A grand jirga was held in Karak to promote peace and stability in the area on Monday. The jirga, held at the District Secretariat, brought together a diverse group of participants, including members of the provincial assembly, tribal elders, senior civil and military officials, and representatives from local organizations, lawyers, and municipal bodies.

A key participant was Major General Zulfiqar Ali Bhatti, GOC of the 9th Division.  Also in attendance were Provincial Minister for Agriculture Major Sajjad Barakwal, PTI South Region President MNA Shahid Khattak, Kohat Commissioner Mutassim Billah, and RPO Abbas Majeed.

Addressing the jirga, Major General Bhatti emphasized the commitment to utilizing all resources to eliminate terrorism. He declared that establishing peace is a shared agenda, and anyone challenging the writ of the state and disrupting peace will be considered a common enemy.  He stated that the distinction between “good” and “bad” Taliban is a thing of the past.

Major General Bhatti highlighted the challenges of unconventional warfare, noting that it is often longer and more difficult than conventional conflict. He stressed the crucial role of public support in combating this type of warfare, emphasizing that large-scale military operations are not necessary in Karak and surrounding areas. 

He assured the jirga that the military, will provide its services wherever the public requires them. The ultimate goal, he stated, is to eradicate terrorism completely.

An earlier jirga in February 10 in jirga had demanded that militants should leave the area or a tribal militia would launch an operation against them.