Pashtun Peace Jirga vows to bring stability to Fata
November 21, 2006
PESHAWAR: The Awami National Party on Monday emerged victorious in its history-making effort to assemble top leadership of the Pashtuns in Peshawar to talk peace and work together for bringing unity and stability to Pakistani tribal areas and neighbouring Afghanistan.
This was the first event of its kind in the history of Pakistan that the ANP invited the Pashtun leadership to the Pashtun Peace Jirga (PPJ) held at Bacha Khan Markaz and almost all the nationalist, religious and progressive parties honoured the invitation.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad was absent due to his visit abroad, but the party provincial chief and ex-senior minister of the MMA government in the NWFP Sirajul Haq was present to represent his party.
Siraj delivered an emotional speech saying that Army generals were ruling the country against the will of the masses and in sheer violation of the constitution. Chief of his own faction of PPP and Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao and Federal Minister for Political Affairs and PML’s provincial president Amir Muqam were conspicuous by their absence. However, they had sent party representatives to the Jirga.
JUI-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman stole the show in the first session of the daylong deliberations through his witty and bold remarks against the army rulers, the role of the nationalist and democratic forces and growing trend of militancy.
The Maulana offered his services to mediate between the Taliban and the Afghan government with the condition that all foreign troops should leave Afghanistan and the US should no longer label Taliban as terrorists, which he thought would enable him intervene and use his good offices.
The Maulana also called upon the Taliban to become part of the democratic dispensation in their country that would pave the way for negotiations and restoration of peace in war-shattered Afghanistan and bring stability to the tribal belt of Pakistan.
It was unexpected on the part of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to declare that Durand Line was a controversial border between the two countries and that the deployment of 80,000 troops along the Pak-Afghan border was violation of the Gandamak Agreement reached between then British India and the Afghan Government more than 100 years ago. “No country can deploy such a huge army on disputed borders,” the Maulana said adding that Hamid Karzai’s government was helpless and without powers as the real power lies in the hands of forces behind him, a reference to the US.
He offered to work for the unity of Pashtun nation despite having ideological differences with the nationalist forces. In a light vein, the Maulana said it was a positive sign that the Pashtun nationalists have realized to give due status to the mosque.
ANP President Senator Afandyar Wali had set the tone of the peace Jirga by announcing to make the Hujra, a symbol of Pashtun social and communal life, and the mosque to work together for pulling Pashtuns out of the present-day quagmire.
Pashtun nationalist, Mehmud Khan Achakzai, dominated the second session of PPJ and replied to some of the points raised by Maulana Fazlur Rehman when he said that Hujra and Mosque could work together provided the Maulana prevailed upon the Taliban to get rid of the Pakistani intelligence agencies supporting them in their fight in Afghanistan. He said that the Pashtuns were neither terrorists nor discriminate against others on the basis of race, language and religion. He called upon the Maulana and all other religious leaders to give a Fatwa to determine whether or not the Pashtuns have the right on their own resources within Pakistan.
“We demand that interference in Afghanistan be halted and all the troops and the so-called foreign guests must leave the tribal areas on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line,” Achakzai said.
The ANP president in his brief speech said that General Pervez Musharraf is out to convince the world that Pashtuns were terrorists, but the truth is that al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not the product of Pashtuns but have been elevated to the position by others. He congratulated the participants of the Jirga and hoped that all the forces part of the Pashtun nation would join hands to rescue the people, who are victims of a senseless war imposed on them.
“The Pashtun Jirga has resolved today to work for peace. This is the first step and the next Jirga will comprise Pashtuns from Afghanistan and all over the world to tell the international community that negotiations were the best solution to any conflict,” the ANP chief said.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan MNA, Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party head Afzal Khamosh, PPPP’s provincial president Rahim Dad Khan, MRD’s secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, Nawab Ayaz Jogezai, senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai and others.
The following resolutions were passed by the Jirga.
The PPJ calls for unity among all the Pakhtuns to stop the ongoing bloodshed. This call is prompted by the fact that the international security system and regional governments have failed to bring peace in the Pakhtun populated areas. Now it is our national duty to rise above political and ideological positions, give a united response for the sake of our national survival and press all the governments to work for peace in our region.
The PPJ condemns the ongoing interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan for the sake of destruction and calls upon all Afghans to resolve their political differences through dialogue. The PPJ is of the opinion that peace is not only in the interest of Afghans but is also the perquisite for stability in the entire region. As the events of the previous few years have proved, peace in Afghanistan and in the region is also essential for the whole world.
The PPJ is deeply concerned over the tribal areas in Pakistan being turned into a turf of conflict by alien elements and demands from them to quit the tribal areas.
The PPJ assures Pakhtuns of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) that they are not alone in heir difficult times as the entire body of Pakhtuns sands in solidarity with them. The participants of the Jirga demands that the people of Fata should not be deprived of the fundamental human rights, and political and administrative reforms should be undertaken by consent and will of the people in Fata.
The participants of the historical Jirga pointed to the fact that the use of military force is not a solution to any problem. On the contrary, the use of military force, to resolve conflicts, further complicates the existing problems.
We call upon all the active players in the Pakhtun populated areas to respect the life, property and human dignity of our people. We also demand that in incidents, where indiscriminate use of military force has been made, should be investigated and those responsible should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The deliberations in the Jirga highlighted that the leaders of all sections of the Pakhtun society should get united for the sake of bringing peace and national unity among Pakhtuns and prevent the enemies of our people to take advantage of our internal differences for the sake of their own interests.
