Daily Times

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur on Friday visited the site of a peace jirga in Khyber district to oversee arrangements for the gathering and ordered the administration to fully facilitate the participants with whatever they needed.

Earlier in the day, he had announced that the provincial administration would host the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement’s (PTM) three-day jirga and ensure that all the matters were resolved peacefully.

The federal government agreed, in principle, to lift a recently-imposed ban on the PTM during a multiparty grand jirga, hosted by the provincial government on Thursday. The jirga agreed that the “proscribed” PTM would be allowed to hold its scheduled Pashtoon Qaumi Jirga, which would be hosted by the KP government and attended by CM Gandapur.

Visiting the site at the district’s Jamrud area, the chief minister reviewed security and other arrangements for holding the jirga after being briefed by the relevant authorities.

Representatives of the provincial government, divisional and district administration officials and police officers were present on the occasion.

CM Gandapur directed the administration to provide all the facilities required by the jirga’s attendants on a priority basis.

“Water, temporary washrooms, lighting, medical campus and other basic needs should be arranged for the jirga participants,” the chief minister ordered, adding that 5,000 blankets should also be immediately provided.

“People participating in the jirga expressed their happiness to see the chief minister and gathered around him. The youth took selfies with him and shouted long live the chief minister,” said a statement from the office of the press secretary to the chief minister.

Prayers were also offered for peace in the country on the occasion.

“We will host this jirga and it will be peaceful,” CM Gandapur earlier told reporters in the early hours after a jirga with PTM representatives.

“The people will be able to present their demands through the jirga and resolutions,” Gandpur pledged, saying he would resolve the problems raised at the jirga.

“People will come from across the province, sit down and present their issues. They will present their demands according to their district and as CM, I will put these demands in a resolution and try to fulfil them.

“We will continue our efforts and sacrifices for peace,” the CM said.

The chief minister expressed his happiness that a jirga took place “according to Pashtun traditions”, referring to the grand jirga on Thursday. “The government participated, which they have the power to.

He, however, said that “just because there are powers does not mean that they should all be used.” “In using that power, they shelled a peaceful gathering, which left four people dead and 10 others injured. It is deeply upsetting,” Gandapur said. “Our people have demanded peace because they have suffered and sacrificed so much.

“Nations are formed through sacrifices,” he said. “I hope the sacrifices bear fruit.”

Meanwhile, the KP government issued a statement confirming that Hayatabad Medical Complex and Jamrud Hospital have been put on high alert to receive participants from the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga. “Instructions have been issued to DHO Khyber to provide all possible first aid to the participants of the Pashtun Qaumi Jirga,” the statement read.