PESHAWAR: A Pakistani court Saturday ordered the release of a Pashtun rights leader critical of the military, his lawyer said, weeks after he was arrested on sedition charges.
Manzoor Pashteen, chief of the Pashtun Protection Movement (PTM), was arrested last month on charges of sedition, hate speech, incitement against the state, and criminal conspiracy.
His lawyer Saeed Akhtar told AFP that he had already been bailed on three of five complaints against him.
"Today the court has granted him bail in the remaining two, against surety bonds of one hundred thousand rupees ($650) each," Akhtar said.
He added that he hoped Pashteen would be released from jail later Saturday. A government prosecutor also confirmed the bail to AFP.
Pashteen, a former veterinary student, and the PTM have rattled Pakistan's military since 2018 with calls to end alleged abuses by security forces targeting ethnic Pashtuns in the restive tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan.
Once plagued by militancy and unrest, the region is where Washington believes Pakistan provides safe haven to militant groups including the Afghan Taliban and Haqqani Network.
The army has carried out many operations in the region, and security across Pakistan has dramatically improved in recent years.
But the PTM claim the operations came at a heavy price because of alleged abuses -- including enforced disappearances and targeted killings.
The movement remains peaceful, but has been notable for its direct verbal attacks on the armed forces in a country where such criticism is largely seen as a red line.
Islamabad and the military have repeatedly denied the claims and arrested PTM activists.
A far-reaching media blackout has kept news and images of peaceful PTM rallies off TV screens and front pages nationwide.
An opinion piece written by Pashteen in the New York Times in 2019 was censored in Pakistan.
Pashtuns are a fiercely independent ethnic group that straddles both sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
They account for roughly 15 percent of Pakistan's population, with a majority of the 30 million-strong group living in the northwest.
Pakistan court orders release of Pashtun rights leader
https://arab.news/yp2e7
Pakistan court orders release of Pashtun rights leader
- Chief of Pashtun Protection Movement was arrested last month on charges of sedition, hate speech and conspiracy
- The movement has been notable for its criticism of Pakistan’s armed forces
Pakistan begins preparations to host 2026 OIC ministerial conference on women
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar says Pakistan is committed to advancing gender equality within the OIC framework
- He says Pakistan seeks to strengthen and expand cooperation on women’s issues across the Muslim world
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has begun preparations to host the 9th Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Ministerial Conference on Women in 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said on Monday, marking the start of inter-ministerial coordination for one of the bloc’s top policy forums on gender issues.
The conference, held approximately every three to four years, gathers ministers from OIC member states to review progress on women’s rights, share national policies and adopt new frameworks.
Previous ministerial meetings have focused on themes such as women’s economic empowerment, combating gender-based violence, and improving access to education and health.
“Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar @MIshaqDar50 chaired a meeting to review preparations for 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women, to be hosted by Pakistan in 2026,” the foreign office said in a social media post.
“The DPM/FM underscored the importance of successfully organizing the conference through close coordination with the OIC Secretariat and relevant Ministries,” it added.
He highlighted Pakistan’s “proactive role” in advancing gender equality within the OIC and said hosting the 2026 gathering reflected the country’s commitment to strengthening cooperation on women’s issues across the Muslim world.
Senior ministers, secretaries from key federal divisions, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the OIC and other officials attended the meeting, which discussed preparatory arrangements and coordination needs.
While Pakistan has confirmed its role as host, no dates, venue or thematic agenda for the 2026 conference have yet been announced.
The previous OIC ministerial conference on women was held in Cairo in 2021, and focused on women’s empowerment, protection frameworks and socio-economic participation.
