PESHAWAR:
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s parliamentary committee has called for a shift from large-scale counterterrorism operations to a negotiated settlement with terrorists groups and the initiation of talks with Afghanistan as the primary pathway to durable peace in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal districts.
In a statement issued after a meeting at K-P House in Islamabad on Thursday, the committee said past operations failed to produce sustainable results despite the sacrifice of security personnel. The communiqué argued that distrust between local communities and state institutions, aggravated by civilian casualties, property loss and forced displacement during earlier campaigns, remains the core obstacle to long-term stability.
The parliamentary meeting, attended by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar, General Secretary Barrister Salman Akram Raja, former Speaker Asad Qaiser, Senator Azam Swati and members of the national and provincial assemblies, focused on the deteriorating law-and-order picture across the province and adjoining tribal areas. Participants said political engagement and negotiations should be prioritized over conventional operations.
“The only viable path toward lasting peace is through talks,” the party statement read. It recommended the federal government commence formal discussions with the Afghan government and people, arguing that cross-border dialogue is now “an urgent necessity” to address the root causes of militancy and cross-border movement.
According to the statement, multiple Jirgas led by tribal leaders under the direction of Chief Minister Gandapur endorsed Imran Khan’s proposal to hold Jirga-mediated negotiations with Afghanistan. Those demands were forwarded to the federal government but, the party complained, a response from Islamabad is still pending.
Meanwhile, the committee urged an attitude of compassion and restraint toward Afghan refugees, urging provincial officials and institutions to treat them with kindness and to facilitate their welfare. In line with these recommendations, Chief Minister Gandapur has reportedly instructed provincial departments and officers to ensure humane treatment and full cooperation with the Afghan refugee community.
Addressing recent violence in Bajaur, the party sought to dispel what it described as exaggerations and misconceptions surrounding targeted operations in the district. The statement emphasized that the provincial government neither authorized nor endorsed a large-scale military operation. Instead, it said, a limited targeted response became necessary after a string of killings targeting religious scholars, political leaders and government officers, incidents that seriously undermined public safety.
