Jarga only hope for justice seeking person in FATA
(ISLAMABAD, April 2, 2012): Jarga is the only hope for tribal society confronting with host of the issues like terrorism, lawless and illiteracy, poverty and lack of proper infrastructure. Though the militancy has overshadowed this local justice system of tribal people even then it is prominent in the war affected tribal areas of Pakistan.
The FATA Research Center (FRC) under its weekly Culture Exploration Proramme (CEP) discussed the Jarga and its implications where almost all dimensions of Jarga, an important institute of tribal society were discussed. Mansur Khan Mahsud, Director Research and Administration chaired the session.
Mansur Khan was of the view that Jarga is providing easy justice to all segments of society even in settled areas of Pakistan people are holding jarga to resolve their disputes. He said that punchayat or Jarga in other parts of Pakistan is being dominated by some landlord or influential but in Pashtun society Jarga can never be dominated and even if a boy of 15 years will raise question, whole jarga will have to satisfy him.
Head of CEP, Mehran Ali Khan, in traditional tribal dress including (Pagda’i) turban gave presentation on Jarga in which he highlighted the history, structure, functioning of Jarga and its comparison with other justice systems.
Mehran compared the tribal Jarga of Pashtun society with the concept of Direct Democracy of Greek City States, saying that Jarga is very nearer to the Alternative Dispute Resolution and like Direct Democracy it help resolve all little and major disputes in the tribal society and provides voice to poor and weak sections of society. Besides Pashtun society, other societies in Pakistan have also same systems of Justice though there are few differences, he added.
After the presentation the house was opened for discussion and participants discussed in length all negative and positive aspects of jarga. The participants raise questions regarding the structure and function of jarga which were entertained with valid answers.
Mehran Ali talking about the pronunciation of Jarga said that as Pashtuns are divided in Pakistan and Afghanistan and this division has resulted in changes in dialect and pronunciation of words. Similarly, pronunciation of cultural terms and terminologies is different in two sides of the divide. Pashtuns in Afghanistan call it ‘Jirga’ while those who live in Pakistan pronounce it as Jarga, he added.
After understanding Jarga in its entirety the participants suggested that there should be no changes in the structure of Jarga because it is a complete mechanism of providing justice. (FRC)