This was the first event of its kind in the history of Pakistan that the ANP invited the Pashtun leadership to the Pashtun Peace Jirga (PPJ) held at Bacha Khan Markaz and almost all the nationalist, religious and progressive parties honoured the invitation.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s chief Qazi Hussain Ahmad was absent due to his visit abroad, but the party provincial chief and ex-senior minister of the MMA government in the NWFP Sirajul Haq was present to represent his party.
Siraj delivered an emotional speech saying that Army generals were ruling the country against the will of the masses and in sheer violation of the constitution. Chief of his own faction of PPP and Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao and Federal Minister for Political Affairs and PML’s provincial president Amir Muqam were conspicuous by their absence. However, they had sent party representatives to the Jirga.
JUI-F’s chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman stole the show in the first session of the daylong deliberations through his witty and bold remarks against the army rulers, the role of the nationalist and democratic forces and growing trend of militancy.
The Maulana offered his services to mediate between the Taliban and the Afghan government with the condition that all foreign troops should leave Afghanistan and the US should no longer label Taliban as terrorists, which he thought would enable him intervene and use his good offices.
The Maulana also called upon the Taliban to become part of the democratic dispensation in their country that would pave the way for negotiations and restoration of peace in war-shattered Afghanistan and bring stability to the tribal belt of Pakistan.
It was unexpected on the part of Maulana Fazlur Rehman to declare that Durand Line was a controversial border between the two countries and that the deployment of 80,000 troops along the Pak-Afghan border was violation of the Gandamak Agreement reached between then British India and the Afghan Government more than 100 years ago. “No country can deploy such a huge army on disputed borders,” the Maulana said adding that Hamid Karzai’s government was helpless and without powers as the real power lies in the hands of forces behind him, a reference to the US.
He offered to work for the unity of Pashtun nation despite having ideological differences with the nationalist forces. In a light vein, the Maulana said it was a positive sign that the Pashtun nationalists have realized to give due status to the mosque.
ANP President Senator Afandyar Wali had set the tone of the peace Jirga by announcing to make the Hujra, a symbol of Pashtun social and communal life, and the mosque to work together for pulling Pashtuns out of the present-day quagmire.
Pashtun nationalist, Mehmud Khan Achakzai, dominated the second session of PPJ and replied to some of the points raised by Maulana Fazlur Rehman when he said that Hujra and Mosque could work together provided the Maulana prevailed upon the Taliban to get rid of the Pakistani intelligence agencies supporting them in their fight in Afghanistan. He said that the Pashtuns were neither terrorists nor discriminate against others on the basis of race, language and religion. He called upon the Maulana and all other religious leaders to give a Fatwa to determine whether or not the Pashtuns have the right on their own resources within Pakistan.
“We demand that interference in Afghanistan be halted and all the troops and the so-called foreign guests must leave the tribal areas on the Pakistani side of the Durand Line,” Achakzai said.
The ANP president in his brief speech said that General Pervez Musharraf is out to convince the world that Pashtuns were terrorists, but the truth is that al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not the product of Pashtuns but have been elevated to the position by others. He congratulated the participants of the Jirga and hoped that all the forces part of the Pashtun nation would join hands to rescue the people, who are victims of a senseless war imposed on them.
“The Pashtun Jirga has resolved today to work for peace. This is the first step and the next Jirga will comprise Pashtuns from Afghanistan and all over the world to tell the international community that negotiations were the best solution to any conflict,” the ANP chief said.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Tehrik-e-Insaf chief Imran Khan MNA, Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party head Afzal Khamosh, PPPP’s provincial president Rahim Dad Khan, MRD’s secretary general Zafar Iqbal Jhagra, Nawab Ayaz Jogezai, senior journalist Rahimullah Yusufzai and others.
The following resolutions were passed by the Jirga.
The PPJ calls for unity among all the Pakhtuns to stop the ongoing bloodshed. This call is prompted by the fact that the international security system and regional governments have failed to bring peace in the Pakhtun populated areas. Now it is our national duty to rise above political and ideological positions, give a united response for the sake of our national survival and press all the governments to work for peace in our region.
The PPJ condemns the ongoing interference in the internal affairs of Afghanistan for the sake of destruction and calls upon all Afghans to resolve their political differences through dialogue. The PPJ is of the opinion that peace is not only in the interest of Afghans but is also the perquisite for stability in the entire region. As the events of the previous few years have proved, peace in Afghanistan and in the region is also essential for the whole world.
The PPJ is deeply concerned over the tribal areas in Pakistan being turned into a turf of conflict by alien elements and demands from them to quit the tribal areas.
The PPJ assures Pakhtuns of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) that they are not alone in heir difficult times as the entire body of Pakhtuns sands in solidarity with them. The participants of the Jirga demands that the people of Fata should not be deprived of the fundamental human rights, and political and administrative reforms should be undertaken by consent and will of the people in Fata.
The participants of the historical Jirga pointed to the fact that the use of military force is not a solution to any problem. On the contrary, the use of military force, to resolve conflicts, further complicates the existing problems.
We call upon all the active players in the Pakhtun populated areas to respect the life, property and human dignity of our people. We also demand that in incidents, where indiscriminate use of military force has been made, should be investigated and those responsible should be dealt with in accordance with the law.
The deliberations in the Jirga highlighted that the leaders of all sections of the Pakhtun society should get united for the sake of bringing peace and national unity among Pakhtuns and prevent the enemies of our people to take advantage of our internal differences for the sake of their own interests.
