FILED United States Court of Appeals UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS Tenth Circuit FOR THE TENTH CIRCUIT November 5, 2020 _________________________________ Christopher M. Wolpert Clerk of Court MUHAMMAD ASIF, Petitioner, v. No. 19-9610 (Petition for Review) WILLIAM P. BARR, United States Attorney General, Respondent. _________________________________ ORDER AND JUDGMENT* _________________________________ Before TYMKOVICH, Chief Judge, MURPHY and PHILLIPS, Circuit Judges. _________________________________ Muhammad Asif petitions for review of a decision by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) denying his applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the Convention Against Torture (CAT). Our jurisdiction arises under 8 U.S.C. § 1252(a). We deny the petition for review. * After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially assist in the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 34(a)(2); 10th Cir. R. 34.1(G). The case is therefore ordered submitted without oral argument. This order and judgment is not binding precedent, except under the doctrines of law of the case, res judicata, and collateral estoppel. It may be cited, however, for its persuasive value consistent with Fed. R. App. P. 32.1 and 10th Cir. R. 32.1. I. Background Asif is a native and citizen of Pakistan. He entered the United States on a nonimmigrant visitor visa in 2009, accompanying his sister who was undergoing medical treatment in this country. He remained in the United States beyond his authorized six-month period, and he was served with a notice to appear in 2010. Asif conceded removability but filed applications for asylum, withholding of removal, and protection under the CAT. He testified at a hearing before an immigration judge (IJ), who found that his testimony was credible. Asif also submitted affidavits from his family members and evidence of the country conditions in Pakistan. A. IJ’s Factual Findings The IJ made the following factual findings. Asif was born in Peshawar in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). He and his family ran a number of businesses, including a motorbike dealership, a mobile phone shop, and a real estate business. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) harmed or killed thousands of people in the KP between 2008 and 2014. In particular, prior to the elections in 2013, the TTP sought to harm the more liberal and secular political parties, including the Awami National Party (ANP). The IJ found that, in response to increasing violent attacks by the TTP, the government implemented a plan giving law enforcement and the military broad powers to arrest and detain militants. As of 2016-17, the number and scale of TTP attacks had significantly decreased, but the security situation remained tenuous, and 2 attacks on civilians, government officials, the military, and law enforcement remained common. While in Pakistan, Asif participated in ANP meetings and rallies. He regularly hung banners, handed out stickers, served food, and arranged the logistics of local ANP meetings. Although Asif was affiliated with the ANP, he was not a member of the party. He explained that, as a young person, he was expected ...
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