Grand jirga rejects operations, calls for dialogue and peace

Tribal elders and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf members of the National Assembly on Saturday categorically opposed any new military operation in the tribal districts in the ‘Grand Aman Jirga’, calling instead for dialogue, justice, and development to ensure lasting peace in the region.

The Aman Jirga (peace assembly), held in Peshawar on Saturday, brought together elders from Bajaur, Khyber, and Waziristan, alongside PTI workers and community leaders carrying white flags inscribed with the message ‘Only Peace’. The jirga echoed a unified demand for stability through consultation and urged the federal government to respect the will of the people of the merged districts.

Since 2001, Pakistan has been on the frontlines of the global war on terror, bearing a staggering human cost. More than 80,000 lives have been lost, including countless security personnel who laid down their lives defending the nation.

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Chief Minister Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Sohail Afridi, addressing the jirga in Urdu, Punjabi, and Pashto, delivered a fiery speech rejecting any plans for renewed military operations in the region.

“After 9/11, Pakistan became a battlefield of operations and drone strikes. The state made promises to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) that were never fulfilled. Now, preparations for another operation are underway — we will not allow this,” Afridi declared.

He recalled that in 2018 tribal areas were decleared ‘cleared’, with Khyber in particular noted as clear. “They were, however, resettled despite our repeated warnings. We cannot be asked to make further sacrifices — do not trade our lives for dollars,” he said.

Afridi urged the federal government to take both the provincial government and tribal representatives into confidence before making any decision regarding the merged districts. “This time, we will not be made scapegoats,” he warned.

He demanded the immediate release of pending federal funds for the merged tribal districts, including Rs550 billion in arrears and Rs2,200 billion from the Net Hydro Power project, urging the Centre to fulfill commitments made at the time of the merger.

“We are not asking for charity; we are demanding what is rightfully ours,” Afridi declared, as the crowd chanted slogans of “Saada Haq Aite Rakh” (Our right, keep it intact).

The chief minister also announced plans to convene peace jirgas across other tribal districts, culminating in a grand jirga to devise a unified strategy for peace and development in the region. “As long as I hold this office, I will fight for the protection of the people’s rights. Decisions will not be made behind closed doors but through consultations with elected representatives and community elders,” he said.

Speaking at the gathering, tribal elder Malik Khan Marjan said, terrorism could only be defeated through dialogue rather than military action. “All tribes stand with the chief minister. Decisions regarding the tribal areas will be made by the tribal jirga itself,” he declared, adding that elders were ready to engage with the provincial and federal governments, as well as the armed forces, under the leadership of CM Afridi.

MPA Abdul Ghani said Afridi’s appointment marked a moment of pride for the region. “After 77 years, a tribal son has once again donned the turban of the chief minister,” he remarked, calling it a symbolic return of tribal representation.

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Senator Noorul Haq Qadri used the platform to warn against provoking neighbouring Afghanistan, saying instability across the border could reignite terrorism in the tribal belt. “If Afghanistan is disturbed again, terrorism will return to the tribal areas,” he cautioned.

Qadri also criticised PML-N leader and Information Minister Atta Tarar, accusing him of disrespecting the tribal community and attempting to obstruct Afridi’s election as chief minister. “A time will come when we will respond to Atta Tarar,” he warned.

Thousands attended the gathering, including MNAs, MPAs, senators, tribal elders, and leaders from Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, Pakistan Peoples Party, and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl. A grand welcome gate was erected at Chardai Sar, where CM Afridi was received with floral tributes and enthusiastic cheers from supporters.

Surge in cross-border terrorism heightens Pak-Afghan tensions

After years of relative decline, terrorist activity has been rising again since the fall of Kabul in 2021 and the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan. Terrorist groups, including the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), have been emboldened, posing a renewed threat to national security.

According to the Global Terrorism Index (GTI) 2025, Pakistan is now the world’s second most terrorism-affected country, after Burkina Faso.

Following continuous terrorist attacks from across the border, security forces launched a relentless counter-terrorism campaign under the vision of Azm-e-Istihkam. Approved by the Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, the operation continued at full pace to eliminate the menace of foreign-sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.

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in the meantime, relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan had deteriorated, with both sides accusing each other of harboring militants responsible for violence along the shared border.

Pakistan raised concerns over Afghanistan’s continued sheltering of the proscribed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant outfits, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warning that any aggression from across the border would cross Pakistan’s “red line.”

The presence of militant groups in Afghanistan under Taliban rule remains a key source of regional tension. Countries such as Russia, Iran, and China — despite maintaining diplomatic ties with the Taliban — have repeatedly urged the group to prevent Afghan soil from being used for cross-border attacks.

With terrorism on the rise, K-P saw an abrupt change in command as a perfect storm of political, administrative, and security crises finally cost former chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur his office, after the jailed founder of the embattled ruling PTI replaced him with a young tribal lawmaker, Muhammad Sohail Afridi.

However, the change in leadership made little difference on the security front, as militant attacks against security forces persisted, compelling Pakistan’s military to take decisive action and strike terrorist strongholds across the border.

Tensions escalated earlier this month when clashes erupted after Taliban forces opened unprovoked fire at multiple locations in K-P and Balochistan. The Pakistan Army responded swiftly, destroying several Afghan posts and killing dozens of Afghan soldiers and militants.

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The coordinated assault originated from several key sectors, including Angoor Adda, Bajaur, Kurram, Dir, and Chitral in K-P, as well as Baramcha in Balochistan. Security sources said the firing aimed to facilitate the illegal entry of Khwarij — the state-designated term for the banned TTP — into Pakistani territory.

The clashes followed Islamabad’s demand that Kabul rein in militants operating from Afghan territory who carry out attacks inside Pakistan. The Taliban has denied these allegations.

A ceasefire brokered last weekend in talks hosted by Qatar and Turkey is currently holding, though border trade remains suspended. The next round of negotiations is now underway in Istanbul.