PESHAWAR, Jan 9: NWFP Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Orakzai on Tuesday said that Afghanistan should stop 'blame-game' and resolve issues with Pakistan through negotiations by involving the Pakistan-Afghanistan-United States tripartite commission.

Mr Orakzai was not in favour of fencing or planting mines on the Pakistan-Afghan border, but defended Pakistan's decision in this regard. "I am not in favour of it, and if there is any other way to end this blame-game, that way should be preferred," Mr Orakzai told reporters at the concluding ceremony of a two-day conference on “Frontier Archaeology” in connection with the 1st centenary of the Peshawar Museum.

“Kabul is not listening to any explanation and believes that Islamabad is responsible for all disturbances in Afghanistan and that forced Pakistan to take the decision of fencing the border,” Mr Orakzai observed.

“Instead of blaming each other for our problems, we should sit down and discuss our problems by using the tripartite commission,” he added.

The NWFP governor said that Islamabad had to adopt any one method to put a stop to the constant complaints by Kabul about the `movement’ of unwanted elements from Pakistan into Afghanistan.

“Pakistan has to do something as Afghanistan has been continuously accusing Pakistan of infiltration and holding it responsible for disturbance in Afghanistan,” Mr Orakzai added.

About the formation of Pakistan-Afghan jirga, Mr Orakzai said that a commission was likely to be set up to finalise modalities of the jirga.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao would be chairman of the commission and would comprise four or five members, he added.

He said the government had completed all arrangements for holding by-election in Bajaur. "Some elements wanted to sabotage the elections, but talks were going on with them to find a solution,” he said.

Earlier, speaking at the concluding ceremony, he stressed the need for preserving historic monuments in Khyber Pass, Landi Kotal and other tribal areas.

Opinion

Editorial

A difficult story
Updated 12 Jun, 2026

A difficult story

Unless productivity becomes the dominant target of economic policy, Pakistan will continue to oscillate between crises and fragile recovery.
Rough waters
12 Jun, 2026

Rough waters

AMONGST the key potential triggers for fresh conflict in South Asia is water. The Indian state is behaving in an...
Politicised football
12 Jun, 2026

Politicised football

ALMOST three-and-half years since Lionel Messi led Argentina to FIFA World Cup glory, the latest edition of...
GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...