Jirga Calls for Dialogue with Taliban

The 700 tribal leaders, politicians and scholars who attended the jirga agreed on a joint strategy to fight extremism. (Reuters)

Following four days of deliberations, the Jirga conference decided to form a 50-member delegation, comprising 25 members from each country, to engage militant groups, including Taliban, reported Al-Jazeera news channel.

"Taliban and its supporters constitute a special phenomenon, so there should be political and economic lines besides the military one in approaching them," Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf told the closing session.

In February, Pakistan called for talks between the Afghani government and Taliban to stabilize the country and stem the rise in violence.

On April 6, US-backed Afghan President Hamid Karzai admitted for the first time he had spoken directly with Taliban fighters about bringing peace to the country.

The UN envoy in Afghanistan, Tom Koenigs, has urged talks with Taliban to stanch the bloodshed in the country, saying the military force is not a panacea for the raging violence.

The Taliban movement ruled Afghanistan from 1996 until 2001, when it was ousted by US-led foreign troops.

Since then, the group has been engaged in protracted guerrilla warfare against the US-led forces.

A wave of Taliban attacks across Afghanistan killed 29 people, including four international soldiers, military officials said Sunday.

The jirga conference, which kicked off Thursday, August 9, suffered a setback before coming into session after tribal parliamentarians and elders from the restive North and South Waziristan decided to stay away.

They linked their decision to the absent of Taliban from the key meeting.

Joint Strategy

"We must rescue our societies from this danger and work together until we defeat the forces of extremism and terrorism," Musharraf said. (Reuters)

The 700 tribal leaders, politicians and scholars who attended the jirga agreed on a joint strategy to fight extremism.

"The joint peace jirga strongly recognizes the fact that terrorism is a common threat to both countries and the war on terror should continue to be an integral part of the national policies and security strategies of both countries," said the final declaration cited by Reuters.

The delegates unanimously declared "an extended, tireless and persistent campaign against terrorism" and pledged the "governments and people of Afghanistan and Pakistan would not allow sanctuaries or training centers for terrorists in their respective countries."

They acknowledged the "nexus between narcotics and terrorism" and called upon the Afghan and Pakistani governments to wage an "all-out war against this menace."

The two countries agreed to set up a smaller jirga to hold regular meetings to ensure the decisions are carried through and organize a second large meeting in Pakistan in the future.

They also agreed to cooperate on economic and social projects aimed at undercutting support for militant groups seeking to overthrow the governments of both countries.

A jirga is a centuries-old tradition involving Pashtun tribes that live on both sides of the border, where elders rule by consensus to try to settle disputes peacefully.

Rescue

Musharraf admitted Sunday Afghan militants were operating from Pakistani soil.

"There is no doubt Afghan militants are supported from Pakistan soil. The problem that you have in your region is because support is provided from our side," he said.

"There is no other option for both countries other than peace and unity, trust and cooperation," he told the delegates.

Afghan officials have frequently accused Pakistan of harboring Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters, which Islamabad used to deny.

Musharraf said both Afghanistan and Pakistan had to get away from what he called the backwardness and violence of extremism.

"These forces are disrupting peace and harmony, impeding our progress and development," he said.

"We must rescue our societies from this danger and work together until we defeat the forces of extremism and terrorism."

Musharraf's presence and speech lent weight to the conference, after he reversed an earlier decision to withdraw from the jirga.

He had reconsidered only after phone calls from US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Karzai.

Karzai said at a luncheon Saturday, August 11, with Pakistani officials that the jirga would cement relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"Assembling leaders and public opinion makers from both the countries to discuss and share their views on core issues is a good omen for peace and harmony in the region."

Relations between Karzai and Musharraf, both key US allies, have been strained over the resurgence of the Taliban.