Crime diary: Enmities claim hundreds of lives in KP every year

PESHAWAR: Hundreds of people are killed in blood feuds across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa every year as gun culture has recorded an increase while society is losing tolerance to settle issues at relevant forums.

In some areas, jirgas and other alternative dispute resolution forums have lost their effectiveness. Numerous individuals wanted in connection with these blood feuds remain at large, and police are yet to arrest them.

Also, for many of the jirga members it has become a source for personal gains, causing damage to one of the most effective bodies that used to settle mutual disputes without involving police and courts. The situation has resulted in an increase in violence during enmities.

At least eight people of a family, all females and children, were killed in Badaber a few days back over the issue of Rs2.3 million between the cousins. Youngest of the victims was an eight-month-old infant while the eldest was an ailing old lady who was in bed for the last many years. The next day, four people lost their lives in one single incident in Daudzai.

The Badaber incident has shocked the entire provincial capital and people feel the need that government, police and society need to play an effective role to end hundreds of feuds that pose a serious threat to the law and order in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The official records of the capital city police reveal that over 275 people lost their lives in enmities and blood feuds in Peshawar during the last almost six months. The highest ratio is in the limits of Badaber Police Station where over 40 people have been killed in enmities since January.

Some of the enmities have been going on for decades. The groups involved in these feuds are promoting gun culture and terrorising the common people by brandishing arms in public.

There are a number of blood feuds in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa including Peshawar that started years ago over petty issues and claimed scores of lives from both sides thus far. Several passers-by also lost their lives in these enmities and there seems no end to the madness.

There are reports that some of these groups, which remain heavily armed and move in several vehicles within the city, are actively involved in crimes, supporting and facilitating criminals, land grabbing and harassing innocent people by intentionally brandishing weapons in public. They are being supported by local influential families, politicians and individuals in an effort to use them for their own purposes when needed.

Some of these families have no option but to get involved in crimes to make money.After harbouring enmities for years, they cannot do regular jobs and businesses and have to find ways to run their kitchen as well as manage ammunition and guards. This situation lands most of the groups in unlawful practices as well as crimes to manage their expenses.

The feuds also stop children from going to school or college. Instead they are encouraged to learn how to handle and use weapons for their safety. The blood-feuds cause inconvenience to thousands of other people in the area due to a sense of insecurity.

Most of these enmities are caused by property, money or family disputes or mere ego issues. In most of the cases, it starts from a small piece of land and both the parties have to sell several acres later to arrange for the expenses in the years to come. Besides, other causes of the feuds are women, ego and petty issues that are going on for the last many years.

A few years ago, the Saddar Division Police, where most of the blood-feuds are going on for decades and have claimed innumerable lives, had identified over 130 such feuds in which armed men from both sides were a constant threat to the law and order situation. There were 58 blood feuds only in the limits of one Matani Police Station. Badaber also falls in the limits of Saddar division.

The then officers had launched an operation against these groups and held many of those who were brandishing weapons in public and were creating law and order situations.Apart from Saddar, there are many enmities in Rural, City, Faqirabad, Warsak and Cantt divisions of Peshawar. Besides, there are even more enmities in other districts of KP, especially the rural towns where gun culture is on the rise.

The past action by the police in these areas against armed rival groups was largely welcomed by the people and they wanted the cops in other areas and districts to adopt a similar approach to save lives and settle disputes.They said police should especially go after the groups that are involved in land grabbing and crimes while pretending to carry arms for self-defence.

In many areas people want police and government to activate and reform the dispute resolution councils (DRCs) and public liaison committees (PLCs) and encourage honest jirga elders of good reputation to help settle these enmities. Mostly people with vested interests were added into DRCs and PLCs by the then DSPs and SHOs who are not only ineffective and absent but also use these forums for personal gains.Apart from involving and supporting jirgas of elders with good reputation, the active role of DRCs set up all over KP and police action against those threatening law and order can help settle the majority of these feuds.