Indigenous Dispute Resolution Mechanism (IDRM) in Sindh: A Case Study of Fatehpur Village, Larkana

Abstract

Pakistan's justice delivery mechanism is based on formal, informal, and sharia laws. The basic purpose of these mechanisms is to facilitate the masses in getting better access to justice for various reasons. Generally, courts involved procedural delays, away from community, foreign language, expansive, and nepotism, thus courts decrease the trust level of people. While IDRM has a speedy justice delivery mechanism, native language, efficient and cost-effective. Earlier, IDRM was not recognized as a law: however, various efforts have been made at national and provincial level to reduce the burden of courts by legitimatizing the IDRM. This research is designed to find how it works and evaluate its role through local narrative/perceptions and whether it has the ability to cater to the aspirations of aggrieved families. The (N=92) interviews were carried out with a purposive sampling technique to collect data from ChangoMurs, local actors, disputants, and their families. A further 4 FGD’s were conducted with the people of the villages at Otak of ChangoMurs, and village hotel. The study concludes that the courts are overwhelmed, with less staffing and their own procedural issues, resulting in delays, sluggish processes, nepotism, and high costs. While IDRM gains familiarity, easy accessibility, low cost, attentiveness, personal affiliation, and suitability in nearly every dispute, villagers interpret conflicts as cultural activities and want mechanisms that comprehend the socio-cultural significance and understand the context of dispute. Moreover, the IDRM resolves disputes while taking into account the political, social, legal, economic, and humanitarian viewpoints of the community. Keywords: Dispute, IDRM, family aspirations, cost and time efficacy