Reforms in the erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan: a critical analysis

Abstract

The ex-FATA reform processes have been comprehensive since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947 and have short, medium, and long-term dimensions. It was not an easy task that could be completed with certain simple legislative and administrative actions. The government of PML-N (2013-2018) formed an eleven-member task force to accelerate the implementation process, with a focus on suggested law reforms, FATA's development, and FATA's mainstreaming. In 2017 a high-powered National Implementation Committee was established to monitor this process and to review the implementation of the said reform based on monthly Task Force reports. Apart from envisaging reforms in several domains, the suggested reform packages also aim to improve the tribal areas' socio-economic prospects. It may be stated that the reforms also aim to improve the tribal people's socio-economic situation. This study critically analyses the merger and examines the reforms' consequences for FATA.