Pashtun Jirga and prospects of peace and conflict resolution in Pakistan’s ‘tribal’ frontier

ABSTRACT

There is growing recognition and appreciation of traditional approaches towards peace and conflict resolution across the world. This article aims to highlight the crucial role and consequential importance of traditional mechanisms of peace and conflict resolution in Pakistan’s terror-hit Pashtun ‘tribal’ areas, formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). These ‘peripheral’ areas of Pashtun tribes stand in relative isolation from the ‘centre’ of the Pakistani ruling establishment. Moreover, with the onset of militancy since 2001 in the Afghanistan–Pakistan region, the situation has turned worse for the local Pashtun tribes. The article discusses the changing role of traditional mechanisms and local structures of peace and conflict resolution, arguing that colonial legacies have failed to prevent, manage, resolve or transform conflicts in post-colonial states such as Pakistan. Furthermore, the Pashtun cultural code of Pashtunwali, along with its various tenets and structures, especially Jirga (Pashtun tribal council) and Lashkar (tribal militia), is also discussed in the article. The article concludes that the changing socio-political situation, along with the rise of the secular Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), is presenting a challenge to ‘tribal’ Pashtun patriarchal values as well as traditional structures like Jirga in the region.

Keywords:

• Pashtuns
• Jirga
• terrorism
• culture and conflict
• peace
• war on terror
• Pakistan
• erstwhile FATA

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Farooq Yousaf

Farooq Yousaf has a PhD in Politics from the University of Newcastle, NSW, Australia (2015–2019). Prior to his Doctoral studies, he completed a Master’s in Public Policy from the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, University of Erfurt, Germany (2012–2014).

Syed FurrukhZad

Syed FurrukhZad has a PhD in Humanities from the University of Erfurt, Germany, where he studied the Cultural Politics of Islamophobia in Western Europe. He is presently the Chair of Canadian Peace Initiative (CPI) Calgary Chapter, and Research Affiliate at Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society.