PTM backtracks from dialogue with ‘powerless’ govt jirga

Says talks still on if 'someone with enough power' to accept demands comes forward

PESHAWAR: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) has abandoned the dialogue process with a government-backed jirga, terming its members ‘powerless’.

PTM members said the government representatives were operating without any authority to influence outcome of negotiations as they cannot even notify the jirga, giving it an official status.

“If they don’t have the power to notify the jirga giving it an official status, how do you expect them to accept our demands,” PTM jirga member Dr Said Alam Mehsood told The Express Tribune on Sunday.



Mehsood, however, added that the doors of negotiations were still open but “someone with enough power” to accept PTM’s demands should come forward for negotiations.

“Yes, we will resume our activities by holding gatherings and protest demonstrations,” Mehsood concluded.

The statement comes days after the rights group denied reports that it had expelled two of its senior leaders –Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazir – for opting to contest the upcoming elections.



On June 24, during a meeting between government and PTM representatives, the group had demanded representation of security forces in the jirga. PTM demanded that tribal elders of North and South Waziristan districts should be empowered enough that any decision taken during the jirga was implemented. During the same sitting, they also demanded formalisation of the jirga.