Jirga wants hurdles to Pak-Afghan trade removed

PESHAWAR (Pajhwok): A tribal peace jirga has voiced its deep aversion to the government’s planned military operation against terrorists in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Sponsored by the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-(PTI), the jirga branded the so-called Operation Azm-i-Istehkam as an attempt at seizing mineral wealth in the Pakhtun-inhabited belt.

The tribal forum opposed the looming offensive at an event, where Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party head Mehmood Khan Achakzai, who also leads a coalition of six opposition parties, was the chief guest.

PTI’s central leader and former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, lawmakers from tribal districts and tribal elders were also present on the occasion.

In an unanimously passed a resolution, the jirga asked the government to place its plans before parliament and the provincial assembly for a thorough discussion.

The participants said the government should take all stakeholders on board and take tribal elders into confidence before initiating a new counter-terrorism offensive.

The jirga also asked the government to take steps to remove impediments to Pakistan’s trade with Afghanistan and reopen trade routes with the neighbouring country.

While underlining the need for the immediate resumption of trade with Afghanistan, the resolution urged the rulers to listen to the participants of sit-ins in KP and Balochistan.

“This jirga condemns the ongoing illegal and unconstitutional measures and violation of human rights in the country. Also, all political prisoners, including PTI founder Imran Khan, be released forthwith ...”

Achakzai alleged: “Parliamentarians are not allowed to speak truth in the house. Today, the mic of JUI-F leader Maulana Fazl Rehman was muted when he started speaking the truth.”

The outspoken Pakhtun nationalist leader claimed military operations were aimed to exploit mineral resources in the Pakhtun belt.

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