Pakistan's ISI makes full use of world's Covid distraction to kill dissident leaders

While the world grapples with the Coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's secret agency, the ISI, is making full use of the distraction to eliminate prominent Baloch and Pashtun leaders - from Sweden to South Waziristan.A day after the mysterious death of missing Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain in Sweden, Arif Wazir, a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) was shot dead by unidentified armed persons outside his home in Wana, South Waziristan on Saturday.Pakistan army has alleged PTM of running an anti-national agenda, whereas the party lead by Manzoor Pashteen is raising the voice against the army's atrocities on the civilians in Pashtun dominated areas.Pashtun Tahafuz Movement condemned the attack in a tweet saying, "Arif Wazir is the 18th member of Ali Wazir's family to have been killed in a targeted attack.

While the world grapples with the Coronavirus pandemic, Pakistan's secret agency, the ISI, is making full use of the distraction to eliminate prominent Baloch and Pashtun leaders - from Sweden to South Waziristan.

A day after the mysterious death of missing Baloch journalist Sajid Hussain in Sweden, Arif Wazir, a leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) was shot dead by unidentified armed persons outside his home in Wana, South Waziristan on Saturday.

It is alleged that Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is behind these coordinated attacks. PTM has been critical of the state's policies in the country's tribal belt, where a massive operation against terrorists was conducted in recent times leading to large-scale displacement and enforced disappearances.

Pakistan army has alleged PTM of running an anti-national agenda, whereas the party lead by Manzoor Pashteen is raising the voice against the army's atrocities on the civilians in Pashtun dominated areas.

Pashtun Tahafuz Movement condemned the attack in a tweet saying, "Arif Wazir is the 18th member of Ali Wazir's family to have been killed in a targeted attack. The family has sacrificed far more than most for the nation. Arif was an exceptional political activist and a young leader from South Waziristan. Heartbreaking".

A hashtag #StateKilledArifWazir has also been launched on social media.

Pashtuns living in Pakistan and Afghstan have condemned the killing.

Iqbal Rasooli, an entrepreneur in the Zurmat area of Afghstan tweeted, "Another unfortunate sad loss caused by #ISI criminals. Arif Wazir PTM activist lost his life battling serious injuries. ISI continues to target #Pashtun and #Baloch activists demanding freedom. The international community and our allies continue to ignore the issue."

On Thursday (April 30), a prominent Baloch journalist, Sajid Hussain was killed mysteriously in Sweden. 39-year-old Sajid, the editor of the Balochistan Times, was found dead by police from a river in Uppsala. He was missing since March 02.

Sajid left Pakistan in 2012 and had been living as a refugee in Sweden since 2017.

Baloch political activists believe that Sajid was killed for exposing the Pakistan army and the ISI for rampant enforced disappearances, torture, and killings of political activists, intellectuals, students, and journalists in Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces.

The ISI and Military intelligence has silenced many such voices of dissident in the country and abroad.

( With inputs from ANI )