The infamous Kohistan scandal

The Kohistan video scandal is back in the news. The infamous case – which by far eclipses any big-grossing Hollywood crime-revenge thriller in terms of brutality and bloodshed – has taken nine lives since it came to the fore in 2012. And now, at least one more life is under threat. Running for safety is Bin Yaseer, who has already lost four of his brothers, including Afzal Kohistani who dared blow whistle on the killing of five girls in the name of so-called honour in Kolai-Palas Valley of Kohistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.

Going back to the origins of the case, a video showing five girls and three boys at what was apparently a wedding party went viral on social media. The girls were singing and clapping as the boys danced at the party. Afzal, the brother of one of boys featuring in the video, later alleged in a media interaction that the five girls had been killed by members of their own tribe on the orders of a tribal jirga “for violating tribal customs and bringing dishonour upon the tribe”. Also, three of Afzal’s brothers were killed inside their home allegedly by members of tribe the girls belonged to within months of the scandal breaking out. Years later, in March 2019 to be precise, Afzal who had been running for his life was also shot dead. And even despite a sessions court in K-P sending three callous criminals behind bars for life, a “death squad” formed on the orders of the jirga is still in the hunt for Bin Yaseer who is the lone caretaker of his family, mostly comprising women and orphaned children of his four brothers.

To start with, the local authorities must spring into action forthwith and heed to the calls for protection by Bin Yaseer and the family. Also, it is about time the state came up with a comprehensive strategy to rein in this parallel justice system that has been in vogue in parts of the country even in this age of robotics and artificial intelligence.