Lion-Hearted Muhammad Ali Wazir – OpEd

By

Muhammad Ali Wazir who belongs to Ahmadzai Wazir tribe was born in 1976 in Wanna, South Waziristan. A resistance centric politician, he started his political activities from the platform of Pashtun students Federation (PSF). Later on, he formed a nonviolent Pashtun movement Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) alongside Manzoor Pashteen and Mohsin Dawar. He was elected as member of national assembly of Pakistan in 2018. 

He has been behind the bars time and again. He was first arrested in 2005 under the FCR. Again, he was arrested in 2019 and was in jail for 4 months along with Mohsin Dawer. In December 2020, he was once again detained on sedition charges and was released after two years and two months.

His family has a history of long struggle against violence in Waziristan and has been at the front of opposing Talibization there for which 17 members of his family have been martyred, which included his father, two brothers, two uncles, and three cousins. Ali Wazir himself survived an assassination attempt in 2018. Owing to strict opposition of the Taliban, his family suffered economic losses too.

He has been a dissenter of Talibization and state policies in ex-FATA. He has also been a harsh critic against the establishment. His style of speech, his simplicity, his bravery during detention (despite his illness), and his vocal stance for the Pashtuns has made him loved among the Pashtun nationalists.

One may disagree with Ali Wazir and his choice of words. But one thing is for sure, his commitment, his struggle against militancy, and his lion-hearted drive and courage has made him respectable. It is a lesson for those turncoats who change their stance for petty interests.

Ali Wazir is an epitome of resistance, courage, commitment, fearlessness, and trueness. He is a symbol for those who switch their affiliation with twinkling of eyes and compromise for personal gains.

Naseeb Ullah Achakzai

Naseeb Ullah Achakzai is a M.Phil scholar and writes as a freelance columnist.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *