By Irum Saleem
The grand jirga on Thursday designated Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur to resolve peace-related issues in the province ahead of a three-day gathering being organised by the recently proscribed Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) — one wonders how come that Gandapur agrees to sit with those whom the PTI was deadly against?
What changed Gandapur’s mind everyone is asking.
Is it establishment or PTI Chief Imran Khan?
On Sunday, the federal government imposed a ban on the PTM, citing threats to national peace and security. On Tuesday, the KP government prohibited its officials and employees from engaging with the three-day Pashtoon Qaumi Jirga, also called the Pashtun Qaumi Adalat, organised by the PTM and issued a public warning against any association. Khyber Deputy Commissioner retired Captain Sanaullah Khan also imposed Section 144 in the district for 30 days.
“The move came in the lead-up to the grand jirga, scheduled for October 11 in Khyber district. Diehard activists assembled at the venue of their three-day jirga in Jamrud on Sunday evening in clear defiance of the federal government’s order and vowed to hold the gathering.
The PTI had condemned the ban and the KP Assembly also criticised the police’s action against PTM activists in the Khyber district that resulted in three deaths a day
KP government spokesperson Barrister Mohammad Saif had upheld the federal government’s stance and restrictions in a video message issued on Wednesday night but also announced that CM Gandapur had directed Khyber MPAs to resolve tensions and invited all parties to a grand jirga on the issue,” Dawn reported.
The grand jirga was held today at the Chief Minister’s House and attended by KP Governor Faisal Karim Kundi, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Federal Minister for States and Frontier Regions, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Kashmir Affairs Engineer Amir Muqam, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Salim Swati, and several leaders and figures from political parties.
People are surprised to see Kundi and Naqvi sitting next Gandapur— whom he is fooling around?
PTI KP government spokesperson Barrister Saif said that the gathered members “assigned CM Gandapur with the responsibility to conduct a peace jirga with all relevant stakeholders to solve all matters through consultation and peaceful means.”
CM Gandapur accepted the responsibility of conducting a peace jirga and thanked the participants for reposing their trust in him, the statement said.
“The process of consultation and strategy for the solution of all matters would soon be completed,” he said.
Laga raho muna Bhai? PAK DESTINY