By Ashrafuddin Pirzada
LANDIKOTAL: Speakers at a “Meet the Press” session at the district press club on Sunday expressed deep concern over rising local disputes that claimed several human lives and blamed the interest-based dealings, flaws in the new administrative and judicial systems and low community awareness after the tribal areas’ merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The event was attended by the provincial minister’s personal secretary, Maulana Shoaib Qadri, former Peshawar High Court Bar member advocate Qubais Shinwari, JUI-F merged districts senior vice ameer Mufti Ejaz Shinwari, SHO Landikotal Ishrat Shinwari, Torkham customs agents association president Mujeeb Shinwari and social worker Haji Ilyas Shinwari.
Speakers noted that financial dealings involving interest have become a major source of disputes, animosity and violence in the area. They reminded that the Holy Quran explicitly declares war against usury, warning that those involved would face severe consequences. They also criticized certain local jirga members for partiality and monetary involvement, stating that biased mediation and financial motives have undermined the credibility of traditional dispute resolution mechanisms.
Advocate Qubais Shinwari said that the introduction of the new patwar (land revenue) system has led to confusion and doubled the number of property-related disputes. He added that the judiciary, though now accessible to the tribal population, was overburdened with cases and lacked timely decisions, leading to frustration and further escalation of conflicts.
Speakers lamented that although the government introduced a new governance framework after the merger, it failed to provide adequate facilities and awareness to help the people adapt to the system. They emphasized the need to establish law faculties in tribal area colleges so that youth could study legal systems and contribute effectively to judicial reforms.
Mufti Ejaz Shinwari said that police could not effectively maintain law and order without public support. He added that the number of internal conflicts in Landikotal was increasing daily and blamed the police system for being the root of growing crimes and lawlessness.
He criticized the National Logistics Cell (NLC) for “usurping national land” and mistreating passengers at the Torkham border. He said that delaying or withholding the annual payment to the Khogakhel tribe was an injustice and vowed that such actions would be resisted.
The speakers unanimously agreed that the region’s peace and progress depend on collective efforts. They urged political leaders, tribal elders, journalists and civil society members to come together, promote understanding among rival groups and work jointly to restore harmony and trust in Landikotal.
