FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan - At the invitation of the provincial governor, more than 600 Afghan provincial, district and shura leaders from the 23 districts of Paktika Province, representatives from the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Kuchi Tribesman and Coalition forces came together for a Super Shura in the Paktika capital of Sharana Jan. 29.
Shura participants met for three days at the governor’s new conference center, Shura Hall, and achieved broad consensus on a series of solutions to address key challenges in governance, security, development, education and tribal reconciliation.
Keynote speakers set the tone for the first day of the shura with Paktika Gov. Akrham Khpalwak began by delivering a motivational speech to rally his countrymen to support the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. He encouraged the district leadership, both government and village elders, to “wake-up” and support IRoA by providing policemen and teachers.
During the tribal leaders’ speeches, they noted the villagers need more support from the IRoA.
The people are poor and starving but will do what is necessary to survive and will support their government, if supported in return, the leader said.
The Paktika chief of police Gen. Nabijan Mollakhil spoke and told the leaders they must take action now to improve education and security. He went on to thank the people of Bermel District, specifically the Waziri tribe, for offering 100 new police recruits to secure the district. 
Afghan National Army Col. Abdul Malook, the 2nd Brigade, 203rd Corps commander, stated he is committed to a quality organization. If any of the leaders see ways to improve the army or see anything the army does wrong, let him know. He stated he will immediately take necessary action to make the army better.
After the opening day speeches, the shura was separated into five smaller focus groups for the second day, each with its own agenda and led by a provincial director, who could discuss more in-depth the major topic areas of security, development, economy, tribal issues and governance. 
On the final day, each working group presented its findings to the whole group. Solutions agreed upon by the working groups centered on a few key themes. First, provincial leaders recognized the lack of educated and professional staff at all levels of government service, including the health, education and security sectors. These leaders called on the “Central Government” (IRoA) to recruit and send trained people to Paktika Province to educate the local leaders and workers. They requested the ministries adopt a more flexible approach when recruiting people to work in the province and suggested to add both financial incentives and the provision of secure housing as key recruitment tools.
Second, participants focused on the need to push down financing for development projects to the line directors in Sharana as a means to better manage the types of projects funded and the selection of contractors. The shura agreed contracting local communities for the labor when awarding smaller projects was the preferred approach.
Finally, leaders agreed the district shuras should bare additional responsibilities for the recruitment of ANSF, the protection of construction and development projects and even for the provision of labor and materials as a means to contribute to the future of the province. 
The key points agreed to by each group will also be presented to the respective ministries responsible for each issue.
At the conclusion of the Super Shura, Gov. Khpalwak conducted a press conference with the media, summarizing that he believed he had achieved his goal of bringing greater attention to the central government in Paktika and hoped to see immediate effects.
Also in attendance were two of the eight Parliament Members for Paktika, the minister for communications and information technology, and several representatives from the Ministries of Health, Education, Power and Energy and Rural Rehabilitation and Development.