo
How about you go put on the chains ur masters, the Pakhtoons left you. Shameless freak

#StopPashtunGenocideInAfghanistan

Liberate Afghanistan form the foreigners!

 

[BHarwana]

Free Ireland and Scotland. The British occupation and genocide must end


That's the song used by PTI lmaooo
How about you go put on the chains ur masters, the Pakhtoons left you. Shameless freak

Relax it is not most probably British govt but some paid blogger service for spreading the word.

 

[Kaniska]

Yep, peaceful democratic and police didn't murder 50 protesters

India could learn a lot

Actually, since BJP came to power, they are learning everything from you...

 

[PaulSimon]

Good development.

Pushtuns are a lost Jewish tribe.

Pushtuns deserve their own home land like Israelis and Kurds.

 

[hussain0216]

Actually, since BJP came to power, they are learning everything from you...

Whilst Pakistan is improving India becomes a hindutva hell

Well done Modi

 

[Gangetic]

Good development.

Pushtuns are a lost Jewish tribe.

Pushtuns deserve their own home land like Israelis and Kurds.

Pashtuns are East Iranic, Jews are Afro-Semitic. Two completely different groups.

 

[Mrc]

Good development.

Pushtuns are a lost Jewish tribe.

Pushtuns deserve their own home land like Israelis and Kurds.

Its called Afghanistan..

It did not go very well with US when they were independent last time

In Pakistan they cannot win a single seat in national or province assembly. .. Unless one of mainstream parties supported them

 

[PaulSimon]

Pashtuns are East Iranic, Jews are Afro-Semitic. Two completely different groups.

The Afghan Pashtuns and the missing Israelite exiles
Perhaps the “Israelite Spring” is finally upon us. While the path to peace cannot lie solely in defense, it may lie in the active reuniting of roots and dispersed family trees.
By BARUCH KOGAN, HARRY ROZENBERG
FEBRUARY 20, 2018 21:32

A PASHTUN man with his livestock.
(photo credit: REUTERS)

The Jewish people see themselves as a people alone in the Middle East, but an emerging elephant in the room may change this mentality. How will Jews respond when they hear that the descendants of the 10 exiled tribes of Israel ended up in Afghanistan and Pakistan, today number at least 25 million, and haven’t forgotten who they are? Recently, our organization, iTribe, polled almost 100 Pashtuns in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Almost all responded that they were told by their grandparents that they are called Bani Israel, the Children of Israel.

The Pashtuns have dwelt in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan for thousands of years. Although Muslim today, they live by a code called Pashtunwali which greatly resembles Mosaic law. When Pashtunwali conflicts with the Koran, they follow Pashtunwali. For example, Muslims are permitted to eat camel, but many Pashtuns do not do so. Other Pashtun customs which are not common among Muslims but have a clear parallel in Jewish practice include circumcision on the eighth day, lighting candles on Friday evening, levirate marriage, and many others.


Names of greater Pashtun tribes include the Rubeni, Gadi, Ashuri, Efridi, Shinwari, Lewani and Yousefzai, which clearly resemble the tribes of Reuven, Gad, Asher, Ephraim, Shimon and Yosef. The royal family of Afghanistan traces its origins to the line of King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin.

These facts are not new. The Bible mentions the Assyrians settling the Lost Tribes in Gozan, which is one of the names of the Amu Darya, a major Afghan river, identified as such by Rav Sa’adia Gaon. Medieval writings by Jewish travelers to Afghanistan mentions the Israelite origins of the Pashtuns. In more recent times, the connection between Pashtuns and Israel has been documented and discussed in documentaries by Simcha Jacobovici, as well as books by Rabbi Eliahu Avichail and Israeli president Yitzhak Ben- Zvi. Recently, the Internet has given us the ability to contact Pashtuns directly and do extensive research, which has confirmed the sources above.

Many people are shocked when they first hear of the connection between the Pashtuns and the Jews. They ask two main questions: first, aren’t Afghans radical Islamic terrorists? Second, if they are from the lost tribes, what does that mean? What happens now? Regarding the first question, one of the main issues confronting traditional Pashtun culture is radical Islam. Radical Islam filters into the region from Arabia and Iran, backed by oil money. Many Pashtun tribal elders fear that in a few generations there won’t be a Pashtun nation anymore due to targeted efforts by Wahhabists and other Muslim fundamentalists to erase their Israelite roots. Some of the elders with whom we are in touch are working to educate their clans on their true origins and on the importance of reconnecting with the Jewish people.

As for what happens now, the answer is simple. If a person loses his brother as a child and finds him many years later, the first thing they discuss is not how many times a day each other prays. Rather, they inquire about each other’s well-being, and attempt to help each other. Israel is a world leader in military technologies, medicine and sustainability. If, as it seems, the Pashtuns are our long-lost brethren, we should bring our expertise to bear and help them improve their situation.

We can already see this process unfolding.


Enabled by modern technology, Pashtuns and Jews have already begun to network and dialogue. Daily exchanges are happening between Jews and Pashtuns in various forums, for instance, in a Facebook group titled “The People of Israel’s Jirga – Pashtuns and Jews.” Quiet in-person meetings are happening across the globe. Our organization, iTribe, is currently mapping out all communities connected to the lost tribes, including the Pashtun, in an online social network, to create digital bridges between the dispersed exiles of Israel. And together, iTribe and the organizers of the Jirga are organizing what is hopefully the first of many Unite The Tribes conferences in Jerusalem this Thursday, February 22.

Perhaps the “Israelite Spring” is finally upon us. While the path to peace cannot lie solely in defense, it may lie in the active reuniting of roots and dispersed family trees.

The author is a rabbi and co-founder of the iTribe social network and the Theological Research Institute, which is an online educational platform with college credit recommendations on their courses. TRI is currently hosting a free online course on the Lost Tribes of Israel with Amar’e Stoudemire at www.STAT.Academy.

https://www.jpost.com/Opinion/The-Afghan-Pashtuns-and-the-missing-Israelite-exiles-543181

Its called Afghanistan..

It did not go very well with US when they were independent last time

In Pakistan they cannot win a single seat in national or province assembly. .. Unless one of mainstream parties supported them

What about PTI?