PESHAWAR: A 50-member jirga of
prominent tribal elders is due to fly to Kabul tomorrow for meaningful talks
with the Afghanistan-based Pakistani Taliban in Kabul, members of the jirga
told. Former Senator Maulana Saleh Shah will lead the jirga members. The jirga
comprises tribal elders from all the seven tribal districts including South
Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurram, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur, as
well as the Malakand Divison. Among them will be public representatives
including former governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Engineer Shaukatullah Khan,
Senator Dost Mohammad Khan Mehsud, Senator Hilal Mohmand, GG Jamal, etc. “It
was second meeting of the jirga members with senior security officials in
Peshawar. They were called to Peshawar and were briefed about the peace process
with the Pakistani Taliban in Afghanistan,” one member of the jirga told The
News on condition of anonymity. He said senior officials had informed the jirga
members about progress in the peace negotiations so far. Engineer Shaukatullah
Khan, former governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the jirga member, told The News
that nothing had been agreed with the Taliban, saying would first time meet
leaders of the Pakistani Taliban. He said they would prefer the Taliban to lay
down arms, return home and live peaceful lives in Pakistan. He didn’t confirm
reports that previous status of the erstwhile tribal areas would be restored
and merger with KP be withdrawn, 60 per cent of the Pakistan army troops would
be pulled out of the tribal districts, and Taliban will return Pakistan along
with arms and ammunition. “I don’t confirm these reports as we haven’t met the
Taliban. Let’s wait and see what comes out of talks,” he said. Shaukatullah
Khan, who belongs to Bajaur tribal district, said he and all other members of
the jirga were hopeful of the outcome of peace talks, saying situation in the
region had changed and foreign forces from Afghanistan are gone. “Jirga is the
right forum to resolve issues. We Pakhtuns have the capacity to listen to each
other and resolve issues through dialogue,” he said. He said they are likely to
leave for Afghanistan today (Tuesday) from Peshawar and if the flight from
Peshawar was cancelled then they would fly from Islamabad airport. Another
member of the jirga on condition of anonymity said they would be meeting senior
Taliban leaders including chief of the banned TTP Mufti Noor Wali Mehsud,
Maulvi Faqir Mohammad, etc. He said the Afghan Taliban would facilitate the
peace process. According to the jirga members, some of the militant leaders had
initially refused to participate in the peace talks with Pakistan, but the
Afghan Taliban had made it clear to all the Pakistani Taliban factions that any
individual or group not willing to join the negotiations would need to leave
Afghanistan. “I think there is no option for the militant factions to stay away
from the peace talks with the Pakistan government. If talks with the TTP
succeed then all of them wound return to Pakistan and would start a peaceful
life in their respective areas,” said the jirga member.
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