A planned jirga at the Torkham border crossing between Pakistan and Afghanistan was called off yesterday due to internal disagreements and a lack of communication between Pakistani representatives. The Afghan delegation left without meeting with their Pakistani counterparts. However, a new jirga has been constituted and talks could resume soon.

The Pakistani jirga was reportedly fractured, with significant divisions emerging between tribal elders from the Khyber region and those from the chamber of commerce. 

Elders from Khyber expressed dissatisfaction over appointment of chamber members, asserting their right to participate in decisions affecting their region, particularly given Torkham’s proximity to their territory.

Khyber’s tribal elders accused the chamber leaders of dismissing the Afghan delegation without prior discussion. The Chamber leaders, in turn, stated that they sent the Afghan delegation back after discovering discrepancies in the pre-agreed participant list.

Despite the setback, tribal leaders have vowed to reconvene the jirga with the Afghan delegation, this time independently of the chamber members. 

Jawad Hussain Kazmi, who led the Pakistani delegation, said late on Thursday that a new jirga has been constituted with 50 members. He added that the new list has been shared with the Afghan side and the latter has expressed willingness to begin the talks again. Talks could take place in the next two days.

The Torkham border crossing, one of eight between Pakistan and Afghanistan, sees thousands of trucks and pedestrians pass in each direction.

However, the border has been closed for the last 20 days after Pakistan asked the Afghan side to stop construction of checkposts within the border’s zero point.