Thirty-one members of a preparatory commission for the Traditional Loya Jirga (TLJ aka TLG) have been appointed in compliance with a decree from President Hamid Karzai, an official said on 20110607. The traditional gathering will take a decision on a draft strategic cooperation deal between Afghanistan and the United States. Members of the Wolesi Jirga on 20110629 rejected as illegal a preparatory commission for an upcoming Loya Jirga on strategic cooperation with the US as illegal, vowing not to attend it.

The traditional Loya Jirga which was to be held after the month of Ramadan has been postponed due to unfinished talks about the US-Afghanistan strategic pact and the upcoming Bonn II Conference.(20110912). The Karzai Government refused to report to Parliament about the expenses for the Jirga, wich is widely seen as unconstitutional.

Now the jirga is planned to be held between Nov. 14 and 21, 2011.

Speaker of Wolesi Jirga Ibrahimi blamed some lawmakers for acting against house decisions. He said the assembly had decided that no one would take part in the proposed traditional jirga, which is expected to be called into session to discuss a strategic partnership deal between Afghanistan and the US. Flouting the decision, about 10 legislators had filled out forms for participation in the jirga, he pointed out, without naming the members.(20111020)

Members of the preparatory Commission of the Traditional Loya Jirga:
1. Sibghatullah Mujaddedi (heads the preparatory body)
2. Maulvi Khuda-i-Dad,
3. Naimatullah Shahrani,
4. Syed Hamid Gilani,
5. Dr. Humayun Azizi,
6. Hawa Alam Nuristani,
7. Safia Siddiqui, Safia Sediqi, Spokeswoman for Loya Jirga (20111026)
8. Mohammad Arif Noorzai,
9. Shahzada Masood,
10. Humayun Shinwari,
11. Mohammad Anwar Ishaqzai,
12. Haji Din Mohammad,
13. Rida Azimi,
14. Wakil Abdul Jabbar,
15. Hilaluddin Hilal,
16. Sadiq Mudabir,
17. Noorullah Shahrukhi,
18. Hayatullah Belaghi,
19. Nawroz Ali Etemadi ,
20. Mohammad Abdohu.
21. Baz Mohammad,
22. Kiramuddin Razazada,
23. Haji Aloko Khan Kakozai, Kochi leader living in Kabul (20110726)
24. Awtar Singh,
25. Abdul Khaliq Hussaini,
26. Shah Aqa Siddiqui,
27. Khalid Farooqi,
28. Alam Rasikh,
29. Khalifa Qazal Ayaq,
30. Gulalai Achakzai,
31. Syed Mohammad· Amin Tariq.

Legal Background:
Article One Hundred and eleven of Afghan Constitution states:
Loya Jirga is convened in the following situations:
1. To take decision on the issues related to independence, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and supreme interests
of the country.
2. To amend the provisions of this Constitution.
3. To prosecute the President in accordance with the provisions of Article 69 of this Constitution.”

Article Ninety of the Afghan Constitution states:
The National Assembly has the following powers:
1. Ratification, modification, or abrogation of laws and or legislative decrees.
2. Approval of plans for economic, social, cultural, and technological development.
3. Approval of state budget, permission for obtaining, and granting loans.
4. Creation, modification of administrative units.
5. Ratification of international treaties and agreements, or abrogation of the membership of Afghanistan to them.
6. Other authorities specified in this Constitution.

More Background to Traditional Loya Jirga 2011:
October 22, 2011: Around 2030 representatives will participate at the Loya Jirga including the peace influential people. This was stated by Najib Ameen Deputy Head of Administration Affairs and Deputy Head of policy and technical sphere of traditional Loya Jirga. He added that in this Jirga refugees will take part in three categories and the refugees in Pakistan 120 people from all part of the country, 60 people from Iran, and the third category are refugees in Europe and US and Australia making 30 people.

They are influential people who always take note of interests of Afghanistan and the Afghan Constitution. He added that ambassadors and members of diplomatic missions will attend the first day of the jirga and at the last day of the jirga as invited guests. It has been also decided that a building will be constructed for national events and loya jirga as permanent venue in modern manners which will have all needed facilities and this will be prepared for the jirga sessions. He added that in the jirga members of civil society, ulema, influential, people’s representatives, national traders, lecturers of universities, non-governmental organizations and hundreds of others including famous women. It is expected that this jirga will be held at the last week of Aqrab in Kabul.(20111022)

The traditional Loya Jirga convening at the Polytechnic University, would also confer on a mechanism for peace negotiations with Afghan insurgents.

Spokesperson Safia Siddiqui indicated the participants might also take up other issues related to peace and stability.

Participants, who will arrive in the capital four days ahead of the event, will be briefed on the objective behind the grand assembly. Beginning on Nov. 16, the deliberations will continue for four days.

All sitting parliamentarians, some former MPs, 30 percent members of each provincial council, representatives of civil society and special people, religious scholars and influential tribal elders will attend the jirga.

She said 230 representatives of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Iran, the United States, Canada  and several European countries would also be in attendance. Up to 120 Afghan refugees in Pakistan, 80 in Iran and 30 others in US, Canada and some European countries would also be in attendance.

The jirga, to be also attended by Cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries as guests, will involve 2030 people -- 25 percent of them women.

The Afghan Taliban will hunt down and punish anyone who takes part in next month's national assembly, where the possibility of long-term U.S. military bases in Afghanistan will be discussed, the group warned in a statement on Wednesday (20111026).. The unusually specific threat, in an English-language message from spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid, said participants will be pursued "all over the country and will face severe repercussions."