Timely justice: Community body gives quick solutions for small disputes

Matta Musalihat Committee has resolved 95% of cases presented in the past two years.

SWAT:

The Matta Musalihat Committee (reconciliation committee) has successfully resolved 129 out of 136 cases, since its inception nearly two years ago.

“The locals now prefer to bring their disputes to us for a quick and fair solution,” said Matta Musalihat Committee Coordinator Khurshid Ali Khan, adding that they try their best to resolve disputes impartially.

Social activist Fazal Rahim Khan said the initiative to form the committee was taken in Malakand after peace was restored in the division.

“The people of Malakand were tired of the judicial system’s delay in deciding cases. That was one reason why people turned to the Taliban - so pending problems could be resolved,” Khan added.

Union council resolution committees which settle local disputes or minor issues among groups are considered to have played an important role.

“They have relieved the judiciary and police of a lot of workload and they work within the framework of our culture and traditions,” said Saima Anwar, a district court lawyer. “However, we have received many complaints from the locals that the committees are influenced by the elite, who make biased decisions,” she added.

“If the influence of the elite is eliminated and the poor are treated equally then the system is not bad at all,” Saima stated.

The Matta Musalihat Committee was formed on August 25, 2010 to help assist the police in resolving issues among residents. It resolved 36 out of 37 cases presented in 2011. Out of 80 cases 77 were decided successfully in 2012, while 16 out of 19 cases have been resolved this year.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 13^th, 2013.