What is "jirga"

n. A gathering of elders or leaders in Pakistan or Afghanistan, especially within a tribe.

A jirga (occasionally jarga or jargah; Pashto: ) is a traditional assembly of leaders that make decisions by consensus and according to the teachings of Islam. It predates modern-day written or fixed-laws and is conducted to settle disputes among the Pashtun people but to a lesser extent among other nearby groups that have been influenced by Pashtuns (historically known as Afghans). Its primary purpose has been to prevent tribal war. Most jirgas are conducted in Afghanistan but also among the Pashtun tribes in neighboring Pakistan, especially in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK).