De facto social work against enforced disappearances, targeted killings, and landmines: Insights from Pakistan's war on terror

Abstract This article highlights the importance of studying de facto social work in response to political rights violations in armed conflicts. De facto social work, conducted without a legal framework and by individuals lacking formal social work education, is exemplified by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), in Pakistan's war on terror. PTM's non-violent resistance to enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the use of landmines along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border exemplifies de facto social work. The article argues that systematically studying de facto social work can strengthen social work theories and practices, particularly in contexts where state and non-state actors operate with impunity during armed conflicts.