Abstract:
Conflict resolution has established an eminent place in literature over time. Scholars and
practitioners have extended efforts toward devising alternative mechanisms for resolving conflict
at a local level. In the previous decade, there have been efforts aimed at strategizing effective
mediation approaches among disputed parties under the auspices of Alternate Dispute Resolution
(ADR), resulting in the formation of Dispute Resolution Councils in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Disputes on the local level have the tendency to spiral into violent conflict resulting from the
lack of effective means caused by the abject failure of the criminal justice systems. ADR
strategized as DRC can provide a credible and timely process for resolving differences. The
qualitative-based research examines the strengths and weaknesses of DRCs, what we know and
what is yet to be known about the growth and impact of the initiative. Such an analysis will aid
us in comprehending the structural and operational dynamics of the councils. The techniques set
up by the council have the tendency to strengthen dispute settlement systems and bridge the gap
between formal legal systems and traditional modes of acquiring justice. It is necessary that the
specific Pashtun context be examined as centuries-old systems Jirga as a tenet of Pashtunwali
holds immense significance when resolving disputes in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The case of Peshawar, which is considered an urban setting as opposed to the remainder of the
province, is studied in terms of Dispute Resolution Councils’ effect iveness. The role Jirgas play
in justice provision is an aspect that is covered alongside the communit ies’ approach towards
moving to a formalized method of ADR. DRC may have particular value in stabilizing disputes
and community-building efforts when the criminal justice system is weak and social tensions are
high. For Pakistan Vision 2025, the National Internal Security Plan decodes the importance of
developing measures for the promotion of security and peacebuilding. This indicates the
importance of initiatives like the DRC being a strategic effort of community engagement towards
conflict resolution, social cohesion, and peace
