(The Turkish Post) – Türkiye’s parliament is preparing to set up a commission to monitor PKK disarmament, part of a process the government calls the terror-free Türkiye initiative, the parliament speaker said.
Speaker Numan Kurtulmus said the body would be formed in the coming days and would include representatives of every party with a group in parliament. He had earlier said it would be set up once the new legislative year opened on Oct. 1.
A monitoring commission for PKK disarmament
The planned commission is meant to give parliament a formal role in overseeing PKK disarmament. It would review assessments by the security agencies on whether the group has fully dissolved and whether its weapons have been put out of use.
The commission would also review government decisions on individual cases arising from the process. Kurtulmus said the body would bring together all parliamentary groups so that the oversight reflects a broad political base.
The move is the latest step in an effort to end a conflict between the Turkish state and the PKK that has lasted about four decades and killed tens of thousands of people. The group is designated a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union.
The armed conflict began in 1984 and spread over the years to parts of the southeast as well as areas of northern Iraq and Syria, displacing hundreds of thousands of people. The southeast has seen a sharp fall in violence since the group announced its decision to disband earlier this year.
What the terror-free Türkiye process covers
The terror-free Türkiye initiative seeks the complete disbandment of the PKK and the surrender of its weapons in return for legal and political steps. Supporters say it offers a path to permanent peace in the mainly Kurdish southeast.
Earlier this year, the group announced that it would lay down arms and dissolve its structures, a declaration that followed a call from its imprisoned founder. The government has insisted that any legal measures depend on full and verified disarmament.
The process has drawn both support and criticism across the political spectrum. Some parties have welcomed the prospect of peace, while others have warned against concessions before the group has completely disarmed.
The monitoring commission and its role
In August, parliament passed the Law on Strengthening National Solidarity and Social Integration, which sets out the legal framework for the process. One account said the 600-seat assembly approved the law with 468 votes in favor.
The measures do not take effect automatically. They apply only after the National Security Council (MGK), which brings together top officials and military commanders, confirms that the group has disbanded and handed over all its weapons.
The monitoring commission is intended to track that verification and report to parliament. Kurtulmus said its work would be central to building public confidence that the PKK disarmament is genuine and complete.
How the law took shape
The legislation was the product of months of talks among parties and consultations with officials. It followed an earlier bill that paused prosecutions of thousands of people linked to the group as part of the wider settlement.
Officials have said the aim is to move from a security-based approach to a political and legal one, while keeping safeguards in place. The government has repeatedly stressed that disarmament must be confirmed before further steps are taken.
What happens next
Parliament is expected to name the members of the monitoring commission in the days ahead, once the party groups submit their representatives. The commission will then begin reviewing the security agencies’ reports on the PKK disarmament.
Officials have given no fixed timetable for completing the process. They say its pace will depend on verification by the security services and the National Security Council rather than on a political calendar.
