Workshop held for district level stakeholders of dispute resolution council

Gul Hamad Farooqi

Chitral: A day long workshop for district level stakeholders held on dispute resolution council (DRC) at a local hotel. The workshop was organized by SRSP under the strengthening Rule of Law project of UNDP which is supported by European Union. Addressing to the ceremony Shahzada  Iqtidarul Mulk said that community based dispute resolution  council has been established in each police station of Chitral where volunteer groups were working to resolve petty disputes among locals.

He said that poor people cannot approach courts, Katchery and police station so this is an alternate mediation center for solving their issues through table talk and dialogues.  He said that the procedure of court is very lengthy and police cannot give any relief to a party without court verdict. DRC was established to save money and time of poor people and solve problems without torturing any one.

Molvi Masood Ahmad highlighted importance of compromise and mediation in the light of Quran and Sunnah. Azmat Esa former public prosecutor said that in police act of 2016 IGP have been empowered to solve petty issues at police station level. He said DRC is having 21 members from all segment of society to solve public issues on merit basis.

Advocate Rahila Kanval, legal Advisor of LEP, Shahzadi Gulfam community activist, Bibi Khunza village councilor, Musrat Bibi, social activist, Niaz A Niazi Advocate highly appreciated the alternate dispute resolution mechanism and termed it a relief for depressed, oppressed and helpless people

Tariq Ahmad, District Program Manger thanked all stakeholders and participants of the workshop. A large number of people including government officials, lawyers, social workers and representatives of civil societies were present in the workshop.