The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM)

Who We Are

The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is a peaceful and nonviolent human rights movement led by Manzoor Pashteen. It works to uphold the civil, social, and economic rights of Pashtun Afghan people and raise awareness of the challenges facing Pashtun communities across the region. PTM promotes justice, dignity, equality, and respect for fundamental human rights.

PTM raises awareness of issues including enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, displacement, restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and the wider impact of conflict on civilian communities. Through peaceful civic engagement and community participation, PTM seeks to ensure that Pashtun voices are heard and their rights, dignity, and aspirations are recognised, while expressing solidarity with communities facing oppression.

What We stand For

We stand for justice, dignity, equality, human rights, and a peaceful future for Pashtun communities.

Human Rights

Protection of fundamental human rights for all

Social Justice

A fair and equal society for future generations

Nonviolent Struggle

We promote peaceful action, dialogue, and civic engagement

Solidarity

Standing together with communities facing injustice and hardship

Human Rights and Justice

PTM was born out of decades of systemic oppression, including:

  • Enforced disappearances
  • Extrajudicial killings
  • Torture
  • Harassment and surveillance

These abuses—allegedly carried out by Pakistani military and intelligence agencies—have left thousands without justice. Many PTM members and supporters have been:

  • Unlawfully arrested
  • Imprisoned without trial
  • Detained in secret locations
  • In some cases, killed in custody, with families denied the right to mourn

We continue to speak truth to power, demanding justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators.

State Repression and the 2024 Ban

In October 2024, the Pakistani government banned PTM, falsely labeling it a threat to national security. This ban has been widely condemned as a politically motivated effort to:

  • Silence dissent
  • Suppress the truth
  • Crush democratic, peaceful resistance

PTM remains committed to nonviolence, civic engagement, and constitutional rights, and calls for the rights of its members and supporters to be respected.

Opposing Terrorism and State Extremism

PTM firmly opposes all forms of terrorism, including the use of Pashtun regions as bases for proxy wars and extremist networks—often with state sponsorship. We condemn:

  • The exploitation of our land and people for military agendas
  • The destabilizing role of intelligence-backed militant groups
  • The manipulation of counterterrorism narratives for political gain

“Our struggle is for a peaceful and just society, where every individual regardless of ethnicity can live with dignity, freedom, and equal rights.”

— PTM

Our Vision for Regional Peace

PTM supports a future grounded in:

  • Peace
  • Democracy
  • Human rights
  • Girls’ education
  • Women’s rights
  • Cross-Durand Line solidarity with Afghanistan

We believe that justice must transcend borders if the region is to achieve lasting peace, dignity, and freedom for all.