PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday received a confidential report from the federal government regarding the ban on the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and several of its leaders, including its chief Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen.
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The additional attorney general, Sanaullah, submitted the sealed report to a bench comprising Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal, emphasizing that it contained sensitive information meant only for the court’s perusal. The bench adjourned the hearing and fixed Jan 21 for the next session.
The petitioners, including Pashteen and nine others, have challenged the ban under Sections 11-B and 11-EE of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), seeking its removal from the First and Fourth Schedules of the law. They argued that the 2014 amendment allowing ex parte proscription without a hearing violated Article 10-A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair trial and due process.
Attaullah Kundi, counsel for the petitioners, described PTM as a civil and non-violent movement advocating for Pashtun rights since 2014. He highlighted that PTM had organised the Pashtun National Jirga in October 2024 to demand justice and accountability. The lawyer said the federal government’s notification banning the movement came as a shock and was issued without providing reasons or a hearing.
The petition also seeks that Section 11-D, which allows keeping an organisation under observation, be treated as a mandatory precursor to proscription under Section 11-B. Respondents in the case include the federal and provincial governments, police officials, and the interior ministry.
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Last year, the court had requested the federal cabinet meeting minutes related to the ban. The AAG stated that those and other sensitive details were now submitted in a sealed envelope exclusively for judicial review. The petitioners’ counsel reiterated that the government has yet to provide the grounds for banning PTM despite repeated demands.