Gandapur vows to send ‘special delegation’ for peace talks with Afghan Taliban

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has reiterated his plan to send a jirga to Kabul to seek the Afghan Taliban’s help in ending violence in the province.

Gandapur first floated the idea in September last year, but the federal government opposed it at the time. The chief minister again raised the matter during a meeting with Afghan Ambassador-designate Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb in Islamabad on Friday night.

“On this occasion, Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced his intention to send a special delegation to Afghanistan that would act as a bridge between the peoples of Pakistan and Afghanistan, fostering trust and harmony,” said a statement from the KP government.

However, the Afghan embassy’s statement made no mention of the proposed jirga.

Diplomatic sources familiar with the discussions told HUM News English that Gandapur informed the Afghan envoy of his renewed intent.

“Yes, they (Gandapur) repeated what they said before, but the Afghan side told them that we welcome you — of course, if the Pakistani federal government has no objection,” sources quoted the Afghan envoy as telling the chief minister.

In response, Gandapur assured the envoy that he would be able to convince the federal government.

Sources said the Afghan envoy has shared the PTI-led KP government’s latest request with Kabul and is awaiting a response.

An Afghan official in Kabul said that when Gandapur raised the proposal last year, the federal government had communicated its opposition to the Pakistani embassy in Afghanistan.

At a lawyers’ gathering in Peshawar on September 11, 2024, Gandapur had expressed frustration over the rising violence in KP saying, “You don’t even care, and the people of my province are being martyred day by day. I will go to Afghanistan myself to resolve this issue. I will never compromise on the people of my province. I am answerable to them.”

The Foreign Office had opposed the initiative, arguing that provinces cannot engage in diplomacy or conduct relations with foreign states. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif described Gandapur’s announcement as a “direct attack on the federation.”

Sources said the federal government conveyed to Afghan officials that it did not endorse Gandapur’s proposed jirga — the main reason Kabul declined to formally receive it.

“The Afghan side asked both the Pakistani central and KP governments to resolve their differences first,” sources added.

Pakistan has, however, previously sent jirgas to Afghanistan to ease tensions. In June 2022, a 57-member jirga — including political leaders, parliamentarians, and tribal elders — visited Kabul for talks with the Afghan Taliban and the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), when peace talks were underway.

The Afghan Taliban interim government facilitated those negotiations, which ultimately collapsed over hardline conditions from both sides.

Surge in KP attacks

Gandapur’s renewed push comes amid a surge in militant attacks in KP.

On June 28, a roadside bomb killed 13 soldiers in North Waziristan — one of the deadliest attacks in recent months. Militants linked to the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group claimed responsibility. Pakistani officials allege that armed groups operate from Afghan soil, a charge the Afghan Taliban deny.

On July 10, senior Awami National Party leader Maulana Khanzeb was assassinated in Bajaur. Days earlier, an assistant commissioner and several officials were killed in another bomb attack in the same district.

In Friday’s meeting, Gandapur assigned Adviser to Chief Minister on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif the task of coordinating with Afghan authorities on behalf of the KP government to facilitate communication between both sides.

“Both leaders emphasized the need to collectively counter external threats to ensure a safe, stable, and peaceful future for the next generations,” the statement added.

It also said that Pakistan and Afghanistan share a long border and deep-rooted linguistic, ethnic, tribal, and religious ties that must be strengthened through peace, brotherhood, and mutual respect.

Ambassador Sardar Ahmad Shakeeb expressed gratitude to the KP government for its support of Afghan refugees and reiterated his commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.

Gandapur also offered assistance in setting up a cancer hospital in Afghanistan and pledged cooperation in the field of agriculture. He reaffirmed that the KP government stands ready to play its part in the welfare and development of the Afghan people.