KP Peace Jirga adopts 15-point declaration for stability, provincial empowerment

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Peace Jirga has finalised a comprehensive 15-point declaration aimed at promoting peace, strengthening provincial governance and ensuring greater coordination between federal and provincial institutions.

The declaration emphasizes the need for both the federal and provincial governments to assert effective governance across all areas of the province. It calls for the implementation of resolutions passed by the KP Assembly regarding laws such as the Action in Aid of Civil Power Regulation, replacing them with more democratic and locally endorsed measures.

A key highlight of the declaration is the demand that all internal security responsibilities be entrusted to the police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), with assistance from other institutions sought only when necessary.

The Peace Jirga said that extraction of minerals in the province be temporarily halted until a transparent and equitable system is established. It recommended that the provincial assembly be taken into confidence before any military operation, with lawmakers briefed in-camera on ongoing security operations and their legal grounds.

The declaration called for formulation of a comprehensive Provincial Action Plan to address peace and development challenges, while also advocating for reopening of all historical Pak-Afghan trade routes to facilitate cross-border commerce and economic growth.

In foreign policy matters, the Jirga underscored the importance of consulting the provincial government when shaping Pakistan’s approach to Afghanistan, emphasizing the use of diplomacy over confrontation.

The participants called for easing tensions between the federal and provincial governments and holding regular meetings of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in accordance with the Constitution.