Quick justice attracts many to DRC

PESHAWAR: It was 10:30am. A number of people, including elderly citizens, were anxiously waiting for their turn at the verandah of the Gulbahar Police Station to be called inside the room to appear before the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC).
Three elderly women were among the people who had been waiting since morning.The rush of people was steadily increasing. The people said they had come at 9am, but they didn’t know when they would be heard.
Ironically, there was no one to register the names of the first comers to streamline the process. A brief verse of the Holy Quran was pasted on the gate with Urdu translation emphasising the importance of reconciliation.
Those waiting for their turn would impatiently walk towards the police constable in the hope that they would be ushered into the room so that they could pour their hearts out and get their issue resolved.
Many more were sitting on the wooden benches at a distance as they knew they could only be called on the arrival of their opponents.No lawyer was needed as everyone was supposed to plead his or her case.
Though many people were satisfied that they didn’t have to hire the services of lawyers, some were worried as the DRC does not enjoy legal powers.It could be useful if DRC was given the powers to punish those violating its decision or disobeying its verdicts.
This correspondent entered the room with an elderly person, who had a property dispute with his aging sisters.Three persons sitting like judges along with two assistants checked the papers.
As there was a huge rush of people, the young assistant shouted at them, asking why they entered the room without being called in. The poor complainants listened in silence.He also asked this correspondent the reason for entering the room. He kept quiet when told that one had come in company of the complainant named Javed.
He then asked Javed, 62, whether his opponents had arrived. The proceedings started when Javed reply in the affirmative and pointed towards the old women sitting on the opposite benches.
The officials asked Javed whether he was ready to give share to the old women, who were his sisters, in the property.Javed, a resident of Koocha Agha Sharif Hussain Shah, said he was ready to do so but he wanted the proof that was given to him. At this stage, both the parties came out of the room for consultation on resolving the issue.
A taxi driver, Shoaib, was also waiting for his opponent Almas Khan’s arrival. He was hoping to get justice as the DRC had solved the problem of one of his friend sometime back.A bearded man with long hairs, who introduced himself as Pir Sahib, said he had a money dispute with a mason, who was not attending the hearing of the DRC.
Riaz Ahmad Khan from Mohallah Baqir Shah had a money dispute with his brother, who was working abroad and had yet to return his money.
The station house office of Gulbahar Police Station said DRC was an independent institution and it mostly dealt with civil cases. He said the establishment of DRC has reduced burden on courts as majority of the cases are resolved on the pattern of jirgas.