FATA AT A GLANCE | SANA KHAN


FATA at a Glance;
By: Sana Khan



The Geographical spot of FATA:

   The Federal Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) is located along with the Pak-Afghan border called Durand Line, in which Afghanistan lies to the west and Punjab to the east and Baluchistan to the south. Durand Line is never been perceived by Afghanistan.

                                    

    FATA is located in the middle of Khyber Pakhtun Khuwan and Baluchistan province. There are self-governing tribal lands that encompass seven parts known as "agencies". These are Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzi, Kurram Agency, North and south Waziristan which is geographically aligned from north to south. Among them, Orakzi is the only agency which does not share any border with Afghanistan. FATA also encompasses six Frontier Regions (F.Rs) namely FR Peshawar, FR Kohat, FR Bannu, FR Lakki Marwat, FR Tank and FR Dera Ismail that geographically is aligned from north to south stripe.

The Political and Administrative structure


   The elected embodiments of FATA have no affirmance in the administration of FATA. Government protocols and rules are not pertinent there and the lives of people of FATA are modulated by unwritten laws (Tribal Jirga). Over the past 68 years, no Government has determined or took measures in the improvement or progression.

   Supreme court of Pakistan or the law enforcement organizations has no authority in FATA. Citizens of FATA can not form any political party.

  The economic system, industrial potential, businesses are in adverse condition.



Life in FATA

    People living in FATA are not specified as minorities but still they are ongoing the adverse and terrible life. 60% of the population is living a deficient and distressed life. FATA has the lowest literacy rate in the whole world i.e. 22%. Not a single university constituted in 68 years of independence. This region is facing unemployment suffering and terrorism. Women are deprived of all the basic needs and rights i.e. to vote, to attain education, right to have willful marriage. There is one doctor for every 7,670 people. Only 43% of the population have access to clean water. The citizens of many communities in FATA are deficient of the proper sanitation system. Most of them are confined to live in tents, why?

  They are not less Pakistanis.

Historical background

  The tribal stretch is a twist and coil of difficult mountains. The inhabitants of tribal belts are called Pashtuns, Pakhtuns or Pathans. Al-Beruni (973-1048) an illustrious scholar who used to reside in Ghazni and the northwestern region now known as Pakistan. He narrates in Tarikh-al-Hind of these tribes. Pashtuns are under lesser Persian influence as compared to Afghans.Pashtuns were more into the interaction with Mughal Empires of Delhi which ruled over them. Pashtuns are the bold and aggressive people. They are classified into those who live in plains and those who use to live in mountains.



  This region has a drastic climate diversity. It is hot in plains and cold in the snow-draped mountains. In Orakzai agency the summers are pleasant and winters are intensely cold. In Mohmand agency, the climate is commonly dry in both summers and winters. Mountains draw the rains and due to this reason, they are forests abundant.

 The frontier tribes are among the courageous and fearless men on earth and they become dreadful and daring when it comes to war.

  It was in Babar's supremacy that for the first time there appeared the names of some tribes. The popular ones that were mentioned by Babur are Yusufzais, Afridis, Orakzais, Bangash, Turis, Mohmands, Mohammadzais, Wazirs.



  The Afridis live in Khybar Agency, the Yusufzais in Sawat and Samah, the Mohammadzaiz in Mohammad Agency, the Bangashs around Aourackzai Agency (Hangu) and the Galjis and Turies are in Khurram Agency.

Frontier Crimes Regulations

  The colonial administration 1871-1876 introduced disciplines and regulations like Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR). These chain of laws stipulated strategies and measures for the tribal areas which were in contrast from the criminal and civil postulates that were executed elsewhere in British India. When British quitted India in 1947, the tribal population in the territory agreed on an agreement with the Government of Pakistan. This treaty signed at the time of independence did not incorporate the political governing and freedom of tribes. The practice of administrative charge was depending on tribal traditions and ethics. This systemization was implemented in Pakistan's Constitution of 1973.



  FCR which is applicable to FATA is against the essentials of patterns of life as well as standards and specifications of human rights.



Researcher Pakistan

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