Grand jirga in two days to address PTM concerns

PTM to provide names of representatives in two days

LANDI KOTAL: Members of a disgruntled Pashtun outfit and a government committee have decided that a fresh notification would be issued notifying members of a grand jirga, to be reconvened in two days.

This was decided in a jirga between the government committee — comprising representatives from the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and Corps Commander — and the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) led by Manzoor Pashteen.

Addressing a joint news conference after their Jirga concluded on Wednesday, government committee member Malik Khan Marjan apologised to PTM representatives for the hurdles they faced in reaching the venue.



Marjan added that PTM represented the voice of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata). He added that they had discussed various issues and that the participants wished to find a solution to the problems faced by the people. He further said that the government should cooperate.

Marjan lamented that a wave of target killings has restarted in Waziristan which locals have been protesting against for the past four days.

He went on to announce that a grand Jirga will be held within two days.  The PTM — whose delegation included Dr Syed Alam Mehsood, Mohsin Dawar, Ali Wazir and others — said that their talks with the government were still continuing.

PTM member Dawar said that they have consistently said they want to find a solution to the problems they face as per the constitution.  He went on to say that they had been assured that they would not be stopped anywhere along the route to the Jirga but this did not happen.



Moreover, he said that problems were created for PTM leader Manzoor Pashteen when he attempted to travel via air or by road. “The jirga today accepted that what the state has done was unfair with PTM workers.”

Dawar added that they will propose names of their representatives for the Jirga within two days after which the government will issue a new notification to form a grand Jirga.  K-P Information Minister Shah Farman said that there was a lack of trust which was causing problems. However, he asserted that there will be no compromise on the integrity of Pakistan and the honour of the Pashtuns.