SWABI: Local elders have vowed to activate jirgas in seeking out of court settlement of murder and other disputes and keeping the Pakhtuns united to ensure their social and economic progress.

The declaration was made at a meeting called here on Wednesday to settle a dispute triggered after murder of three people at Yaqubi village of Yar Hussain on August 15.

Two groups led by Hakim Khan and Faqir Taj had clashed over collection of money for repair of an electricity transformer, leaving three people killed and four injured.

Members of district Islahi Jirga, Yar Hussain Jirga and Yaqubi Jirga participated in the meeting, vowing to work collectively to turn rivalries into friendships.

The elders said that they would discourage the custom of swara as it had been declared un-Islamic by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

On the occasion, Sabaz Ali Shah Bacha, president of district Islahi Jirga, said that amicable settlement of the murder dispute had inspired them to be more vocal in settlement of community issues.

“We pledge that we will work collectively for out of court settlement of rivalries with the cooperation of police,” he added.

Inayat Ali Shah, president of Yaqubi Jirga, said that killings over trivial issues should be discouraged as such practices destroyed human values and financial conditions of people.

“People should avoid killing each other as murdering a man amounted to murder of the entire humanity,” he stressed.

Jan Nisar Khan, president of Yar Hussain Jirga, said that jirga had been one of the most respectable and effective means to settle disputes in the Pakhtun society.

CONTRABAND SEIZED: The Swabi police on Wednesday recovered 13 kilogram contraband and arrested three smugglers in separate incidents here.

DSP Swabi circle Mohammad Fayaz Khan and SHO Munsif Khan led a raid in Maneri region in which two drug pushers were arrested and 11 kilogram charas was recovered from them.

The arrested persons were named Mazhar Khan and Biladar.

In a related development, SHO Parmoli police station Sultan Mehmood recovered two kilogram charas from Sajjad, resident of Kernel Sher Kali.

Separately, police arrested five suspects and recovered two pistols, a shotgun and a number of rounds from their possession.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2014