Bloody tribal dispute over distribution of water and electricity resolved in Kohistan

Komela: Two tribes of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa’s Kohistan district announced that they have reached a peace formula, after a Jirga’s intervention. They addressed a press conference, sharing details of the truce.

The Yodun Khel and Shimit Khel tribes of Jalkot valley Kohistan were getting ready for a bloody clash for the last two months over disputes related to distribution of water and power generation. They had taken arms and become entrenched in defensive positions in the highly mountainous Kohistan area. Aerial firing by the feuding tribes had led to police intervention, with ten people from each tribe going to jail.

As is the tradition in this area, a local “Jirga” was constituted and authorized to find a solution acceptable to both tribes. The Both Khel tribe’s elders, working as mediators, made peace between the two tribes.

Sharing details during a press conference, Haji Kamal of Both Khel tribe said that both feuding tribes have reached consensus over the use of electricity generators and water resources. He gave details about the formula for distribution of electricity and water.

The incident, ironically, symbolizes the impact of power shortage on the lives of the people who live in a resource rich region, with immense hydropower potential, but still fighting over sharing of a few hundred kilowatts of electricity.