PESHAWAR, Oct 27: Putting its weight behind holding of a Loya Jirga for resolving the Afghan crisis, a one-day consultation of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan here on Saturday asked all neighbouring countries, including Pakistan, to stop interference in Afghanistan and not to influence the composition of the Jirga.

The consultation on “Afghan crisis: an Assessment” condemned the killing of commander Abdul Haq by the Taliban, saying “on the one hand the Taliban have been asking for proof of Osama bin Laden’s involvement in terrorism, and on the other hand Abdul Haq was killed without any trial and proof.”

The gathering offered Fateha for commander Abdul Haq and other Afghan people who died during the ongoing war.

Briefing newsmen about the consultation, former and present chairpersons of the commission, Asma Jehangir and Afrasiab Khattak respectively said that the former Afghan monarch Zahir Shah had the historical legitimacy to convene a Jirga and the Afghan people should rally behind him.

They said that the consultation had also demanded that technocrats and civil society members should be included in the Jirga, which should be held in Afghanistan.

Ms Jehangir said Kabul or Jalalabad should be demilitarized and a force should be raised from amongst the Afghans for its deployment under the auspices of the United Nations.

The consultation condemned the Sept 11 attacks on World Trade Centre and Pentagon, but at the same time it expressed concern over the ongoing US airstrikes against Afghanistan which had resulted in the killing of innocent Afghan people.

Ms Jehangir said, “War is never a recipe for peace, therefore the attacks on Afghanistan should be stopped.”

The former chairperson of HRCP regretted that the history of Afghans had been distorted by elements with vested interests, saying, “Afghan society was not that of nomads and they were robbed of all their culture. We have to return back what we have robbed from them.”

Ms Jehangir informed that the consultation had asked the government to allow entry of Afghan refugees as they had been facing war and drought in Afghanistan. She said that the present situation had provided an opportunity for the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan.

The HRCP office bearers said that instead of war the Pakistani government should use its influence over the Taliban to resolve the crisis. Answering a query, they said that unfortunately none of the key players, including Pakistan, had learnt any lesson from history and they have still been trying to influence the Afghan people.

They added, “It is up to the people of Afghanistan and not the neighbouring countries to decide who should be members of the Loya Jirga.”

Earlier, the consultation was addressed by Afghan intellectuals, representatives of different political parties, academicians and human rights activists.

Prominent among the speakers were journalist Ahmad Rasheed, former ministers of Afghanistan Rasheed Waziri and Babrak Shinwari, Afghan intellectual Professor Rasool Ameen, Dr Fazal Kareem Marwat of Peshawar University, chief of Afghan women council Fatana Ishaq Gillani, provincial chief of PPP Khwaja Muhammad Khan Hoti, information secretary of ANP Haji Muhammad Adeel, and provincial secretary general of PML(N) Iqbal Zafar Jhagra.