Pak-Afghan Jirga: Musharraf Addresses Final Session Today          
‘Pakistan Times’ Special Correspondent

KABUL (Afghanistan): President Pervez Musharraf will address the concluding session of the ongoing Pak-Afghan Joint Peace Jirga today, Sunday.

President Musharraf is arriving in Afghan capital on Sunday morning for addressing the concluding session of the Jirga and hectic preparations have been started in the Afghan capital.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai will also address the last session of the Jirga. President Musharraf and President Hamid Karzai would also hold a joint press conference after the concluding session.

The Peace Jirga which was likely to conclude on Saturday has been extended by another day after President of Pakistan’s desire to address it.

People in Kabul and surrounding areas have expressed jubilation on the announcement that President Musharraf is arriving in the capital for addressing Jirga and has enhanced importance of the peace moot which is underway in Afghan capital from August 9.

The Jirga members also welcomed the decision of President Musharraf as it would further increase importance of the peace Jirga.

The local political personalities observed the Jirga has now got more importance and chances of its success brightened after president Musharraf decision to address the concluding session.

The Jirga members would be informed about the joint communiqué during the last session and would be formally announced.

After the concluding session was over, Afghan President would host a luncheon in honour of the Pakistani delegates and Jirga members.

Meanwhile proceedings continued in a cordial atmosphere and both sides expressed the desire to establish peace in the region.

The meetings of the working committees continued and the members floated useful suggestions and both the countries agreed for joint anti-terror operation.

The committees have recommended that Pakistan and Afghanistan should go for joint operation against terrorists in each others territories.

The two sides would also try to bring those in the fold of Jirga in the next meeting who were absent in the present moot.

Karzai on Jirga

President of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai said on Saturday that historic joint peace jirga would further cement Pak-Afghan bilateral relations in every field of life.

“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”, President Karzai stated at a luncheon he arranged in honour of Pakistani delegates to the joint peace conference.

The luncheon was attended among others by Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, ANP President Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan, Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Muhammad Afzal Khamoosh, Senator Ilyas Ahmed Bilour and MNA Shahabuddin from Bajaur Agency.

In his short remarks on the occasion, Karzai welcomed decision of President Pervez Musharraf to address concluding session of the jirga on Sunday.

He said such steps would further bolster friendly ties between the two neighbours and help in establishing atmosphere of mutual trust and harmony. He emphasized on maximum interaction between the two countries as it would help in resolving the conflicts and problems in a peaceful environ.

Jirga for Joint Operation

And, the special committees – constituted in Pak- Afghan Grand Jirga in Kabul – have finalized their recommendations, a report said on Saturday.

Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed for joint operation against terrorists in each other’s territories, the committees’ have recommended.

The two sides would try to bring those in the fold of Jirga in the next meeting who were absent in present moot.

Minister of Interior Aftab Ahmed Sherpao has said the closing session of the Pak- Afghan Grand Jirga will be held tomorrow at 11:00 am.

President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf after his arrival in Kabul will meet President Karzai at the presidential palace here, the Minister said.

Recap

As was reported by 'Pakistan Times' [Daily Web Newspaper] in its Saturday,August-11 edition; Working Committees of Pak-Afghan Joint Peace Jirga on Friday start preparing recommendations in the light of the seven point agenda of the landmark gathering.

Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao, who is Chairman of the Peace Jirga from Pakistan side, announced names of the Chairmen and Secretaries of the five working committees, which went to work after Juma congregation.

Working Committee Number-I consists of Governor NWFP Lt-Gen (Retd) Ali Muhammad Jan Aurakzai (Chairman) and former Chief Secretary NWFP Khalid Aziz (Secretary).

Working Committee-II comprises Governor Balochistan Owais Ahmed Ghani (Chairman) and Ashraf Nasir (Secretary).

Working Committee is made up of Federal Minister for SAFRON Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind (Chairman) and Haider Shah (Secretary) while Working Committee-IV includes Federal Minister GG Jamal (Chairman) and Secretary Fata Security Arbab Muhammad Arif (Secretary).

Working Committee-V consists of District Nazim Lakki Marwat Humayun Saifullah Khan (Chairman) and Ibrar Hussain (Secretary).

Recommendations of the working committees would be presented before the joint Jirga and in their light a joint communiqué would be prepared.

