PTM America held a large Jirga in California on December 22nd, uniting leaders and activists from across the United States. The gathering pledged unwavering support for the Pashtun National Jirga held on October 11th in Pakistan, where the plight of Pashtuns under the oppressive policies of the Punjabi Pak Army was brought to the forefront.
The California Jirga saw the adoption of an eight-point resolution aimed at implementing the decisions of the October Jirga, focusing on addressing the systematic injustices faced by Pashtuns. These include enforced disappearances, militarized checkpoints, and the weaponization of counterterrorism to exert brutal control over their ancestral lands. Speakers emphasized that the war on terror has become a convenient pretext for the Punjabi Pak Army to suppress Pashtun voices, forcibly displace their communities, and exploit their natural resources for the benefit of the establishment.
The plight of Pashtuns remains dire, with thousands subjected to enforced disappearances—an insidious tactic used by the military to silence dissent. Families of the missing continue their tireless search for answers, often facing intimidation themselves. Meanwhile, militarized checkpoints in Pashtun regions are a daily reminder of the Army’s colonial mindset, treating Pashtuns as second-class citizens in their own homeland.
Journalists and activists associated with the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) have faced the brunt of the establishment’s wrath, targeted with violence, harassment, and arbitrary arrests for daring to expose the injustices inflicted on their people. The PTM has consistently called for accountability, demanding an end to military excesses and the restoration of Pashtun dignity and autonomy.