Nangarhar families reconcile, end 34 years enmity

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Two rival families have reconciled and ended 34 years of enmity in the Rodat district of eastern Nangarhar province, thanks to mediation from local tribal elders and religious scholars.
Triggered by a land dispute between Jan the families of Mohammad Khan and Ajab Khan, the enmity left three people dead and as many wounded.
Deputy Governor Maulvi Syed Ahmad Banori, who attended the jirga, said the four decades conflict had resulted in many enmities that must end.
He urged officials and tribal leaders to continue mediating between rival parties to banish hostilities.
Maulvi Ziaullah Hakimi, a religious scholar, called Islamic religion of peace and brotherhood.
He believed such enmities should be converted into friendships through the mediation of tribal elders and religious scholars.
Gul Ahmad, a jirga member and tribal leader, said they had mediated between the two families for about one month and eventually they agreed to pardon each other.
Abdul Mateen, another member of the mediation team, thanked both families for accepting their request and reconciling.
Enayat Rahman Amin read out the jirga declaration, which says: “Both sides should forgive each other without any deal. If any family try to harm the other, it will have to pay five million afghanis in fine and all their property will be seized.”
Syed Mohammad, a member of Jan Mohammad’s family, said the feud had erupted when both elders (Jan Mohammad and Ajab Khan) were alive. Even after they died, the enmity lingered on for years.
He thanked jirga leaders for efforts to end the enmity and urged mediators to extend their endeavours to other areas as well to eliminate hostilities among families there.