The Council serves as a community forum that helps resolve local disputes through mediation
Razia Mehsud becomes the first woman to be a member of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Dispute Resolution Board. PHOTO: EXPRESS
PESHAWAR:
In a historic milestone for women’s representation in tribal districts, social activist Razia Mehsud has become the first woman appointed to the Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) in Upper South Waziristan, a move widely hailed as a milestone for an inclusive community.
According to an official notification issued by Dera Regional Police Officer (RPO) Ismail Khan on Monday, the 17-member RDC was formed on the recommendation of South Upper Waziristan District Police Officer (DPO) Arshad Khan.
For the first time since the creation of the district council, a woman was among its members.
The DRC, established by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police, serves as a community forum that helps resolve local disputes through mediation, thereby reducing the burden on the courts while promoting accessible and peaceful conflict resolution.
Razia is expected to play a key role in resolving women’s grievances, family conflicts and larger community 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 discouraged 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 trust among complainants, strengthen women’s participation in local decision-making and pave the way for broader gender inclusion in traditional conflict resolution mechanisms in tribal districts.
The appointment was widely welcomed by social and tribal circles, who described it as a historic development not only for South Upper Waziristan but for the entire Waziristan region, where women have historically had limited representation in formal and informal governance structures.
KP Inspector General of Police Dr Zulfiqar Hameed earlier said thousands of local and regional disputes across the province had been successfully resolved through the DRC system. He described the expansion of RDCs in merged tribal districts as an effective model for ensuring speedy, community-based justice and building public confidence in the police.
