Afghan president seeks Pakistani politicians' support to make tribal jirga success

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has sought the support of Pakistani politicians to help make the tribal jirga, or assembly of the elders, of two countries a success, the private Afghan news service Hindokosh News Agency (HNA) reported Saturday.

"Through sending letters to the leader of Jamiat-e-Ulamai Islam Mawlana Fazal Rahman, leader of Awami National Party Asfandyar Wali and leader of Pashtunkhawh Party Mohmoud Khan Asakzai, the Afghan leader urged them to spare no efforts in making the Jirga of the two countries a success," the HNA reported.

Under an agreement reached between President Karzai and his Pakistani counterpart Pervez Musharaf in the presence of U.S. President George W. Bush in Washington last month, the two sides would hold a traditional Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, to check militants' infiltration and curb terrorist activities in Afghanistan.

No date has been set for convening the Jirga, but Afghan officials say that preliminary efforts have begun.

"Afghan President in his letters noted that Afghan religious leaders are killed, schools are torched and innocent civilians are targeted by militants. To give end to the misery, President Karzai sought the cooperation of the above Pakistani politicians," HNA added in its report.

Citing sources close to the said Pakistani politician, HNA added that the above Pakistani dignitaries had accepted Afghan leader's demand and would soon consult each other on the subject.

Source: Xinhua