An Executive Committee headed by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah has also been constituted. Chairmen and Secretaries of the working committees would be the members of the executive committee.

The Afghan government has also announced the constitution of five working committees for finalizing recommendations of the peace Jirga.

Sherpao on Proceedings

Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao said on Friday that proceedings of the historic peace moot were progressing satisfactorily as both the sides expressed the desire of removing misunderstanding and mistrust which were hindering establishment of durable peace in the region.

Talking to reporters after first session of the peace Jirga here, Sherpao who is also Chairman of the joint peace Jirga, said, delegates from both the countries held fruitful talks on various core issues. He said, he was fully satisfied with the proceedings of the Jirga held on Friday.

To a question, the Minister said, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Afghan President Hamid Karzai at the inaugural session of the Jirga made positive and thought provoking observations which will help Jirga members in preparation of workable recommendations.

He expressed the hope that the Jirga would be successful and the members would continue their efforts for a breakthrough.

Ms Anisazeb Tahirkheli

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Minister of State for Education Ms Anisazeb Tahirkheli said on Friday that Pakistan earnestly desires establishment of durable peace in Afghanistan and has taken various steps to curb activities of extremists and terrorists in the bordering areas.

Addressing Pak-Afghan joint peace Jirga, she said the Government of Pakistan has deployed over 90000 troops in the tribal areas.

Pakistan, she said, has always come to the aid of Afghanistan during difficult times.

On the contrary Afghanistan never gave the support it should have to Pakistan when India imposed three wars it, she said, adding that despite this Pakistan provided shelter and succour to over three million Afghans who were displaced by invasion of their country by the then Soviet Union.

She termed the joint Jirga a positive development for the restoration of peace in the region and said Pakistan would spare no effort for peace and stability in Afghanistan.

President of Pukhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party Mehmud Khan Achakzai said that “we are against terrorism as it is prohibited by our religion Islam and poses a serious threat to our integrity and solidarity.

He suggested that both the countries should rise to the occasion and launch sincere efforts for achieving the desired goal of peace.

Senator Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, Afghan woman leader Shukria Barakzai, Prof. .Jamil Hussain Bangash, Sardar Muhammad Rehman, Nadir Khan, Fazle Manan, Maulana Attaullah and Aurangzeb Jogezai also addressed the Jirga.

The speakers made various proposals and suggestions for the maintenance of peace in the region and emphasized that the two neighbours should continue the process of dialogues and consultation in future as well.

Mujaddedi on Absence of Fazl, Sami

And, the ex-President of Afghanistan Pir Sibghatullah Mujaddedi said on Friday that Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Maulana Samiul Haq have hurt the feelings of the people of Afghanistan by not participating in the landmark joint peace Jirga.

However, their non participation would not affect the outcome of the Jirga, he said in an address at the second session of the historic gathering which was jointly chaired by Pakistan’s Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and former Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

The Afghan spiritual leader observed that the Jirga would lead to positive and constructive results.

President of Awami National Party (ANP) Senator Asfandyar Wali Khan said peace and harmony in the region could not be achieved without ouster of Al Qaeda from the region as it has started the bloodshed on the soil of Pukhtoons for their specific objectives.

Pukhtoons from both sides of the divide are being mercilessly killed but now time has come to chop off hands of the elements shedding blood of the people, he the ANP leader said.

Afghan leader Prof. Abdur Rab Rasul Sayyaf said those shedding blood of the Muslims are out of Islam which is proven from the injunctions of Quran and Sunnah.

The terrorist game being played in the name of Islam is a condemnable act and “we like all Muslims are duty bound to cut the throat of terrorists,” he said.

President of Pakistan Mazdoor Kissan Party, Afzal Khamoosh, said the peace Jirga has been called very late. Had it been convened 30 years ago, the blood of the Pukhtoons would not have been spilled like it was being today, he added.

He said the Jirga members, irrespective of the policies of their respective governments, should come out with positive recommendations and suggested that the joint peace Jirga should be given a permanent status.

The Jirga was also addressed by former President of Afghanistan Burhanuddin Rabbani, Haji Gul Akbar Ali Sherzai, and Speaker Afghan Parliament Yunas Qanooni, Senior Vice President of ANP Haji Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Dr.Abdul Ali Kaasi, Azizullah Wasifi and Haji Muhammad Muhaqiq.●