Awami National Party (ANP) President, Senator Aimal Wali Khan, announced his decision to forgive Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retd) Hafeez Ur Rehman, marking the resolution of a heated public dispute.
The development occurred after Rehman visited Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, accompanied by a Pashtun jirga in line with Pashtun tradition. He apologized, and the jirga requested that the senator forgive him.
The dispute began on May 21, 2025, during a Senate Functional Committee meeting, where Khan criticised Rehman’s handling of telecom infrastructure issues in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Tensions escalated when Rehman allegedly made an inappropriate remark, accusing Khan of smoking charas (hashish), prompting Khan to file a privilege motion.
On May 26, Rehman visited Bacha Khan Markaz in Peshawar, accompanied by a Pashtun jirga, to apologise. Khan accepted, stating, “The Chairman PTA came to me, and I now consider him my elder brother. We have resolved all grudges.” He confirmed he would withdraw the privilege motion, calling the incident a “mishap.”
Khan emphasised Pashtun values of forgiveness, noting, “Our nation even forgives killers, reflecting our tradition.” The jirga-mediated resolution, a hallmark of Pashtun conflict resolution, underscores cultural respect over political differences. Rehman expressed regret, affirming his respect for Khan’s family and parliamentary decorum.
