Pakhtun Culture and Policing: An Understanding of Pakhtunwali and Stereotypic Image of Police and their Far-reaching Consequences in District Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Police service delivery is a cumbersome task which is often influenced by centuries old customs and traditions of Pakhtun culture. This study addresses the Pakhtun culture and stereotypical construct regarding police and their long lasting consequences in district Swat Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan. In this study, public perception, local understanding and folk wisdom about the desperate nature of police services have been explored. This study is qualitative in nature where data have been collected from community members belonging to different professions with the help of purposive sampling. The collected data have been analyzed with the help of narrative analysis. The study reflects the negative image of police among the local inhabitants of the Swat.  Similarly, the cultural practices also intervene in their services. Police in the region are working under the influence of police rules and local culture, where, police feels themselves in the quagmire of century’s old customs and traditions. In most of the cases police services are getting influenced by local culture and folk wisdom respectively. It is, therefore, recommended in this study to arrange different sessions and to promote the ethos of community policing in the region. Along with, different programs and schemes shall be lunched in respective community to develop positive image of police in order to ensure effective policing.