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The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) under the leadership of Manzoor Pashteen organized a protest in front of the Sindh Assembly in Karachi for the release of Pashtun leader Ali Wazir.
Ali Wazir has spent nearly 14 months in prison for allegedly delivering anti-state speeches in Karachi, The News International newspaper reported. PTM leaders said the Pakistan Supreme Court had in November last year had allowed Wazir's appeal against the dismissal of his bail plea by the Sindh High Court and granted him post-arrest bail in the Sohrab Goth rally case. "Despite the apex court's orders, Wazir is in jail," said Pashteen. Wazir was arrested in Peshawar on December 16, 2020, at the request of the Sindh police, and flew to Karachi. Wazir was arrested on the charges of making insulting and incendiary speeches against the state institutions at a PTM protest rally in Karachi on December 6, 2020, according to the newspaper. The PTM leader was charged for treason and hate speech against the state. However, Wazir denied such allegations and blamed the state for a biased attitude towards minorities. Dozens of PTM supporters demanded the provincial government to discard the FIRs lodged against Wazir and listen to the grievances of the Pashtuns residing in Karachi. PTM chief Manzoor Pashteen said the group would continue to stage its protest sit-in till a notification for the release of the lawmaker was issued. They demanded the release of other Pashtun leaders like Hanif Pashteen, Owais Abdal and others. The protest entered the fourth day on February 16, 2022. Moreover, the Awami National Party cadres under the leadership of its Sindh Chairman Aurangzeb Buneri participated in the protest. He was accompanied by Younus Buneri, Provincial General Secretary, Haneef Shah Agha. Central Joint Secretary and Sher Afridi, Provincial Deputy Secretary of ANP. A post shared by 'Afridi Rehman FazI Ur, Chairman of PTM-France' on a social-networking site on February 14, 2022, mentioned that PTM-Europe had organized three separate protests in France, Belgium and Denmark on February 13, 2022, for the release of PTM activists viz. MNA Ali Wazir, Hand Pashteen, Owais Abdal and Idris Khattak were arbitrarily detained by Pakistan. PTM also condemned the failed assassination attempt of the Pakistan Army on PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen. Meanwhile, PTM --Germany also organized a protest in Frankfurt and the protest and conference of PTM-Italy is scheduled for February 19, 2022. (ANI)
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