Pakistan’s KP province stresses need for dialogue to resolve tribal area tensions

Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provincial government has rejected proposals for a fresh military operation against terrorism in its tribal regions, emphasizing the need for inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders before any action is taken.

The KP government convened a peace jirga (tribal council) in Tehsil Bara of Khyber District, bringing together national and provincial lawmakers from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the Bara Political Alliances, and local tribal elders for consultations.

Addressing the council, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi presented a set of key demands, which participants endorsed through a show of hands.

Afridi’s demands were explicit: a complete rejection of military operations in the tribal belt and a zero-tolerance policy on civilian casualties. “No more tribal lives will be lost; if they are, there will be accountability,” he asserted.

The council called for full provincial autonomy and mandatory consultation for future security measures. “Decisions made behind closed doors will no longer be acceptable,” Afridi said, urging the inclusion of provincial authorities, tribal elders, and local representatives in all planning.

The jirga also demanded the release of substantial federal funds owed to the tribal districts, including Rs550 billion in annual development funds, Rs350 billion from the National Finance Commission, and Rs2.2 trillion in arrears related to the Net Hydel Profit (NHP).

Afridi highlighted the historical role of tribal communities, stating they had safeguarded Pakistan’s borders from 1947 until the post-9/11 era. “Decisions to plunge the country into someone else’s war were made behind closed doors,” he said, accusing central authorities of unfairly making the tribes scapegoats.

He further noted that despite resisting conflict in 2022, the tribes were forcibly resettled in the region and announced plans to hold peace jirgas across all tribal districts to engage communities in security and development discussions.

The KP government also plans to convene a provincial-level peace jirga at the assembly to address the deteriorating security situation.

Junaid Akbar, PTI’s provincial president, confirmed that the upcoming jirga will bring together leaders from all political parties, former provincial assembly members, ex-chief ministers, governors, and tribal elders.

He said the gathering aims to build consensus on improving law and order and shaping a unified strategy for peace. “We must set aside political and party differences and work collectively to find solutions to our shared challenges,” Akbar emphasized.