A peace jirga convened in Peshawar to address rising tensions along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border ended Tuesday without participation from Afghan representatives, according to people familiar with the meeting.
The four-hour gathering, held at the Area Study Center of the University of Peshawar, brought together tribal elders, political leaders and civil society representatives from Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province and nearby areas. Participants called for a ceasefire and a return to dialogue after weeks of escalating cross-border violence.
The absence of attendants from Afghanistan underscored the limited scope of the meeting, which focused largely on concerns within Pakistan’s border regions, the sources said.
Organized by advocacy groups including ASPIRE and the Qaumi Islahi Tehreek, the jirga aimed to develop recommendations to reduce tensions between Pakistan and Taliban.
Arbab Shehzad, the chief organizer and head of ASPIRE, said the group would propose steps to help end the conflict and ease tensions. He said recent violence had disproportionately affected border communities, particularly Pashtun populations, and emphasized the need for what he described as “public diplomacy” to rebuild trust.
Suhrab Ali, a co-organizer, said participants were focused on countering extremism and promoting stability in the region.
Shaukatullah Khan, a former governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, called for an immediate three-month cease-fire to allow space for negotiations. He also criticized Pakistan’s refugee policy, saying Afghan refugees who were once welcomed are now being forced to leave.
The meeting comes after nearly five weeks of intensified clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, including artillery exchanges and airstrikes that have caused civilian casualties, damaged infrastructure and displaced residents.
Pakistani officials have accused the Taliban of harboring militant groups, including Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, which they say has carried out attacks inside Pakistan. Taliban have denied the accusations, saying Afghanistan’s territory is not being used against neighboring countries.
Recent fighting has included cross-border shelling and airstrikes by Pakistani forces inside Afghanistan. Taliban have said some strikes hit civilian areas, including a rehabilitation center in Kabul earlier this month, drawing international concern. Pakistan has said its operations target militant infrastructure.
Although violence briefly subsided during a temporary ceasefire ahead of Eid al-Fitr, hostilities resumed soon after the truce expired.
Organizers described the jirga as an attempt to create a platform for dialogue at a time when formal diplomatic engagement remains limited. Participants said their recommendations would be shared with relevant authorities, though they are not binding.
They also called on Taliban authorities to convene a similar forum on their side of the border to support efforts toward de-escalation.
