ABBOTTABAD, Dec 27: Reconciliation committees in Abbotabad district settled 198 disputes during the last three months. These committees received a total of 250 applications for settlement of disputes in the period under review.

Aimed at attaining out-of-court settlement of petty civil disputes, reconciliation committees have been constituted by the Hazara police across Hazara division at the police station level. They comprise area notables and police officials.

The settlement of these cases not only saved the disputing parties their precious time and money, it also increased the confidence of the general public in police, said conveners of reconciliation committees at the first review meeting of the committees presided over by DIG Hazara Range Zulfiqar Cheema at the district council hall here on Wednesday.

Now people have started demanding the settlement of criminal cases through these committees, said the conveners.

Most of the cases registered with the committees pertained to land and family issues. In 35 of such cases, police had even lodged an FIR. Cases registered under section 302, 324 and 37 were also disposed of by these committees.