Pak, Afghanistan vow to eliminate terrorism, respect territorial integrity

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Afghanistan Jirga Commissions Wednesday agreed to work jointly for promoting peace and eliminating terrorism on the basis of mutual respect for each others sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Both the Commissions in a joint meeting March 12-14 decided they would build further on their initial intact contact/interaction and hold their next meeting between 8th to 11th April, 2007.

The Peace Jirga Commission of Afghanistan was led by Pir Sayed Ahmed Gailani while Aftab Ahmed Sherpao, Chairman of the Jirga Commission and Interior Minister headed Pakistani delegation.

Later in a joint statement, it was decided that both countries would continue their efforts to wipe off terrorism and work to eliminate the menace.

The Jirga Commission of Afghanistan held two rounds of detailed and useful talks with the Jirga Commission of Pakistan.

The Afghan Jirga Commission also called on Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.

The parleys between the two Commissions was held in extremely cordial and warm atmosphere and were characterised by a great deal of mutual understanding and goodwill.

The two Commissions agreed that this goodwill should not be allowed to be vitiated by any public comment by either side.

The Two Jirga Commissions reaffirmed their resolve to hold Jirga/Jirgas as one of the measures to counter terrorism and work for eliminating this menace from the areas affected by it.

It was further told in the statement that the two sides informed each other on the progress made by them to the composition of Jirgas.

The Chairman of Afghanistan Jirga Commission informed that Afghanistan side would have broad national participation in the Jirga.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Jirga Commission informed that Pakistan has no tradition of Jirga at the national level and conveyed to the Afghan side that Pakistan would be constituting an appropriate Jirga to work for peace.

The two Commissions agreed to work jointly for promoting peace and eliminating terrorism on the basis of mutual respect for each others sovereignty and territorial integrity.