Islamabad, April 1 – Participants in a jirga (tribal council) have urged the governments of Pakistan and Afghanistan to stop the border clashes and resolve their differences through dialogue, local media reported on Wednesday.
A "Pakistan-Afghanistan Peace Jirga" was organized in Pakistan's Peshawar on Tuesday under the auspices of the think-tank Aspire Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the National Reform Movement (Qaumi Islahi Tehreek). Various political and religious leaders, representatives of the business community, and media attended the jirga, according to Pakistan's leading daily, Dawn.
They urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to use diplomatic channels to resolve their differences, as both nations share common religious, cultural, and social values. They stated that the ongoing conflict was a matter of concern for the people of both nations and stressed that the current tense situation would have dire consequences for the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan.
After the discussions at the jirga, the participants issued a joint declaration and urged both nations to immediately declare and implement a ceasefire to de-escalate tensions.
The jirga stated, "We agree, in accordance with universally accepted international principles, that their respective territories will neither be used against each other nor be allowed to be used for any such activities. Ensure the implementation of this consensus with full state authority and capacity."
They urged both nations to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy, as war was not a solution to any problem, and that mutual respect and understanding were the greatest guarantees for sustainable peace.
The jirga urged Pakistan and Afghanistan to have continuous contacts to facilitate a better understanding of each other's positions, circumstances, and constraints, and to encourage adherence to those measures, Dawn reported.
In recent weeks, tensions have escalated between Afghanistan and Pakistan due to airstrikes, artillery fire, and accusations from both sides.
On March 29, one person was killed and 16 others were injured after Pakistani forces launched rocket and heavy weapon attacks on residential areas in Afghanistan's Kunar province, officials said, local media reported.
The shelling hit areas near Asadabad and nearby homes, sparking fears of a wider border escalation.
Taliban spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat said that the attack targeting civilian homes occurred around 5 pm (local time) on March 29. He said that injured people were rushed to the hospital for treatment, according to Afghanistan's leading news agency, Khaama Press. He accused Pakistan of firing in residential areas near the border.
The latest attack took place just days after fighting resumed along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border after the collapse of a brief Eid ceasefire. Islamabad has said that its military operations are targeting militants using Afghanistan to carry out attacks inside Pakistan, a claim rejected by the Taliban.