Gandapur tasked to defang Khyber jirga

The federal and provincial governments, in their bid to put an end to the unrest and uncertainty in Khyber district, have agreed to trust K-P Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to spearhead talks with the now proscribed Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM).

As per the latest reports, Gandapur arrived in Khyber district to hold negotiations, during which the PTM presented further demands.

Gandapur, earlier on Thursday, hosted a grand jirga at the Chief Minister House in Peshawar to deliberate on the situation which has recently emerged in Khyber.

After extensive discussions, members of the provincial assembly and leaders from all political parties expressed their confidence in Gandapur, and entrusted him with the responsibility to hold a jirga for the peaceful resolution of the matter.

Accepting the responsibility to resolve the matter through talks, the CM announced that he would host and lead the negotiations. He expressed his gratitude to the members of the grand jirga for their trust. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, and Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi attended the moot, along with MPAs from various political parties and other parliamentarians. Naqvi was representing the federal government.

Other prominent political figures participating in the jirga included PTM representative Mohsin Dawar, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Aimal Wali Khan, Professor Ibrahim, Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Mohammad Ali Shah Bacha, Sikandar Sherpao, K-P Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati, Provincial Opposition Leader Dr Ibad, Federal Minister Amir Muqam, and others.

The CM thanked all parliamentarians and political leaders for their participation, and their confidence in him to lead this jirga. "I am grateful for the trust placed in me by all the parliamentarians and political leaders."

He further stated that all those in attendance had gathered irrespective of political affiliations for the sake of peace in the province, adding that protection of lives and properties of the people is the government's foremost priority.

He hoped that through this jirga, they would be able to find a peaceful solution to the problem at hand. "The solution to any problem does not lie in conflict or violence, but in dialogue. For this reason, we have convened the jirga in accordance with Pashtun traditions," he remarked.

Gandapur continued that the opinions and suggestions of all political leaders participating in the gathering would be greatly honored and welcomed.

All participants agreed and emphasised the need to resolve the issue peacefully and through mutual understanding.

Talks with PTM

During discussions about the ban on the PTM and the Pashtun Jirga, Mohsin Dawar questioned the K-P chief minister K-P governor, as well as federal ministers Amir Maqam and Mohsin Naqv,i about the reasons behind the decision.

The officials responded that the ban was due to alleged connections between PTM and the banned Tehreek-e-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. Dawar denied these accusations.

As the discussion continued, a consensus emerged to form a representative jirga to engage with PTM and the people present in the jirga grounds, while postponing the gathering planned for the next day in Khyber.

Dawar insisted that if the government does not permit the jirga, PTM will boycott the ongoing meeting at the Chief Minister House, protest against it, and fully support the Khyber jirga. He declared that despite negotiations, PTM would stick to a single agenda that the jirga must take place as planned.

ANP leader Aimal Wali Khan then addressed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Kundi, saying there were two individuals, Mohsin Naqvi and Mohsin Dawar, with one aiming to stop the jirga and the other determined to make it happen.

Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur accepted responsibility for the jirga and promised to attend it himself.

Following further discussions, the federal representatives accepted Dawar's demand, granting Ali Amin and his provincial cabinet the authority to negotiate the terms with Manzoor Pashteen and ensure the jirga continues as planned.

The provincial government quickly formed a negotiation team under Gandapur to meet with Pashteen later on Thursday night.

Governor on same page

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi stated that peace in the province was the top priority and the sole agenda of the jirga.

Speaking at the gathering, he thanked the provincial government and especially appreciated Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi for his presence. He also thanked the K-P CM and the members of the provincial assembly for organising the event.

He acknowledged that while political differences exist, peace in the province and the prosperity of the people are priorities. "The interest of the people and the province is what we value most." He emphasided that negotiations are the solution to all problems, citing Afghanistan as an example where the international community agreed to resolve the issue through dialogue.

Regarding the unfortunate incident in Khyber, Kundi noted that time is limited, and efforts must be made to bring everyone to the negotiation table to find a solution. "Some demands will be addressed by the provincial government, while others will involve the federal government. The CM, the interior minister, and political leadership are all present, and a resolution must be found today."

He also highlighted that the security situation is dire, with several areas in the province still classified as no-go zones. He stressed the need for unity to restore peace to the province.