PESHAWAR, July 18: An inter-tribal jirga formed to restore peace in North Waziristan will meet Governor NWFP Lt-Gen (retd) Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai on Wednesday (today) before leaving for the restive region.
The 45-member jirga, drawn largely from North and South Waziristan tribal regions with three representatives each from the remaining five tribal agencies and a couple of representatives from the Frontier Regions, will discuss with Governor Aurakzai the framework and their mandate, a senior government official told Dawn.
“Their mandate is very clear; restore peace in the tribal region.” He said that in the meeting, Mr Aurakzai would share with them his perception and suggest ways of proceeding with the talks with militants.
Asked whether the issues of the presence of foreign militants and their infiltration into Afghanistan would be part of the jirga’s agenda, the official said: “Certainly. These are the issues which have been bedevilling peace and caused so much bloodshed and destruction.”
Militants in North Waziristan had announced a month-long conditional ceasefire on June 25. The deadline for the government to accept their demands is expiring next week.
Their main demands were the withdrawal of Pakistani troops from their current positions, abolition of new check posts and their (troops’) ultimate withdrawal from the tribal region.
Militants had also urged the government to free their men — a demand already met by the government in what it said was a goodwill gesture.
The jirga will begin their deliberations in Miramshah, North Waziristan’s regional headquarters, on Thursday.
