In Nadir Shah Kot, like many other districts in Afghanistan, a congregation of tribal elders is responsible for crimes against women. Tribal disputes are often settled using the reparation practice of “Baad” which entails the perpetrator of the crime giving a female member of his family to the brother or son of the crime victim. The practice of Baad has led to problems and violence. The girls often suffer from abuse in their new homes and several have committed suicide. Opponents of the practice say that Baad is in contradiction to the beliefs of Islam because the real punishment is given to an innocent girl, not the person who committed the crime.
Recently, the elders in Nadir Shah Kot have recognized that the practice of Baad no longer achieves its original purpose of creating peace in the community and have abolished the practice in their region. The violators of this restriction will pay a $1,000 fine. The governor of Khost, Abdul Jabar Naimi, has encouraged others to adopt similar restrictions and seven more districts have abolished the practice as well.
Compiled From: Zarwali Khoshnood, The end of a tradition, WUNRN, (1 June 2011).