May 15, 2006	Monday	Rabi-us-Sani 16, 1427

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PESHAWAR, May 14: NWFP Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani has termed a decision to constitute a representative jirga with the consent of federal and provincial governments for a durable solution to the unrest in tribal areas a step in the right direction.

“Once the jirga is constituted, its mandate and area of influence and other terms and conditions are finalized, the provincial government will move swiftly to take tribal elders and other stakeholders on board and will cooperate in identifying problems and ensuring durable peace in the tribal region,” he told journalists at the Governor’s House here on Sunday after holding a meeting with Governor Khalilur Rehman.

During the meeting, it was decided to form a grand tribal jirga with the help of federal and provincial governments to improve the law and order situation in the region. It agreed to take tribal people on board to ensure peace in the area and resolve issues according to local customs and traditions.

The chief minister said his government had already offered cooperation which would continue. “We are here to resolve problems in tribal areas. Dialogue and negotiation are the only way to find out solutions to complicated issues,” he maintained.

He said the provincial government would work with the centre to end the turmoil in the tribal areas in consonance with the wishes of the tribal people.

“Dialogue and taking stakeholders on board will lead to peace. The jirga will move to negotiate. It should have powers to identify real problems and find out a solution,” said Mr Durrani.

He said political administrations should be strengthened to fulfil commitments made to the tribal people, otherwise the writ of the government would weaken.

“We have been pleading to give dialogue a chance for resolving issues as use of force never worked anywhere. Had it worked, there would have been no bane and destruction in Afghanistan and Iraq. We have to learn from our mistakes, and should have the courage not to repeat them,” he observed.

“His government had indicated in the past the problems in the tribal areas, and the present situation in the tribal areas would not have been so severe had his government’s advice been taken seriously. We had given an honest suggestion in the past as the situation in the tribal areas has a direct bearing on settled areas,” the chief minister said, adding that the tribal people were patriotic citizens and they had always proved this.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf during his recent visit to Peshawar had announced the return of 50 Platoon of the Frontier Constabulary to the province. The force will be deployed in areas between tribal and settled regions to maintain law and order.

The chief minister said his government had increased the police force in the province but it was still not enough to cope with the situation.

He said the federal government had agreed to sanction 15,000 police officials for the province and the federal finance ministry would soon give approval to it, which would help improve the law and order situation.

Mr Durrani said the NWFP government would work for good governance and peace in the province. “We will cooperate with the federal government as we want peace,” he maintained.

The governor also talked to media representatives on the occasion.—Online