Amid a rise in banned terror group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) attacks in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a delegation of National Democratic Movement (NDM) comprising its Chairman Mohsin Dawar and former MNA Bushra Gohar visited North Waziristan and interacted with locals who have been protesting the resurgence of terrorism. Last month, TTP had ended the indefinite ceasefire that was previously agreed with the government in June, asking its fighters to carry out attacks across the country. Following the announcement, terror attacks in the country targeting security forces have intensified.
MNA Mohsin Dawar, the founder of NDM, has been raising voice against resurgence of Taliban in KP for the past several months on the floor of the Parliament. But the concerns expressed by Pashtun representatives about Taliban’s return appeared to have fallen on deaf ears. The NDM leadership’s visit to Waziristan comes at a time when the region faces uncertainty about its security.
Former MNA Bushra Gohar’s involvement with NDM and her recent interactions with local representatives in the province mark her return to mainstream politics. In 2018, she along with former Senator Afrasiab Khattak was expelled from Awami National Party (ANP), supposedly because their anti-establishment views were too ‘strong’ even for the secular ANP. But with the formation of NDM, these former lawmakers have made a comeback in politics.
Welcoming Bushra Gohar to North Waziristan, Mohsin Dawar tweeted, “Her visit marks the beginning of an important chapter of NDM’s politics of empowerment in Waziristan.”
Welcomed @BushraGohar Chairperson @NDM_Official Pakhtunkhwa in North Waziristan earlier today. Her visit marks the beginning of an important chapter of NDM’s politics of empowerment in Waziristan. pic.twitter.com/EPCfdp9r6x
— Mohsin Dawar (@mjdawar) December 4, 2022
Dissent Today spoke to Bushra Gohar about her visit and the impact NDM has been able to create so far.
‘Suicidal policies of the state’
While commenting on the North Waziristan visit, she said KP has been the hardest hit by the ‘insecure security state’s suicidal policies’. “The people have suffered decades of death, destruction and displacements. The re-emergence of Taliban terrorists in Pakhtunkhwa as a result of the security forces’ secret talks has further exacerbated their trauma. The pain and loss of the people is unimaginable for mainstream Pakistan,” she said, adding that the district is heavily militarised and the civil administration’s role remains curtailed.
She says the mainstream media has been ignoring the uprising against Taliban in the province. “Provincial and federal governments have ignored the pleas of the people for peace, right to life and constitutional rights. Pakistan’s mainstream’s prioritise can be gauged from the total blackout of Pashtuns uprising against the resurgence of Taliban terrorists,” she told Dissent Today.
“There are daily targeted terrorists attacks but the Parliament, PM and CM are silent spectators. Nothing will change unless Pakhtunkhwa is demilitarised, Taliban Project is closed down and a truth commission formed for the decades of war and numerous military operations,” Gohar added.
In response to a question about what NDM stands for, she said the party was registered with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) last year after two years of deliberations with “like-minded ideological political activists throughout the country”. “It is a political resistance movement for peace, democracy and constitutional rights and against all forms of violence, inequalities and state terrorism. It is a platform for the oppressed and marginalised,” she added.
Political future of women of the peripheries
When asked if her involvement will improve the state of Pashtun women and their inclusion in politics in these areas, said, “The security state’s Taliban Project is anti-Pashtun and anti-women. “Patriarchy, tribalism and state imposed mullahism and talibanisation have kept Pashtun women back and in darkness. It is an uphill struggle to free women from the multilayered shackles,” she said, lamenting that the state has remained callously insensitive to the plight of women and girls in the merged districts of Pakhtunkhwa. “Pashtun nationalist political leaders have also followed the policy of appeasement of the extremists when it comes to women rights. Women rights isn’t a priority for Political parties,” she says, hoping that NDM will work towards ending this gender imbalance.
Asked if NDM’s message resonates with the people she met during her visit to Waziristan, Bushra Gohar says the party’s core leadership is from North Waziristan, and it has a strong support in the district.
About the future of the merged districts amid Taliban’s return, Bushra Gohar says until there is a change in security policies and an end to the ‘Taliban Project,’ security situation will continue to worsen in the province.
The fresh wave of terrorism in Afghanistan and Pakhtunkhwa is connected with the new cycle of proxy war in the region. The US & allies Doha deal with the Taliban terrorists resulted in the occupation of Afghanistan,” she said.
The writer is an Assistant Editor at Dissent Today, focusing on extremism and political violence.
