Daily Times

Ever since partition and during the past few decades in particular, the lawless Federally Administered Tribal Areas have been a source of considerable perplexity and uncertainty for Pakistan. The British policy in the tribal areas used a prejudiced and authoritarian administrative system that treated the tribesmen like wild animals who could only be tamed through intimidation. These laws stayed in place even when Pakistan was founded and continue to be enforced today.

It is Article 247 of the Constitution of Pakistan itself that mandates the segregation of the tribal areas from the rest of the province. The tribal people are denied the right to the representative political and administrative system that prevails in the rest of the country. This unjust policy that treats the tribal people like second class citizens has led to all sorts of troubling social problems, and exacerbates the chaos in the conflict ridden areas.

Many opportunities to fix this great injustice have come and gone, and the future of FATA remains uncertain. The incumbent government is well aware of the strategic importance of the tribal region as well as the tribal people’s wish to be a part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, yet it continues to procrastinate in this regard.

Instead of acting decisively, the government has been choosing to defer FATA-KP merger order, succumbing to pressure from its right-wing political allies the JUI-F which have a vested interest in preventing the merger. Both human rights and national security have been shamefully ignored for the JUI-F’s inconsequential political victories.

Pakistan cannot afford to hesitate when it comes to FATA any longer. Terrorists will exploit any lawless areas they can, and start another wave of militancy and terrorism which will send shockwaves throughout the entire country. Following the Army Public School (APS) massacre in 2014, FATA was described as the most dangerous place on earth. Action is even more imperative now that there is nexus between the Afghan NDS, Indian RAW and the legion of CIA contractors in Afghanistan.

The confessions of the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan and RAW agent Kulbhushan Jadhav bear testimony to the fact that these two organisations have been waging a covert war against Pakistan together. Their primary goal has been to target the ongoing China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects in the country. An ungoverned FATA will provide these hostile forces with the strategic space they require to execute their anti-Pakistan operations.

India is following the ‘Doval doctrine’ against Pakistan which is defined as ‘defensive offence’, tasked to exploit Pakistan’s vulnerabilities through multiple channels. New Delhi currently enjoys an enormous amount of leverage over NDS and the Afghan media, and uses this to shift public opinion in Afghanistan against Pakistan. In such a hostile atmosphere, FATA can be easily exploited by anti-Pakistan elements to sabotage Pakistan’s anti-terror offensive.

Pakistan cannot afford to hesitate when it comes to FATA any longer. Terrorists will exploit any lawless areas they can, and start another wave of militancy and terrorism which will send shockwaves throughout the entire country

Despite the military operations which were relatively succesful in dismantling the terrorists’ network and operational capabilities in North Waziristan, anecdotal-evidences confirms that the Taliban regrouping in FATA once again. Apart from this, the Islamic State’s dominant presence in Afghanistan is the latest huge security challenge. Afghan officials claim the presence of IS in the eastern and the north-eastern part of Afghanistan, the area is located just right opposite to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan poses a significant security threat to Pakistan. IS might hinder the peace process or reverse the hard-earned victories of the armed forces of Pakistan.

It seems that the cycle of social deprivation and alienation among the people of FATA leads to frustration and hostility which will serve the terrorist narrative. The government still has a myopic attitude for delaying the merger process for no logical grounds, perhaps waiting for a catastrophe to take place, having far reaching implications for national security and economic security.

In order to consolidate Pakistan’s highland frontiers and get territorial dominance, a merger between FATA and KP is necessary. It must be triggered by setting aside the politics of self-betrayal. Furthermore, the new spirit to launch political and administrative reforms in the guideline established by the Committee on FATA Reforms, at first outright abolish the colonial-era laws, especially the Frontier Crime Regulations. Secondly, improve the system of governance. Thirdly, build efficient infrastructure and finally, initiate political and economic activity through a sustained campaign. As a consequence, such initiatives will help Pakistan to obtain the loyalty of the marginal population of the tribal belt; this will help resolve the law and order situation in FATA. But it will never happen until state will empower tribesman through sustained engagement with fundamental constitutional rights.

It’s up to the state of Pakistan now whether to avoid a catastrophe by making a rational choice to fix a major imbalance or to let the tribal belt become a militant infested zone again.

The writer is a freelance writer tweets at @ranasarfraz3417

Published in Daily Times, January 3^rd 2018.