Pakistan takes key step toward mainstreaming tribal areas along Afghan border

Parachinar, capital of Kurram Agency in tribal areas, Photo by Abbas.Haidervia Wikimedia Commons

In a major decision, Pakistan has approved plan to introduce political and administrative reforms to mainstream governance in its tribal areas along border with Afghanistan.

A series of new measures will mean realization of fundamental constitutional rights to the tribesmen, enforcement of Pakistan’s constitution and penal code in the seven currently semi-autonomous tribal “agencies” for the first time since the country gained independence from the Britain in 1947.

The development is being seen as an opportunity for Pakistan to address the question of militancy with a comprehensive approach involving political and economic dimensions.

“The time has now come for [the people of the tribal areas] to also be brought into the ambit of being Pakistani, to end the ongoing deprivation of their areas,” said a statement issued by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s office on Thursday, following the cabinet meeting that approved the reforms.

The plan will now go to the Parliament for endorsement.

Once the plan is in place by 208, laws will give citizens access to fundamental rights and the ability to vote for representatives in provincial and local council elections, among other benefits.

Until now, the mountainous northwestern region has been governed under the British-era Frontier Crimes Regulation, a draconian law dating back to 1901. The much-criticized law bars citizens from a recourse to formal courts and leaves them open to collective punishment for the crimes of members of their tribes.

The federally administered tirbal areas have been much in news since the U.S. led fight against terror extended to Pakistan-Afghanistan border region in the wake of September the 11th terrorist attacks.

Since Pakistan did not deploy regular combat military units there, the tribal areas became a haven for armed groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan and al-Qaeda, for decades.
Gradually, Pakisan army moved into thee area and a couple of years ago, the military flushed thousands of militants from theeir North Waziristan stronghold through Zarb-e-Azab offensive.

Under the five-year pla, the region, home to more than four million people, woud be merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, with citizens given the right to vote for representatives in the provincial assembly for the first time.

According to Sartaj Aziz, Adviser to PM Sharif, citizens would be able to vote for provincial assembly seats in the next general election, scheduled for mid-2018.

The plan also includes opportunity for tribesmen to hold dlocal council elections in each of the seven tribal areas by the end of 2017.

The reforms package also proposes $1.05bn in funding be allocated to a 10-year plan aimed at rehabilitating and reconstructing infrastructure, including communications, power lines, water supply schemes, education and health facilities in the tribal areas.

More than three million citizens from the tribal areas were classified as internally displaced (IDPs), living in camps or migrating to urban areas.The new plan envisages the complete return of IDPs by April 30, 2017, Aziz says.