Taliban Justice Gains Favor as Official Afghan Courts Fail

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan — Matiullah Khan and Muhammad Aywaz were each dug in, their property dispute in southern Afghanistan at an impasse.

Despite paying more than $1,000 apiece in lawyers’ fees, they found no resolution in the government’s judicial system. The tribal courts, informal networks of elders that most rural Afghans rely on, had also come up short.

So the two men did what a growing number of Afghans do these days when there is no other recourse: They turned to the Taliban. Within a few days, their problem was resolved — no bribes or fees necessary.

“He would have kept my house for himself if it wasn’t for the Taliban,” said Mr. Khan, a resident of Kandahar City who accused Mr. Aywaz of commandeering his home. “They were quick and fair.”

Frustrated by Western-inspired legal codes and a government court system widely seen as corrupt, many Afghans think that the militants’ quick and tradition-rooted rulings are their best hope for justice. In the Pakistani cities of Quetta and Chaman, havens for exiled Taliban figures, local residents describe long lines of Afghans waiting to see judges.

Surprisingly, Mr. Aywaz was not bitter about the result.

“The Taliban took my land from me, but to be honest I didn’t understand how Shariah worked,” Mr. Aywaz said. “Now, logically looking at it, when they told me I needed to build a proper building, it makes sense to me.”

Ruhullah Khapalwak and Taimoor Shah contributed reporting.

A version of this article appears in print on February 1, 2015, on page A1 of the New York edition with the headline: Taliban Justice Gains Favor As Official Afghan Courts Fail. Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe

The New York Times