Federal govt asked to notify committee for talks with PTM

PESHAWAR: Though the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) has constituted a 30-member jirga for negotiations with the government nominated committee, its leaders insisted that the dialogue process can go forward after the federal government notified its committee.

Talking to The News, PTM leader Mohsin Dawar said they had constituted the 30-member committee to enter into dialogue with the government for resolution of the problems being faced by the Pakhtuns across Pakistan.

The PTM jirga included Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar, Bushra Gohar, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai, Senator Usman Khan Kakar, Ghulam Qadir, Abdul Latif Afridi, Afrasiab Khattak, Sher Muhammad Advocate, Raza Muhammad Raza, Fanoos Gujjar, Salim Khan Advocate, Abdullah Nangyal, Amin Wazir, Dr Said Alam Mahsud, Nisar Mohmand, Ahmed Abbas Orakzai, Khan Zaman Kakar, Asmat Shah Jehan, Noor Hameed, Olasyar, Sana Ejaz, Liaqat Yousafzai, Professor Ejaz Khattak, Fazal Khan Advocate, Hashim Khan Mandokhel, Sher Masood, Shah Faisal, Alauddin and Gul Marjan.

Gul Marjan told The News that they had given representation to all segments of the Pakhtun society and areas. “We have representation from Awami National Party, Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party and Qaumi Watan Party and elders from Fata and Pakhtuns in professional fields,” he added.

He said that the government committee may have 20 members and our jirga would comprise 30 members.

Mohsin Dawar said that if the federal government failed to notify the committee then PTM would not start negotiations with it as “PTM has no issue with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.”

“The problems being faced by Pakhtuns in Pakistan could be resolved by the federal government only as provincial governments had no say in such matters. Therefore, the federal government should take ownership of its committee,” he argued.

Earlier, one of the government committee members Shah Farman, who is a PTI minister in KP, had said during talks with PTM leaders that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra had notified their committee.

PTM leader Gul Marjan had objected to the claim made by Shah Farman and demanded that the committee should be notified by the federal government. Gul Marjan had made it clear to Shah Farman that negotiation could start only after the federal government approved and notified the committee.

When asked whether the merger of Fata with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa would have any effect on the government-PTM talks, Mohsin Dawar said that merger is a separate issue. “Some of the PTM members are pro-merger while others are anti-merger. Therefore, PTM has no official stance over the issue,” he said, adding, “PTM respects the political views of all its supporters.”