APPRAISAL OF INFORMAL JUSTICE: DISPUTE RESOLUTION COUNCILS IN CHARSADDA AND NOWSHERA, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

Abstract

This study appraises the effectiveness of informal justice mechanisms in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by examining Dispute Resolution Councils (DRCs) in Nowshera and Charsadda districts. It assesses the intervention level of these councils as alternative justice systems and identifies gaps and areas for improving access to justice. Using Restorative Justice Theory, the study argues that informal mechanisms in traditional societies focus on repairing harm, restoring relationships, and reintegrating offenders and victims within their communities