On November 14, Fazl decided to bring the JUI-F’s grand tribal jirga back into play, at the request of the federal government, in order to resume efforts towards the dialogue process. PHOTO: PPI
The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) on Friday reconvened its grand tribal jirga for November 28 to devise actionable talks with the Taliban. The meeting is slated to be held in Peshawar and, according to the JUI-F chief, is backed by all major political parties and tribal elders.
JUI-F spokesperson Jan Achakzai confirmed the development and told The Express Tribune the aim of the meeting is to work on the yet incomplete task of negotiating with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “The jirga will advise the government on establishing more contacts for accomplishing the task,” added Achakzai.
Achakzai argued, “This particular jirga will prove fruitful as a number of visits have been made across the tribal belt to pave the way and it has now been reconvened on November 28,” he said. All tribal elders have been convinced to participate in the jirga, which will eventually help guide the government’s reconciliation efforts. “Without involving the people of Fata, there can be no effective mechanism for talks with the Taliban,” argued Achakzai.
On November 14, Fazl decided to bring the JUI-F’s grand tribal jirga back into play, at the request of the federal government, in order to resume efforts towards the dialogue process. Fazl maintained the jirga was unable to complete its talks because of the drone strike in North Waziristan which killed TTP chief Hakimullah Mehsud. After said strike, there is a need to seek new ways to resume it, he had maintained.
“JUI-F’s grand tribal jirga, which was mandated by the all parties conference (APC) in February to hold talks with militants, is making efforts for peace. However, this jirga is not acting on behalf of the government,” Fazl had said in a statement in October.
As early as September, JUI-F spokesperson Achakzai had maintained informal contact with the Taliban had already been established.
On March 1, the APC, attended by 30 political and religious organisations, declared their trust in a Grand Jirga. The delegates were tasked with immediately engaging all ‘parties concerned’, including the Taliban, for the sake of peace in the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 23rd, 2013.
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This man has his own agenda. He doesn't visit his own area because of fear of TTP fear but he wants to invite a jirrga to do what? What has he ever done for the cause and has he ever delivered anything without his underlying agenda.