PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced on Thursday that the provincial government would take the federal government into confidence before sending a jirga to Afghanistan to address the growing incidents of terrorism in the province.

Speaking to Geo News, CM Gandapur emphasized that KP, sharing a border of more than 2,600 kilometers with Afghanistan, had been severely impacted by the ongoing instability in the neighboring country, which has been ravaged by decades of war. He pointed out that Afghanistan has become a sanctuary for terrorists targeting Pakistan, especially given Kabul’s reluctance to take decisive action against militant groups operating along the border. The announcement comes in light of rising attacks from militants across the Afghan border, which have led to numerous casualties, including security personnel and civilians in KP. Recently, four terrorists, including the son of the deputy governor of Afghanistan’s Badghis province, were killed in a raid by security forces in KP.

“We will form a Jirga that includes representatives from various tribes, and this delegation will hold talks with the interim Afghan government to discuss the growing terrorism problem,” said CM Gandapur. He reiterated that peace between Pakistan and Afghanistan is interconnected, with both countries sharing deep-rooted cultural, political, and economic ties. Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, Advisor to the KP Chief Minister on Information, echoed CM Gandapur’s sentiments, stating that peace in both Afghanistan and Pakistan is essential for the prosperity and stability of the region. He highlighted that they seek to bolster business relations between the two nations while working toward sustainable peace. Sources revealed that Afghan authorities have reached out to the provincial government, signaling their willingness for dialogue. An initial round of talks will likely precede the grand Jirga. Earlier, CM Gandapur had stated that the federal government had failed to achieve substantial results in talks with Afghanistan. “The federal government’s efforts have not yielded success, and it is time we take the initiative to find a solution,” he had said, expressing hope that the Afghan side would cooperate with the proposed Jirga.

In a related development, the military’s top brass expressed grave concern over the continued use of Afghan soil by terrorists to target Pakistan. During a recent Corps Commanders’ Conference chaired by Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, the military emphasized the need for the Afghan government to take concrete actions against militant groups operating within its borders. The conference statement urged the Afghan government to take tangible steps against groups like Fitna Al Khawarij instead of denying their existence, stressing that Pakistan would continue to take all necessary measures to defend its people. The year 2024 proved to be the deadliest year for Pakistan’s security forces in a decade, with over 685 fatalities in 444 terror attacks.

The majority of casualties were civilians, with KP being the worst-hit province. In total, Pakistan recorded 2,546 fatalities from violence in 2024, underscoring the severe security challenges facing the nation.