An overview of FATA and its problems

1. UNDERSTANDING
FATA
(Federally Administered Tribal Areas) of Pakistan
Iqtidar ul Hassan

2. PAKISTAN

3. FATA

4. FATA ( Federally Administered Tribal Areas)
• Frontier region bordering Afghanistan
• Pakhtoon ( Pashtoon or Pathan) Tribes, governed by a code
called Pakhtoonwali or The Way of the Pathan.
• Mashar Kashar (Respect & Honor for elders and regard for
younger)
• Melmastia ( Hospitality)
• Nang (Chivalry)
• Trabgani (Rivalry between cousins)
• Dushmani/Dusthi (Enmity & Friendship)
Continued…………….

5. • Nanawati (To put fate at the mercy of the enemy)
• Swara (getting a girl of the accused family married to the
bereaved family as a compensation for murder)
• Badal (Revenge)
• Tiga (Truce)
• Panah (Asylum)
• Thapoos (information regarding welfare of a patient, and
accused is asked to clarify his position for a wrong-
done)
• Badraga (escorting, Security of travel)
• Thoor (When a person is blamed for a wrong-done, it is
‘Thoor’)
Continued…………..

6. • Sharam (threat to one’s grace and honour)
• Peghor (Taunt)
• Hujra (Community club)
• Jirga (Council of elders)
• Lashkar (war-party)
• Ashar (collective assistance to produce ease in the daily activities.)

7. Unique Administrative structure
• Governed through FCR (Frontier Crime Regulation)
• According to Articles 246 and 247 of the Constitution, neither the Parliament
of Pakistan nor the Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa can
legislate for FATA. The President of Pakistan issues decrees in matters related
to the Tribal Areas and in this respect the Governor, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,
acts as the Agent to the President.
• Local Administration is managed by Political Agents (PA) who are federal
civil servants.
• Prefectorial System: PA acts as Executive, Judge and Revenue Collector.
• Malik System: Malik is a local leader who is appointed by government to
represent his community. Since he is appointed by PA, his loyalty to his
community is questionable.
• The participation of civil community is limited or non-existent.

8. More about FATA
• In limelight after 9/11
• Terrorism
• Military operations
• Taliban, NATO and Pakistan Army

9. Socio-economic Conditions
Economically most backward region of Pakistan….
• 60% below poverty line
• Per capita income is half of the national average
• Per capita public development expenditure is one third of the national average
• Natural resources underexploited
• Primary level subsistence activities
• Skilled labor seek to migrate to urban centers

10. • Earning: People depend on agriculture, transport, arms manufacturing and trade,
drug trafficking, cross-border trade (smuggling), and shop keeping
• Employment opportunities are non-existent, whole family depends on a single
earner. Absence of employment opportunities,, tempting youth to involve in crime
and religious extremism etc.
• Literacy 17.42%, for Female only 3%
• Health indicators poor, most facilities are dormant, used by local elites for
residential and entertainment purposes

11. Governance
• Frontier Crime Regulation FCR, 1901, to integrate the Tribal customs and
administration, mixture of traditional customs and executive directions.
• The institution of Jirga, the contemporary justice system: Resolve disputes by tribal
elders through consensus according to Pakhtoonwali dictates. It is institutionalized
in FATA. Women do not set in Jirga.
• The governance system denies mass participation through political parties and
exercise government control through a dependable local elite called maliks.

12. • Local government plan: A few councilors elected, others selected by PA.
Chairman of the council is PA, he does not let councilors to participate in
decision making process. The authoritative political agent does not allow the
local leadership to grow and take decisions on their own. People do not know
what the function of local council is.
• Land records are not available
• Development policy of the local administration distributed on tribal basis
• Ordinary people are cut out of a spoil system that encourages cronyism in FATA

13. • The privileged are provided with the developmental incentives while those
enduring grievances and raising voices against the suppressive system of
governance are ignored and kept underdeveloped. After 9/11 FATA came to
limelight, great funds poured into government to be spent in FATA, but lack of
accountability and the flawed system of governance doomed all such efforts.
• People do not know how development priorities are decided.

14. Problems in education:
• Teacher recruitment (Unmeritocratic)
• Teachers are unqualified
• No training
• Parents uneducated
• Parents Pre-occupied by economic problems
• Kids pre occupied by fear from teacher, corporal punishment
• Flawed infrastructure, no washrooms, boundary walls etc.
• Female education, almost nil (only 3%).
• Kids insecure in schools from their teachers and fellow students

15. Most important services

16. What do you want for your children (male children)?

17. What do you want for your children? (Female children)

18. How do you think foreign assistance can be most valuable?

19. What phrase best describe Afghan Taliban?

20. Problems Articulated
• Political oppression
• No participation
• Clientalism
• Fundamental Right Violation
• An archaic life style
• Conspicuity
• Rivalries
• Economic underdevelopment
• Illiteracy

21. • No political awareness
• Rights and Responsibilities as citizens
• To have their voice heard
• To avail the benefits allocated for them
• Schools
• Hospital
• Foreign Aid
• Governmental assistance

22. Assets
• Pakhtoonvali
• An organic solidarity
• Have realized their problems
• Yearning for education
• Foreign Aid

23. PANACEA
IS THE
EDUCATION