Loya Jirga, the Traditional Grand Assembly of Afghanistan will start tomorrow 16 November 2011

More than 2,000 people including influential Afghan figures from across the country, current parliamentarians and some former MPs, members of provincial councils of the country's 34 provinces, representatives of civil society organizations, members of private sector and traders as well as special people will convene to the assembly in the Polytechnic University of Kabul.

The Polytechnic hosted the event  also in 2002. Some religious scholars, influential tribal elders, representatives of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, Iran, the United States and European countries and some members of disabled people will also participate to the Jirga. The Assembly will discuss the proposed strategic partnership agreement with the United States and other issues, including the reconciliation and peace process. The US and Afghanistan have been negotiating for nine months on a strategic agreement to outline what American military, political and economic presence will remain in Afghanistan once most foreign combat troops leave in late 2014. Some aspects of the planned agreement, such as base rights for US forces, are highly controversial. 

Pictures from the 2002 Assembly