BAJAUR: In an effort to end conflict in the border areas of Pakistan’s Bajaur district and Afghanistan’s Kunar province, tribal elders from both the sides inked a peace agreement, declaring a complete ceasefire and pledging to work jointly to promote lasting peace in the region, according to sources.

They told this scribe that a jirga of elders from Bajaur and Kunar was held on Monday in Nawa Pass area, a border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan. They said that the jirga was led by Haji Lali Shah, president of Bajaur Chamber of Commerce and Industry from Bajaur side, and Haji Zahir Gul from Kunar province.

The participants of the meeting finalised a ‘peace agreement’ after a detailed discussion that continued for about two hours.

The jirga, which had been planned days earlier, was held in a friendly environment. A five-point peace agreement was signed on the occasion to fully resolve hostilities in the areas along Pak-Afghan border.

No reaction shown by Pakistan govt and Afghan Taliban to the development

According to the agreement, signed by approximately 30 tribal elders from Kunar and Bajaur, security forces on both sides will refrain from firing at each other’s areas.

The peace agreement, a copy of which is also available with Dawn, says that members of the jirga will work for establishing durable peace in the border areas of Kunar and Bajaur and will resolve conflicts through consultations and negotiations.

It states that elders from both sides will review progress on the agreement after three months in a joint jirga.

Haji Lali Shah told Dawn on Tuesday that it was a significant step towards durable peace in the border areas of both Bajaur and Kunar.

“We are very glad to have finally reached this historic peace agreement. It is truly a significant step towards durable peace in Kunar and Bajaur, both of which have suffered greatly over the past several months,” he said.

People from different walks of life in Bajaur warmly welcomed the development, terming it vital for restoring peace in the border areas and a step towards rebuilding friendly relations between the people of Kunar and Bajaur.

However, the governments of both Pakistan and Afghanistan have yet to show their reaction to the development, which has been finalised weeks after a similar agreement was inked between elders of Pakistan’s Chitral district and Afghanistan’s Nuristan province.

According to media reports, a jirga between the elders of Chitral and Nuristan was held along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border in mid of April 2026.

It also helped to reopen roads on both sides that had previously been closed owing to the conflict between the Taliban regime in Afghanistan and Pakistani security forces.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2026