Pakistan endures a heavy burden in its war against terror: over 84,000 civilians and security personnel have been killed since 2001, with Pashtun soldiers and families among the hardest hit. Against this backdrop, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has seized full advantage of Pakistan’s democratic freedoms-holding rallies, speaking to the press, winning parliamentary seats-yet often uses this platform not for reform but for divisive rhetoric that erodes trust in national institutions?.

PTM’s narrative frequently overlooks the sacrifices of those who have laid down their lives in Swat, Waziristan, Bajaur and beyond. Millions bled for stability; PTM prefers to tweet outrage. In doing so, the movement amplifies hostile narratives and, intentionally or not, whitewashes terrorism and undermines public confidence in the security forces that have risked everything to protect Pakistani........

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