Stakeholders conference held for resolving conflict on pasture and grazing land in Chitral.
By: Gul Hamaad Farooqi
CHITRAL: A day long stake holder’s (peace) conference held in a local hotel for resolving centuries old conflicts on pasture and grazing land of Jughor village of Chitral. The stakeholders conference was funded by European Union implemented by Community Appraisal & Motivation program (CAMP) in collaboration with safer world Pakistan.
It was arranged under the umbrella of Legal Aid Forum for Human Rights (LAFH) Chitral. The conference was held for peace building & resolves an issue of Jughor village since 1902 between the local community and Gujar community (grazing group). As the local people were on the opinion that due to grazing of goats by Gujar families it causing for deforestation and natural calamity like flood and disaster.
Both parties had approached to higher and superior court of Pakistan who directed them to solve this issue through local administration through Jirga system (meeting). LAFH called upon both parties for negotiation this issue peacefully. Maulana Israruddin Alhilal motivated both parties for solving the issue in the light of Islamic teaching Quran and Hadith.
Former DCO Hussain Ahmad, Professor Rahmat Karim Baig, former Amir Jumat Islami Maulana Sher Aziz, Sub Divisional Forest Officer Asif Ali Shah, Public Prosecutor Hazrat Ali Shah, Divisional Forest Officer Wild Life Imtiaz Hussain and CAMP project officer Tariq Semi and other elites of the area participated in the conference and spoke on importance of compromise through mediation.
The speakers highlighted sensitivity legally and environmentally impact of the issue on the area. Former district Nazim and Amir Jamat Islami Maghfirat Shah stressed upon the both parties to solve this issue peacefully and save the area from sever tension.
Representatives of both opponent groups explained their point of view. The Gujar family of grazing group said that they grazing their goats since centuries and they have no alternate source of income. While the other group of local community were in the opinion that they should to sell their goats and start some other business. As Gujar people having 12000 goats who grazing them in nearby pasture and well as they also hunting wild life.
It was decided that a committee will be detailed comprising over two representatives from both parties and with legal support of LAFH who will solve this issue including Haji Abdul Nasir president LAFH..
It is worth to mention here that this was a century long issue between two group and on the first time it is solving peacefully through table talk and negotiation through LAFH. A large number of people of the area attended the conference. Both parities also had opened firing on each others with casualties in past but now LAFH solving this issue through negotiation. The conference was concluded with praying words of Maulana Sher Aziz former Amir Jamat Islami.
Gul Hamaad Farooqi C/O Manager bank Islami Main branch Chitral Pakistan phone No (0092) 0943-320737, 0943-316052, 0943-414418 ,03205989602, 03025989602, 03337069572, 03159698446, 03469002167
email: gulhamad@gmail.com,ghfarooqi@rediffmail.com, gulhamaad786@yahoo.co.uk,ghfarooqi@rediffmail.com
