After KP FATA merger, many political experts predicted and expected that abolishment of FCR; an ancient black law in tribal region will change the life of a common man living in the tribal region. The move will also allow common populace an opportunity to approach courts and other concerned departments to seek quick and early justice.
However, despite the merger and inclusion of tribal region in KP, the number of disputes in tribal districts is increasing day by day. In a similar development, land disputes in tribal Kurram district is on the rise as the authorities have failed to control such disputes despite existence of a proper policing system in the region.
According to locals’ of Kurram district, the increasing number of land disputes in the district has become a headache for the masses and district administration. The locals are reluctant to approach concerned authority in case of any rift on land distribution and the differences at times become violent.
While talking to the Voice Of KP, a social activist Syed Muhammad, hailing from Para Chinar said that it is a fact that the FATA-KP merger has brought many changes in the social system of the tribal region but there are many other issues which are yet to be resolved despite the presence of courts and police in the district.
He stated that land disputes in the Kurram district were increasing with every passing day and the authorities had failed to take any proper action to stop the masses from such fatal clashes.
It is important to mention that Kurram district is famous for its intra-tribal clashes and land disputes across the province. According to an unconfirmed report, since KP-FATA merger, 29 people have lost their lives in Kurram district over different land disputes. Despite such a huge loss, people are not approaching courts for resolving these longstanding issues. Meanwhile, many of the local activists blames police and other concerned authorities’ inactiveness for these clashes. They further blame, lack of coordination between police, district administration and elected members for the current uncertain situation in the district.
On other hand, while talking to Voice of KP, District Police Officer (DPO) Kurram district Muhammad Quresh Khan said that a balance and analytical approach is required; adding that courts are established after merger and the people should take the issue to the court of law. He maintained that police were trying their best to resolve the issues through timely interference; claiming that there were total 18 big tribal land disputes in the district and police is deployed 24/ 7 in almost all such locations where tribe’s clashes had occurred.
While talking about legal awareness among the masses, he concluded that DPO office was receiving large number of application on daily basis regarding land disputes and accordingly they are guided to take the issue either to district revenue officer or to the civil courts.
It is also pertinent to mention that the elders of the Kurram districts are urging the authorities to resolve the land disputes as soon as possible as Kurram had remain a centre of sectarian conflicts and any such issue can easily escalate to such conflict.
The government needs to resolve the conflicts without any delay as there are fears that such a fragile situation may be exploited by the external forces pushing the region once again to an unending violence.
