ISLAMABAD, July 24: The three-day Pakistan-Afghanistan grand jirga will start in Kabul on August 9 to promote peace and to counter threats posed by extremism in tribal areas of the two countries.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, interior ministry spokesman Javed Iqbal Cheema said the jirga would be helpful in removing misunderstandings and strengthening cooperation between the two countries.

Agenda and modalities were finalised at the third meeting of Pakistan and Afghanistan jirga commissions held in Nathia Gali last month.

President Pervez Musharraf and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai had agreed to hold the jirga when they met at the White House in September last year in the presence of US President George Bush.

The Pakistan Jirga Commission, led by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, includes NWFP Governor Ali Mohammad Jan Aurakzai, Balochistan Governor Awais Ahmed Ghani, Federal Minister for State and Frontier Region Sardar Yar Mohammad Rind and Federal Minister for Culture Dr Ghazi Ghulab Jamal.

The Afghan Jirga Commission, headed by Pir Said Ahmed, comprises Haji Mohammad Muhaqaq, Fazl Hadi Shanwari, Ms Ameena, Haji Din Mohammad, Fazl Ahmed Manawi, Hassan Takhari, Abdul Khaliq Hussani, Asadullah Wafa and Farooq Vardak.

Interior ministry sources said that names for delegates were being finalised.-—APP