Federally Administered Tribal Areas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Federally Administered Tribal Areas | |
 |
 |
| Capital • Coordinates |
Peshawar • |
| Population (2003) • Density |
3,341,070 • 115.3/km² |
| Area |
27,220 km² |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| Main language(s) | Pashto |
| Status | Tribal Areas |
| • Districts | • 7 Agencies |
| • Towns | • |
| • Union Councils | • |
| Established • Governor/Commissioner • Chief Minister • Legislature (seats) |
1st July 1970 • Khalil-ur-Rehman • None • None (N.A.) |
| Website | FATA |
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) are areas of Pakistan outside the four provinces, comprising a region of some 27,220 km² (10,507 mi²).
Contents |
[edit] Introduction
The FATA are bordered by: Afghanistan to the west with the border marked by the Durand Line, the North-West Frontier Province and the Punjab to the east, and Balochistan to the south.
The total population of the FATA was estimated in 2000 to be about 3,341,070 people, or roughly 2% of Pakistan's population. Only 3.1% of the population reside in established townships. [1] It is thus the most rural administrative unit in Pakistan.
The Tribal Areas comprise seven Agencies namely Khyber, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, and North and South Waziristan and five F.Rs (Frontior Regions) namely F.R Peshawar, F.R Kohat, F.R Tank, F.R Banuu and F.R D.I. Khan. The main towns include Miran Shah, Razmak, Bajaur, Darra Bazzar and Wana.
[edit] Geographical locations
The 7 tribal areas lie in a north-to-south strip that is adjacent on the west side of the 5 frontier regions, which also lie in a north-to-south strip. The areas within each of those 2 regions are geographically arranged in a sequence from north to south. The geographical arrangement of the 7 tribal areas in order from north to south is: Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Kurram, North Waziristan, South Waziristan, Orakazi. The geographical arrangement of the 5 frontier regions in order from north to south is: Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Tank, Khan.
[edit] Setup
The head of each tribal Agency is the political agent who wields extensive powers. Each Agency depending on its size has about 2 to 3 Assistant political Agents, about 3 to 4 Tehsildars and 4 to 9 Naib Tehsildars with the requisite supporting staff. Each F.R is headed by the DC/DCO(like for F.R. Peshawar DC/DCO Peshawar and so on) and under his supervision there are one Assistant political Agent and about 1 or 2 Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars and requisite supporting staff. The Tehislder and staff assist the P.A. in performance of his functions. Each Agency has roughly 2 to 3 thousand Khasadars and levies and 5 to 9 Wings of F.C for maintenance of law and order in the Agency and borders security.
[edit] Political and social environment
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Population | Urban |
|
|
||
| 1951 | 1,332,005 | - |
| 1961 | 1,847,195 | 1.33% |
| 1972 | 2,491,230 | 0.53% |
| 1981 | 2,198,547 | - |
| 1998 | 3,176,331 | 2.69% |
The region is only nominally controlled by the central government of Pakistan. The mainly Pashtun tribes that inhabit the areas are fiercely independent, but until friction following the fall of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan the tribes had mostly had friendly relations with Pakistan's central government. These Tribes are governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulation introduced under the British Raj. They are represented in both Pakistan's lower house and upper house. Previously, tribal candidates had no party affiliations and could contest as independents, because the Political Parties Act had not extended to the tribal areas. However, tribesmen were given right to vote in 1997 general elections despite the absence of Political Parties Act.
After negotiating with tribal maliks, regular Pakistani army troops entered the tribal areas for the first time in Pakistani history - as of 2004, there are about 70,000 troops there. With foreign financial assistance, Pakistan has been involved in improving local infrastructure including the building of roads in the tribal areas. It is believed by some that Osama bin Laden is hiding with some sympathetic tribes in the FATA, but the validity of these claims remains unknown. Due to the capture of various Taliban leaders, many believe that various officials have sought refuge in the FATA and that possibly al-Qaeda fighters have also established a presence in the region following the collapse of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Pakistani troops and U.S. forces have carried out "coordinated operations" in the border region[1] that has further antagonized some local tribes. In 2004, Army attacks on local militant groups resulted in civilian casualties, fuelling an insurgency by some Waziri tribal groups[2]. However, some local tribal leaders in the Waziristan area have rejected attempts to politically exploit the casualties[3].
[edit] Economy
Due to the FATA's tribal organization, the economy is chiefly pastoral, with some agriculture practiced in the region's few fertile valleys. Historically, the region has been a major center for opium production and trafficking. Although attempts have been made to significantly suppress drug-related activity by the Pakistani government, opium smuggling from Afghanistan continues to be a problem.
[edit] Socio-economic indicators
Its literacy rate is 17%[citation needed], well below the 45% in Pakistan[citation needed] as a whole. Only three percent of females receive any education. There is one hospital bed for every 2,327 people in the FATA, compared to one in 1,450 in Pakistan as a whole. Further there is only one doctor for every 8,189 people. Its total irrigated land is roughly 1,000 square kilometres. Only 43% of its people have access to clean drinking water. 30% of FATA is inaccessible both politically and administratively. (Source FATA website)
[edit] See also
Mainstreaming Tribal People [2]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Political divisions of Pakistan |  |
|
|---|---|---|
| Provinces | Balochistan | North-West Frontier Province | Punjab | Sindh | |
| Territories | Islamabad Capital Territory | Federally Administered Tribal Areas | |
| Pakistan-administered Kashmir | Azad Kashmir | Northern Areas | |
