PTM, reconciliation committee hold talks in Khyber Agency

LANDIKOTAL: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement’s demands were discussed at a jirga held in Shahkas area of Jamrud in Khyber Agency on Wednesday.

Manzoor Pashteen led the PTM delegation while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s provincial minister Shah Farman represented the reconciliation committee in the talks.

First an open jirga of PTM leaders and 44 reconciliation committee members was arranged in which Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar, Dr Abdullah, Shah Farman, Ghazi Gulab Jamal, tribal lawmaker Ghalib Khan Wazir, Bismillah Jan, Malik Nasir Ahmad, former federal minister Malik Waris Khan Afridi and Shahjee Gul Afridi, MNA, discussed various aspects of the issues raised by the PTM.

A number of other influential tribal elders from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata were also present on the occasion. The sources said the second round of talks continued for almost two hours.

Talking at a crowded news conference after the closed-door meeting, Shahjee Gul Afridi, Shah Farman, Mohsin Dawar and Dr Abdullah said that a reconciliation committee comprising 44 members met with the PTM’s three-member committee in Shahkas.

Shahjee Gul Afridi said that they had reached a conclusion that the PTM demands were genuine and would be addressed soon.

The aim of the jirga with the PTM was to find solution to the demands put forward by Manzoor Pashteen and other PTM leaders, he added.

He said a joint committee from the two sides was also constituted to hold further negotiations on the issues facing the Pakhtun people. He said they would also meet the high command of the Pakistan Army once they reached mutual understanding so that they could help find solution to the PTM demands.

It was learnt that the jirga was constituted by Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Iqbal Zafar Jhagra to contact the PTM leadership and listen to its grievances and demands in a bid to address its concerns. The jirga had held a meeting with PTM representatives earlier also.