Recently, a heart-rendering incident of tribal clashoccurred in Sindh which mercilessly killed at least 9 people and seriously injured 5 others. Thislatest episode is an ongoing saga of tribal clashes in the province for years. Deadly tribal conflicts that have devoured numerous lives proves that the province lacks writ of the government.
On May 16, in a village of Kandh Kot district of the interior Sindh some people belonging to the Chachar tribe were planning to attack the people of Jagirani tribe to settle the score over stolen cattle from their village. Jagiranis, supported by Sabozai tribe, were informed and ambushed Chachars. In the aftermath of the heavy shootout, 9 people of the same family fromChachar tribe were killed.
For the past three decades, Sindh has experienced many such deadly tribal disputes originating from petty issues including theft of livestock, matrimonial relations, honour killings and land feuds. Some of them have been settled and several have been devouring innocent lives.
Bhittai Social Watch and Advocacy (BSWA), a Khairpur-based NGO, published a report, the Tribal Trouble in 2012. An extended research of the same project was conducted from2010-2014, about 2301 people including 160 women and 45 children lost their lives and 3697 got injured in around 1566 tribal conflicts taking place in 22 districts of the interior Sindh. Making statistical calculations, the BSWA showed that every year 460 people were killed in 313 tribal feuds during these five years.
The most affected in these conflicts are the weak and the peaceful people as they are easy targets for the rival target killers
In tribal clashes, people belonging to the warring tribes are killed indiscriminately even if they are not involved in the dispute. In the race of killing people of the rival tribe, each party makesan effort to equalize the number of murders. The most affected in these conflicts are the weak and the peaceful people as they are easy targets for the rival target killers.
To settle tribal conflicts, jirgas and tribal courts are held by tribal chieftains, landlords and feudal politicians. Fines are fixed on the both warring tribes to compensate for killings, injuries and other losses instead of awarding punishments for murders, injuries and financial losses. As per established tradition of tribal clashes in Sindh, murder is compensated with murder and remaining amount of money goes into pockets of tribal chieftains.
The key factors responsible for resurfacing and prolonged tribal conflicts is lack of stringent punishments for these heinous crimes, and non-payments of the imposed fines to the bereaved families for the deaths of their family members.
The social fabric in conflict zones is badly impacted and uncertainty prevails in these regions. Education, health and economy are adversely affected. The people of warring tribes, outsiders and police are always cautious due tofear of eruption of clashes. Schools and health facilities are closed and routine business remains suspended. The literacy rate and routine immunization drives in those regions are very poor.Moreover, no social gatherings such as local festivals, marriage ceremonies are held in the traditional way.
Unfortunately, the people of disputing tribes can’t move freely to take care of their crops, livestock are lost, continue their jobs in other villages, town or city as they are frightened of being killed by the rivals. Such circumstances are a causeof financial crisis for these people. To generate income for their livelihood,commit heinous crimes including theft, murder for money, robbery and kidnapping for ransom. When their tribe comes into clash with another tribe, these criminals render their services as target killers and kill people of rival tribe indiscriminately.
These criminals have become so sturdy and ferocious that they do not hesitate even killing police personnel. In the riverine region of the interior Sindh, on May 23, these outlaws martyred three police constables and took in their possession an Armed Personnel Courier (APC) of the police during search operation. Similarly, two years back in 2019, DSP, SHO and ASI were mercilessly martyred. Because of the presence of these fearsome and blood curdling criminals, and sophisticated and damaging weapons in their possession, a war-like state of the affairs always prevails in the rural areas of Sindh. Being the creation of tribal wars, these peoplehave complete help and support from the people of their tribes.
Pakistan’s criminal justice system has been deteriorating as it has not been playing its role powerfully to revitalize the existing internal security conditions. Police, the principal component of the justice system, is though entrusted to establish and maintain law and order yet have failed to establish the writ of the state in riverine areas of Sindh. Over the yearslaw-and-order situation has worsened; residents have been left to the mercy of the outlaws and police have become incapable of defending even themselves from criminals.
It is high time that the Sindh government should develop an elaborate mechanism in consultation with tribal chieftains, feudal politicians and legal experts for resolving all the on-going tribal clashes and for preventing such deadly conflicts in future.
The writer is an academic, and can be reached on Twitter @ARShykh