Page "Loya jirga" Paragraph 9

When the Afghans took the power they tried to legitimize their power with such a Jirga.

While in the beginning only Pashtuns were allowed to participate in the Jirgas, later other ethnic groups like Tajiks and Hazaras were allowed to participate as well, however they were little more than observers.

The member of the Jirgas were mostly members of the Royal Family, religious leaders and tribal chiefs of the Afghans.

King Amanullah Khan institutionalized the Jirga.

From Amanullah until the reign of Mohammed Zahir Shah ( 1933 – 1973 ) and Mohammed Daoud Khan ( 1973 – 1978 ) the Jirga was recognized as a common meeting of regional Pashtun leaders.