What is a 'Jirga'?
Jirgas are traditional assemblies in Pashtun tribal communities in Afghanistan and parts of Pakistan, where local leaders and elders gather to resolve disputes, make decisions, and establish consensus on various issues. They can be
convened at various levels of the community. An important feature of jirga is that its decision, once made, is authoritative and binding. A jirga takes decisions by consensus, not vote, creating a strong propensity for compromise. In a jirga, members sit in a circle so that no one is considered more powerful or privileged. There is no chairman in a jirga, and all members are equal.
The interesting etymology of the word is worth noting; jirg is related to a very old Indo-European root 'sker (that bears the idea of 'turning; round* (and Pashto (charkh,) illustrated by the Persian ,words meaning 'wheel') Pokorny (kharkh,) derived from (The corresponding Latin 'circus'.)
