Peshawar, Aug 9 (PTI) A regional consultative meeting of a tribal council on law and order, chaired by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, on Saturday urged the federal government to initiate negotiations with Afghanistan to ensure enduring regional peace.
Held at the Chief Minister’s House in Peshawar, the concluding session of the four-day jirga (tribal council) focused on Kurram district. Over the previous three days, similar fora addressed security concerns in Khyber, Bajaur, Orakzai, Mohmand, and North and South Waziristan districts, with respective tribal representatives attending.
Saturday's jirga drew a substantial turnout, including tribal elders from Kurram, political party representatives, and members of provincial and national assemblies.
Delegates recommended the establishment of an empowered jirga, incorporating federal and provincial officials, security agencies, and local elders to engage Afghanistan directly, citing Kurram's peace as closely linked to its neighbour.
The jirga also proposed reopening trade routes with Afghanistan to generate employment for local residents.
Acknowledging that peace has been restored for now, the jirga participants emphasised the need to sustain it. Both Sunni and Shia communities in Kurram voiced their unity and pledged full cooperation with governmental peace efforts.
“Peace is our fundamental need. Where there is peace, there will be development,” they said, reaffirming their opposition to terrorism and pledging support for the government's peace initiatives.