SWABI: Political leaders have called for coordinated efforts among the jirga members, the police and religious figures to help end rivalries among people to ensure peaceful environment in Swabi district.

They said both the traditional jirga system and the dispute resolution council had failed to resolve people’s feuds as an appalling surge in killings had been witnessed in recent months.

Over 37 people were killed only in Ramazan over enmities and disputes.

Their unanimous opinion was that the “serious issue” was that the entire system had become corrupt as those who were supposed to work for settlement of disputes were focused on their own interests instead of people’s welfare, and in such an environment how rivalries among the people could be settled through negotiations.

Salim Khan Advocate, former provincial general secretary of Awami National Party, said people’s frustration had increased with the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities and unemployment.

“We should not forget that violence breeds more violence. Here the people’s problem is that they look for solution to every issue through the barrel of gun,” he said, adding religious scholars should advise people to be patient and uphold the principle of tolerance and peaceful life in all circumstances.

“Islahi (welfare) jirgas were converted into official jirgas, which caused the traditional dispute resolution mechanism to lose its glory and respect among people,” claimed Salim Khan.

He said criminals didn’t often get the punishment because the required circumstantial evidence was not fulfilled and the benefit of doubt went to the person, who committed the crime.

Javid Inqilabi, divisional general secretary of Pakistan Peoples Party, said there should be severe punishments for those who commit crimes. “When a country fails to ensure justice to its people, the crime rate and number of criminals increase, making the peaceful people’s life miserable,” he said.

Mohammad Rashid Advocate, former chairman of Public Safety Commission, said inflation and ignorance among people were the main causes of the current killing spree. “In the prevailing environment, it is important that the religious scholars, jirga members and the police make coordinated efforts to end trivial rivalries and disputes among people.”

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2024