On March 12 in Bannu, after the speeches of the leaders on the second day of the Pashtun National Jirga, a committee was formed which, after consultation, would prepare a declaration for publication on the third day of the Jirga. The committee has 25 members, including people from different parties, movements, and regions. They will assess the resources and issues in the Pashtun area and prepare a declaration in the light of the consultations held in the jirga to resolve the issues facing the Pashtuns.
Speaking on the second day of the Jirga, the leaders called for a joint declaration to be agreed upon by all parties. The leaders also said that steps should be taken to implement these proposals and negotiate with the government. It was also said that a working committee should be appointed to monitor the implementation of the recommendations of the Jirga from time to time.
Among the Pashtun leaders who spoke on the second day of the jirga was Manzoor Pashtun, the leader of the Pashtun Salvation Movement. He spoke on issues affecting Pashtuns in the tribal areas and other Pashtun-populated areas. They also mentioned missing persons, landmines, and security issues.
The jirga started on March 11 at Mirakhel Cricket Ground in Bannu and will continue till March 13. There are seating for about 3,500 people in the Jirga hall and about the same number are outside the hall. The three-day Jirga was convened by the Pakhtunkhwa National Awami Party (PNA) and the participants in the invitation said that they would discuss issues of insecurity in Pashtun areas, unemployment of the people, and control over their resources.
Dr. Barkat Shah Kakar, one of the organizers of the Jirga, told the media on March 12 that on the first day of the Jirga, the issues facing the Pashtuns, especially insecurity, wars, homelessness, and the continuation of the wars, how much the Pashtuns have been harassed, Pashtun leaders spoke on it. He said on the agenda of the second day of the Jirga:
“Today is the second day, so on the second day, we are talking about the natural resources of the Pashtuns, the consumption of those resources, the legal means for the Pashtun nation to have control over those resources.”
He said that on the third day of the jirga, which would be on March 13, the legal issues of the Pashtuns would be discussed and then a joint statement would be issued.
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