Under which Section of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997 the Federal Government declared the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) ‘unlawful’ on October 6, 2024?

Correct Answer: B. Section 11B

The federal government on October 6, 2024, imposed a ban on the Pashtun Tahaffuz Move­ment (PTM), citing threats to national peace and security. The PTM was declared “unlawful” under Section 11B of the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, according to the Associated Press of Pakistan. A notification issued by the interior ministry mentioned that the PTM posed a “significant danger” to public order and safety in the country, and wans in the First Schedule of ATA as a proscribed organization. Founded in the wake of the killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a youth from South Waziristan, the movement and its leader, Manzoor Pashteen, came under severe criticism from the ruling establishment, which accused it of fomenting unrest and working at the behest of foreign agencies, charges PTM leaders denied vehemently.