The special committee, established by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to propose reforms for the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), has yet to deliver any substantial recommendations, leaving the future of the Merged Tribal Districts (MTDs) uncertain following their integration with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) via the 25th Constitutional Amendment in 2018.
Formed in June under the leadership of PML-N’s Federal Minister Amir Muqam, the committee includes key figures such as Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi. Its primary mandate is to explore options for revitalizing the jirga system and bolstering civil administration in the region.
Creating a committee to address reforms in the MTDs was a misstep by the federal government. The jirga system, historically embedded in the region’s governance, has been more a hindrance than a help, perpetuating legal, political, administrative, and economic underdevelopment. As the MTDs are now part of KP, the provincial government alone holds the authority to implement reforms in its jurisdiction, rendering the federal committee’s formation inappropriate.
Consequently, the KP government, led by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has rejected the federal committee’s efforts to revive the jirga system in the MTDs. PTI and KP authorities argue that such a move is an attempt to undo the 2018 merger, driven by vested interests eyeing the region’s significant deposits of rare earth metals. They claim the federal government seeks to reassert control over the MTDs, though the validity of these allegations remains open to debate.
The merger of ex-FATA with KP, however, has fallen short of its intended goals: restoring peace, mainstreaming the region, and fostering development by filling the political and administrative void. More than seven years later, the MTDs remain isolated, underdeveloped, and plagued by legal and administrative gaps. This failure prompted the federal government’s interest in reviving the jirga system, but such a step is misguided, as the system itself has historically been corrupt and ineffective.
The root issue lies in the flawed approach to mainstreaming the MTDs. The merger was executed hastily, without consulting local communities or leadership, as a means to offload the region’s challenges. This writer has consistently opposed the merger, both before and after its implementation, arguing that it would not only fail to develop the MTDs but also strain KP’s already limited resources, leading to further underdevelopment across both regions. This prediction has proven accurate: the MTDs remain restive, with groups like the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), now labeled Fitna-tul-Khawarij by the state, operating freely, while terrorism and counteroperations have destabilized KP as a whole. The modest progress KP had achieved in physical and human development prior to 2018 has been significantly undermined.
The merger’s fallout is evident in demographic shifts. With an estimated 10 million residents in the MTDs—though official figures suggest half that number—many, particularly educated individuals, have migrated to KP’s urban centers for better infrastructure and opportunities. This migration has left the MTDs vulnerable, with groups like the TTP regaining influence in vacated areas. Conversely, residents of KP’s settled areas have not moved to the MTDs due to the lack of opportunities, further stunting the region’s growth.
The merger’s failure has fueled calls to reverse it. Political groups like Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), alongside influential tribal leaders, have vocally opposed the merger. The FATA Grand Alliance, representing tribal notables from all seven agencies and six frontier regions of ex-FATA, recently declared the merger unconstitutional and illegal, citing a lack of local consent. Led by figures like Malik Bismillah Khan Afridi, the alliance argues that the merger eroded traditional institutions. However, this argument is flawed, as those institutions contributed to the region’s chronic underdevelopment and isolation.
The solution does not lie in reverting to outdated systems like the jirga or maintaining the status quo. Instead, sustainable modern institutions—such as elected local government bodies, a self-governing administrative framework with a local legislative assembly, and the establishment of industries and urban centers—are essential to provide the foundation for development and integration. The assumption that KP could absorb and uplift the MTDs was misguided, given KP’s own financial, administrative, and political constraints. Burdening an already resource-strapped province with the MTDs’ challenges has led to setbacks for both regions.
The way forward for the MTDs is clear: the merger must be revoked, and the districts should be reconstituted as a separate province with its own legislative assembly and government. This would empower the region to address its unique challenges, foster development, and ensure meaningful integration into Pakistan’s broader framework, unencumbered by the limitations of the current arrangement.