Pashtuns demand Azadi from Pakistan, hold protests in Islamabad

The Press Club in Islamabad on Sunday witnessed massive protests by thousands of Azadi (Freedom) chanting Pashtuns who undertook a Long March demanding justice for Naqeeb Mahsood, a Pashtun killed in a fake police encounter on January 13 in Karachi.

The Long March was joined by more than 10,000 Pashtuns from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces.

The protestors allege gross human rights violations against the Pashtun community by the Pakistan Government.

They said the Police had presented false accusations against Naqeeb including that he had connections with Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and ISIS which were contested by his family and relatives.

Subsequently, an inquiry commission was set up by the government of Sindh province to investigate the matter. The commission said that Naqeeb was innocent and was killed in a fake police encounter.

A protester while addressing a gathering said, "The people of this region are not the terrorists, but this government is a terrorist, which represents the elite class of Punjab."

(With ANI inputs)