Shadow courts

Last week, it was reported that a jirga in Wana, South Waziristan ordered a local journalist to pay a fine or leave the area. Unfortunately, many of these jirgas tend to operate in a totally unregulated manner, passing verdicts contrary to the law. In the districts that used to belong to Fata, these jirgas arose to fill the vacuum left by the absence of the normal legal system. Pakistan is a state. It has a constitution which binds every citizen to abide by law. The state and government needs to protect the life and liberty of each if its citizens as stated by the constitution. This case can be a very good opportunity for the government, state and judiciary to assert their authority and crackdown on these irregular courts and their illegal verdicts.

Syed Badshah

Buner