Who was Gilaman Wazir and what happened to him?

Gilaman Wazir was a famous Pashto poet and activist of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). He passed away Wednesday night in a hospital in Islamabad after being seriously injured in an assassination attack in the capital city on Sunday.

The attack on this PTM member has sparked a wave of reactions both inside and outside of Pakistan. Manzoor Pashteen, leader of PTM, confirmed Gilaman Wazir’s death, stating that if the Pakistani police do not identify the perpetrators of this attack, it will indicate that the government of Pakistan was involved in the attack. Manzoor Pashteen added, “It is very difficult for me to say that Gilaman Wazir is no longer among us.”

Gilaman Wazir’s real name is Hazrat Naeem. He was originally from the Razmak area in North Waziristan. Gilaman Wazir was a close friend of Manzoor Pashteen, leader of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement, a central council member of this movement, and one of the Pashto language poets. In his revolutionary poems, he often called for Pashtun unity and narrated the wars and problems of the past.

Gilaman Wazir was a strong critic of the Pakistani government and often appeared in public wearing clothes adorned with the three-colored Afghan flag. He was especially popular among the youth for his activities for Pashtun rights and his patriotic poems. Reports indicate that he was previously detained by the Pakistani army for eight months and was tortured during this period.

Wazir’s body has been transported from Islamabad to North Waziristan in a procession, and he will be buried today in his hometown. Gilaman Wazir was married twice and left behind five children: three daughters and two sons.