After Police Shootings, Pashtun Rights 'Jirga' Begins In Pakistan
- By RFE/RL's Radio Mashaal,
- Muhammad Zawar,
- Wasim Sajjad and
- Farhad Shinwari
Tens of thousands of ethnic Pashtuns attended the beginning of a three-day Jirga or grand assembly on October 11 near Peshawar in northwest Pakistan. The meeting was called by the nonviolent PTM, or Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, to advocate for Pashtun rights. Four PTM members have died after police shot at them on October 9 as they tried to clear the Jirga venue.