The council acts as a community-based forum that helps resolve local disputes through mediation
Razia Mehsud becomes the first woman member of the Dispute Settlement Council of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
In a landmark move for women’s representation in tribal districts, social activist Razia Mehsud became the first woman to be appointed to the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) in Upper South Waziristan, a move hailed as an important milestone for an inclusive society.
According to an official notification issued by the Dera Ismail Khan Regional Police Officer (RPO) on Monday, the 17-member DRC was set up on the recommendation of Upper South Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Arshad Khan.
For the first time since the establishment of the council in the district, a woman was included among its members.
The DRC, established by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police, serves as a community-based forum that helps resolve local disputes through mediation, reducing the burden on the courts and promoting accessible and peaceful conflict resolution.
Razia is expected to play a key role in addressing women’s grievances, family disputes and wider societal issues. Local tribal elders, social activists and community representatives believe her appointment will improve women’s access to justice, particularly in cases where cultural barriers have traditionally deterred women from approaching male-dominated forums.
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Observers say the inclusion of a woman on the council is likely to encourage greater confidence among female complainants, strengthen women’s participation in local decision-making and pave the way for wider gender inclusion in traditional conflict resolution mechanisms across the tribal districts.
The appointment has been widely praised by social and tribal circles, who described it as a historic development not only for Upper South Waziristan, but for the entire Waziristan region, where women have historically had limited representation in formal and informal government structures.
KP’s Inspector General of Police, Dr. Zulfiqar Hameed, said earlier that thousands of local and regional disputes across the province have been successfully resolved through the DRC system. He described the expansion of DRCs in the merged tribal districts as an effective model to ensure speedy, community-based justice and strengthen public confidence in the police.
