Three-Day Pashtun National Jirga Concludes in Quetta, 19-Point Joint Declaration Issued
Quetta (By Syed Sardar Mohammad Khondai)
The three-day National Jirga of Southern Pashtunkhwa, presided over by the Central Secretary of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Nawab Muhammad Ayaz Khan Jogezai, concluded in Quetta. The Jirga was convened from 30th, 31st August and 1st September 2026, on the invitation of the Chairman of Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-e-Pakistan and Opposition Leader in the National Assembly, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, in continuation of the Bannu Jirga held from 11th to 14th March 2022. The 19-point joint declaration of the Jirga was presented by Mahmood Khan Achakzai.
This is not an end, but the beginning of a new struggle: Nawab Ayaz Jogezai
Addressing the concluding session of the Jirga, Nawab Ayaz Khan Jogezai said that this Jirga is not an end, but marks the beginning of a new struggle for a peaceful, united and dignified future of the Pashtun nation.
He said that to implement the decisions of the Jirga, the nation will have to remain united and steadfast. For national survival, peace, honor, land and protection of resources, it has become indispensable for all Pashtuns to stand in one row.
Emphasizing social reforms, he said that outdated customs like heavy ‘Walwar’ (bride price) and unnecessary expenses in weddings should be abolished. Depriving daughters and widows of their Shariah, legal and inheritance rights is in no way acceptable. He made it clear that without giving women their due place in education, protection and decision-making, the concept of national development is impossible.
Nawab Jogezai said that despite being rich in natural resources, the Pashtun people are still deprived of basic facilities like electricity, gas and clean drinking water. There are no teachers in schools, doctors and medicines are scarce in hospitals. Keeping the owners of resources backward is in no way acceptable. The process of displacing the local population from their ancestral lands under the guise of development projects should be stopped Chairman of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Mahmood Khan Achakzai, read out the declaration, whose salient points are as follows:
Political and Constitutional Demands: The Jirga rejects the general elections of 8th February 2024, declaring them the biggest fraud in the country’s history. Declaring the current Parliament and Provincial Assemblies as unelected and unrepresentative, it demands their dissolution and holding of new, free, impartial and transparent elections in the country. The 26th and 27th Constitutional Amendments are rejected as violations of the Constitution. The Jirga demanded convening a national conference comprising all political parties, the judiciary, the army, lawyers and all schools of thought to resolve the crises facing the country.
Restoration of Law and Order: Deep concern was expressed over the deteriorating law and order situation in Southern Pashtunkhwa. It was demanded that the FC be immediately withdrawn from all districts and from all national highways including Quetta, Karachi, Chaman, and D.I. Khan, and that civilian authority be restored. Rejecting the decision to merge the Levies Force into the Police, the Jirga demanded immediate restoration of Levies and its training on modern lines. A judicial commission comprising opposition parties should be formed to investigate the martyrdom of police personnel in Ziarat.
Protection of Land and Resources: The Jirga completely rejects the allotment of hundreds of thousands of acres of ancestral land in various districts including Quetta, Pishin, Chaman, Zhob and Loralai to non-locals and firms in the name of minerals, and the transfer of 2.4 million acres of forest land to the government. Amendments to the Investment Act and the Mines and Minerals Act were rejected as an attack on provincial autonomy.
Demand for National Rights and New Province: It was demanded that Pashtun-Baloch equality be recognized in Balochistan, or a new province of Southern Pashtunkhwa comprising the former Chief Commissioner Province be established. In addition, a ‘United Pashtun Unit’ should be established on linguistic, historical and geographical grounds by merging all Pashtun regions across the country.
Border Trade and Other Decisions: Legal trade of all items, except narcotics and arms, should be restored on all 10 to 12 historic routes on the Durand Line, including Chaman, Torkham, Angoor Adda, Badini and Ghulam Khan, which is the legal right of the border people. The Jirga clarified that while it respects the Baloch national movement, it strongly condemns actions like burning trucks, kidnapping and extortion in Pashtun areas, which is a conspiracy to spread hatred among oppressed nations. A special Pashtun-Baloch committee has been formed to resolve this issue.
The declaration also demanded immediate release of all political prisoners including PTI founder Imran Khan, Ali Wazir, Mahrang Baloch, recovery of missing persons, and an end to the Fourth Schedule policy. Forced transfer and posting of government employees to Baloch areas against their will was also rejected.
In the end, it was announced that Jirga committees will be formed in all districts for implementation and continuous review of the progress on the decisions of the Jirga.
