Pleading for an end to violence and terrorism in the region, the two-day jirga of Pashtun elders on Wednesday concluded with demands for an immediate pullout of all foreign troops and militants, declaring Pashtun dominated areas of both Pakistan and Afghanistan terrorism-hit areas, and international community’s help in reconstruction of its infrastructure and rehabilitating the affected people.
The declaration signed by leaders and representatives of various political forces and professional groups was read out by Latif Afridi, president of Peshawar High Court Bar Association.
Through the declaration, the jirga demanded an end to every sort of interference in affairs of Afghanistan and also on the eastern side of the Durand Line in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administrative Tribal Areas (FATA).
All foreign forces, whether associated with the US or al Qaeda, were held responsible for the ongoing bloodshed and violence in the region.
The participants termed the ongoing war on terror “detrimental to the very interests” of Pashtuns and asked for its immediate halting.
The two-day Afghan National Jirga called upon all internal and external sides to the conflict to immediately declare a ceasefire and stop military operations throughout the region, including FATA and resolve the conflict through negotiations.
It demanded stoppapge to all sort of foreign interfere and instigation of violence in the region.
It said Pakistan, Afghanistan and its neighboring countries should play there role in creating conducive environments for and facilitating the intra-afghan dialogue and they should extend there all out support to this drive.
The jirga called upon the developed and prosperous nations to generously contribute and jump start reconstruction, rehabilitation and developmental programs in the war-ravaged areas of Pashtun-Afghans lands for alleviating poverty and overcoming backwardness and bringing them on a par with the developed areas of the region.
It demanded that not only foreign intervention in the internal affairs of the Afghans be immediately stopped, but also foreign troops be withdrawn according to the already announced agreement and road map. It said all parties to the Afghan conflict should develop a joint mechanism for the promotion and monitoring of these peace processes.
It also demanded that in light of the UN sponsored tripartite agreements, Afghan refugees in Pakistan should not be maltreated.