Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) and a government-mandated tribal jirga have decided to resolve all issues pertaining to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) through talks.

The latest round of talks between PTM and the tribal jirga was held at the house of former MNA Shah Gee Gul Afridi in Shahkasarea of Tehsil Jamrud in Khyber Agency.Ali Wazir from South Waziristan, Sayed Alam Mehsood from South Waziristan, Fazal Advocate, MohsinDawarfrom North Waziristan, Raheem Afridi from Bara and Latif Afridi represented the PTM at the talks. The jirga was represented by former MNA Shah Gee Gul Afridi, Malik WarisAfridi, Malik Khan Marjan, former MNA Ajmal Wazir and PTI’s Shah Farman.

Both the sides agreed that no foul language will be used and no anti-state and anti-army sloganeering from the PTM’s platform will be made in future. Both the sides agreed to respect constitution of Pakistan and conduct activities within the limits of the constitution.

It was agreed that the state will not target PTM members and all the apprehended activists will be released. Since majority of the PTM concerns are related to security forces, therefore it was decided that jirga may include a representative of the security forces deployed in the area. The PTM also raised questions about the authority of the tribal jirga members.

The next session of talks will be held on July 1 at Civil Officers Mess in Peshawar where PTM will submit a ‘charter of demands’ to the tribal jirga.

Talking to Daily Times after the session, PTM’s Latif Afridi expressed concerns that apprehended workers of the movement were not released ahead of Eid despite promises.

When asked, Malik Khan Marjan, a member of jirga from the government side, told Daily Times that though promises were made with the PTM about release of their workers, but due to some legal issues they couldn’t be set free before Eid. “I think we shouldn’t let a single point derail the whole process of successful negotiations,” he said, adding that talks are in process but still some members of the PTM are running a campaign on social media against jirga members from the government side.

“This is not good for the future of jirga and the talks,” he said. “The sections under which the PTM members were booked were very serious but still the government cooperated and released all the arrested workers which is a positive sign. We will continue to hold meetings until the last issue is resolved … but it will take time,” he added.

Published in Daily Times, June 24^th 2018.