The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan on Monday noted with grave concern the recent tweets by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, describing them as an apparent interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs.
Following the detention of Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), on Sunday night by Pakistani police in Tehkaal, Peshawar, President Ashraf Ghani declared his concern about the arrestment via tweets.
Meanwhile, President Ghani tweeted, “I fully echo the concerns raised by Amnesty International in this regard and hope for their immediate release.”
On the other hand, the foreign office spokesperson in a late-night press release said that “We believe that such statements by President Ghani are not helpful to the promotion of good neighborly relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.”
She further added that Pakistan wished to maintain cordial relations with Afghanistan based on the principles of non-intervention and non-interference and urged the Afghan side to work together for the common objective of peace and stability in Afghanistan and the region.
The detention of the Manzoor Pashteen has raised ordinary people’s concerns in the two provinces – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan, in particular. Manzoor’s advocates across Pakistan demand his immediate release.
“This is our punishment for demanding our rights peacefully and democratically. But Manzoor’s arrest will only strengthen our resolve,” said Mohsin Dawar, member of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM).
build a 20 foot wall…