PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has said that the provincial government would fully implement the points and demands recommended by Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga in Khyber that come within the constitutional domain of the provincial government.
Speaking on the provincial assembly floor on Monday, he said that the Full House Committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly would discuss all the points and recommendations of the jirga one by one and then take it up with the federal government for implementation.
“We will not play politics or resort to point scoring but implement it for the sake of peace, prosperity and stability of our people and province,” Gandapur said, who also leads the Full House Committee of the provincial Assembly.
Earlier, KP Assembly Speaker Babar Saleem Swati suspended the day’s agenda and allowed the members to debate the 22-point recommendations approved by Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga in Jamrud, Khyber district, the previous day.
The three-day jirga was convened and organized recently by the proscribed Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM). Almost all political parties and representatives of Pashtun tribes and territories attended the event.
The chief minister said the federal government had taken some steps in urgency that led to unrest and loss of human lives before the beginning of the jirga but soon realized its mistake and empowered the KP government to tackle the situation.
“I am indebted to all political parties, including Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi who attended the jirga at the Chief Minister’s House and then the representatives of the same jirga visited and participated in the Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga in Khyber,” he said, adding that he would fulfill the commitment about peace in the province.
Opposition leader and Pakistan Muslim League-N leader Dr Ibadullah Khan said that the House Committee would discuss all the points one by one and would recommend all the ‘doable’ demands of the Pakhtun jirga, saying that if the state and government could talk to the Taliban, why not with those who are against arms and ammunitions.
“The first and foremost responsibility of the provincial government is maintaining law and order but unfortunately the provincial government has failed to maintain its writ in some parts of the province,” he added.
Maulana Lutf-ur-Rehman of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl said that lawlessness and political instability led to economic crisis and due to undemocratic and unconstitutional steps by certain elements the country was pushed towards economic and political instability.
He said that dozens of political party workers and PTM activists had been arrested under 3MPO by the provincial government, demanding that all the arrested people should be set free forthwith.
Nisar Baz of the Awami National Party said that Actions (In Aid in Civil Power) Regulations, the British-inherited 16MPO and 3MPO should be scrapped as dozens of political party workers, human rights and social activists had been detained under these laws.
“About 350 PTM activists were still behind bars after being held under 3MPO before the Pakhtun Qaumi Jirga,” he added. ANP MPA Arbab Usman Khan said that all legal routes for trade at the Pak-Afghan border must be reopened for trade between the people of two neighboring countries.
“We have to promote trade between the two countries instead of creating hurdles to our legal routes,” the ANP MPA added. Ahmad Karim Kundi of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lauded the role of the KP Assembly speaker and the chief minister by handling the worst situation that was created before the PTM jirga and turning it into a pleasant atmosphere.
“We have to show such unity and harmony for other issues as well related to our province and people,” the PPP MPA added. Muhammad Rashad Khan and Jalal Khan of Pakistan Muslim League-N and Adnan Khan of the JUI-F also participated in the debate. They suggested that the provincial government should also take practical steps for ending bloodshed and violence in the Kurram district. The session was adjourned till Wednesday (October 16) afternoon.
