Assessing the Role of Dispute Resolution Council (DRC) in Conflict Settlement (A study of district Swabi)

Abdul Majid Khan1

Abstract
Conflicts are endemic to human society. Conflicts lead to crime and violence; and are detrimental to peace and order. Some conflicts may last years and cause a heavy loss of resources and even human life. Formal and informal procedures are operational to resolve conflict before manifestation of its adverse impacts. Formal agencies including state-run court and police stations have remained a prominent venue for litigating public but with the passage of time, the state-run courts became over-burdened with high volume of cases. Today, the
formal litigation system is faced with serious anomalies. Lengthy, expensive and cumbersome procedures of courts have resulted in dissatisfaction of the litigating public. In the current scenario, it is crucially important to introduce more effective and efficient alternatives to the existing litigation. Realizing this dire need for more efficient and effective alternatives to existing litigation, KP Police department established Dispute Resolution Councils (DRCs) across the province. This research endeavour explores the multi-dimensional role of DRC in conflict settlement.

Keywords: Dispute Resolution Council, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Conflicts and Disputes