The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Peace Jirga, attended by representatives of political parties and tribal elders, was held in the provincial parliament of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
In this gathering, the Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emphasized that relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan directly affect Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and, therefore, the province must also be involved in the negotiation process with Afghanistan.
Sohail Afridi stated: “We want coordination and mutual understanding between the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the people of Afghanistan, with whom we share common values. If you fully trust and include influential Khyber Pakhtunkhwa figures in the negotiations and dialogue, and utilize their capabilities, the process will yield strong and constructive results.”
In another part of his remarks, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of improving relations with Afghanistan. Stressing that challenges should be resolved through dialogue, Afridi added that conflict and war with Afghanistan must be the central government’s last resort.
Afridi said: “We want Pakistan’s good relations with neighboring countries with whom we already have strong ties not to be damaged. Even if there is a scenario where the only solution appears to be war, that path must remain the absolute last option.”
Also present at the gathering, the former leader of Pakistan’s Jamaat-e-Islami Party, Siraj-ul-Haq, called for continued dialogue with Afghanistan.
Without naming specific individuals, he warned that some actors aim to drag Afghanistan and Pakistan into conflict.
He stated: “Those who speak of war are seeking the destruction of Jalalabad and Kabul. They want to see Peshawar and Islamabad in ruins. Even if Pakistan and Afghanistan were to fight for twenty years, no one would emerge victorious and in the end, we would still be forced to return to the negotiating table.”
These calls for continued negotiations between Afghanistan and Pakistan come at a time when, following the inconclusive third round of talks between Kabul and Islamabad, regional countries are actively working to bring both sides back to the negotiating table, efforts that so far have not yielded results.
