CHALLENGES IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WRIT OF THE STATE IN FATA (A CASE STUDY OF KHYBER AGENCY)
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Date
2006
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INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL WORK, SOCIOLOGY AND GENDER STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF PESHAWAR
Abstract
The present study was conducted on challenges in the establishment of the writ of the state in Khyber
Agency, one of the seven agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The
main purpose of this study was to sociologically analyze the multiple Challenges weakening the writ of
the state. Data was collected from the sampled agency‐related people, including Internally Displaced
Persons (IDPs), business community, intellectuals (academicians, lawyers, journalists, and political
leaders), students of post graduate classes and political administration. Total sample size of the study
is 380 whereas each group has equal representation of 76. Data was taken randomly from each group
under purposive sampling technique through Likert Scale questionnaire. Inferences were drawn
through univariate and bivariate modes of analysis. The study proceeded with the major objectives:
Identifying the cross sectional perception of the tribal community; knowing the existing constitutional
arrangements and vacuum therein; ascertaining the elements blocking the way of implementing the
constitution of Pakistan; and assessing the role of political administration and local leaders (Maliks) in
the State writ from their end. A conceptual framework, containing dependent variable (writ of the
State) and independent variable (Challenges) including Frontier Crime Regulation, social deprivation,
socio‐ economic under development, insurgency, foreign interference, traditional role of the tribal
elders and their political interests, was developed. The study found that Frontier Crime regulation
(FCR) was a law of the tribal areas which had a greater association with the weak writ of the state as it
promoted crime rate, defended the interests of political administration as well as of local leaders who
did not pay state taxes of different nature, and provided a safe place to the inside and outside
insurgents. They (insurgents) pushed down the peaceful people into the settled areas of the country
in the guise of internally displaced persons (IDPs) as they demanded of induction of the local
youngsters in their camps and also of financial support. The study further indicates that post‐1979
and 9/11 incidents were among the other reasons which escalated insurgency in the entire tribal belt
situated around the Afghan border. Low socio‐economic status of the area was also found as an
influencing stimulant to motivate the tribal people to amass war weapons and participate in illegal
activities. Unemployment, marginalized status, illiteracy, critical physical infrastructure, no access of
NGOs to tribal areas, and gender inequality in education, health and employment were endorsed by
the study findings which played a subsidiary role in weakening the State writ. The uncertain situation
also compelled the business community to migrate to Peshawar, Mardan and other big cities of the
province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.