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Protest

Pakistan Tactical: Pashtun group to rally near 12 Al Asif Square, Sohrab area in on MAY May 13; maintain vigilance 16:15 UTC

Please be advised

• The Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) is slated to hold a protest in Karachi’s near Al Asif Square at 16:00 (local time) on May 13. The rally is part of the Pashtun Long March rights campaign, calling on provincial and central government to stop alleged extrajudicial killings, remove landmines in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and release arrested PTM members.

• At least 150 PTM activists were arrested under charges of terrorism, sedition, defamation, and unlawful assembly following a public gathering held in the Sultanabad area of Karachi on April 9. The PTM claims the arrests were an attempt by security forces to sabotage the May 13 public gathering.

• On May 12, the Administration of Karachi approved the PTM rally but the organizers have been directed to end it at 18:30. Sources from May 12 also indicate that the PTM’s leader Manzoor Pashteen was not allowed to board his flight to Karachi ahead of the rally. Meanwhile, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement- (MQM-P) voiced its support for the protest event.

• On May 14, the suspended Senior Superintendent police officer Rao Anwar, accused of killing Naqeebullah Mehsud, a Pashtun resident of Karachi in January, is slated to appear in front of a court over extrajudicial killings allegations. The killing triggered nationwide protests from Pashtun groups.

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1. Pashtun Long March rallies have typically drawn thousands of supporters. These numbers are likely to be bolstered as the rally is being held in Karachi, where Naqeebullah Mehsud was killed, and given the considerable number of living in the city. Sohrab Goth’s location as a vital entry point into the city may impede traffic flow, in the event that the protest spills over into neighborhoods along the Super Highway. 2. Sensitivities are likely to be high considering the timing of the protest, a day before Rao Anwar’s hearing. Hostilities between the police and Pashtun groups against this backdrop, as well as the reported attempts to prevent senior leaders like Pashteen from participating, increases the risk of clashes at the event. Another factor that may exacerbate tensions surrounding the event is the MQM-P’s endorsement of it, based on longstanding friction between the party and local law enforcement. The risk of forcible police dispersals may also be increased if PTM supporters do not adhere to the 18:30 deadline for their event.

Recommendations

Those operating or residing in Karachi on May 13 are advised to maintain vigilance given the potential for unrest at the PTM protest and allot for potential disruptions to travel in the Sohrab Goth area.

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