FATA
-must be absorbed this time
By: Tarique Khan Javed
President, Overseas Pakistani Investors Forum.
                           Dated 22 Nov 2009

Imran Khan and Munawar Hassan have recently stated that those supporting current military operations in FATA are enemies of Pakistani. Implying that people like them who appose the operations are only friends of Pakistan. I firmly belong to their first category and am proud of it. Because I believe that of all the wars fought by our Army this war is most useful. Its success will result in opening a new chapter of peace and prosperity in Pakistan, in general and in the so far neglected FATA, in particular.

The enormous sacrifice being given by Pakistan army in the current operation; is heart breaking! The cost is very high as the well funded foreign terrorists are equipped with latest technology, as money seems to be no constraint for them. Huge amount of money seems to be coming to them from Middle East, India and Russia. The terrorists have advantage of occupying all high grounds and thus it is very easy for them to kill large number of our soldiers, when they approach to capture these strategic positions.

A forbidden land - A No Go area:
Can we afford to leave these strategic heights and come back so that the terrorists can retake it or we should stay put this time all over FATA? Can we allow our territory to become play ground of Arm dealers, Drug barons and International terrorist, as has been the case for last 62 years, on the ground that capturing FATA region is impossible? If capturing FATA is impossible how Gilgit, Chitral and Northern Baluchistan were captured and pacified. What is so special about this Central belt which is not prevailing in the north and south of the same border? Are the people of some super race or the mountains higher and more difficult to penetrate? Both these possible reasons are not true. In fact the topography of Chitral, Gilgit and Northern Baluchistan are far more difficult than that of Central belt which is relatively low lying barren region with few high spots. As far as the people are concerned they are mainly the same Pathan race with some variation in Chitral and Gilgit.

A myth of the past broken by Sandeman:
Around 1866 when Robert Sandeman started to enter the forbidden Marri and Bugti areas in hot pursuit of raiders, people like Merewether of Sindh, worried endlessly. The prevailing impression and wisdom was that the Baluch tribes were extra ordinary fighters and the terrain most difficult to penetrate and hold. All dire predictions came to nothing when Sandeman comfortably established the Quetta cantonment in 1877 and gradually Baluchistan, as we know today came into being. We owe the current shape of Pakistan to Sandeman’s bold and unconventional behaviour.

Past reluctance and its results:
In my opinion the lack of attention by Punjab Government under British rule and subsequent Pakistan Governments is the reason why FATA was not incorporated in Pakistan. Pakistan in fact withdrew its army from bases left by Britishers and added to the power of law less class in the region. Since 1947, the law less elements has exploited common man of the area with impunity, they never knew in British time. They are ready to do any thing for making money. They got new clients the Arab, Chechen, Uzbek terrorists when Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. These elements came to fight the invaders, however for the powerful war lords in FATA they become lucrative tanents and providers of well paying jobs for their supporters. Like their major source of income drug, arm smuggling, kidnapping and extortion any moral consideration never constrained them. Therefore, it can be understood easily that their religion is money and for that they would not mind letting Indian or Russians come and live amongst them, as long as they pay good premium rent, for their otherwise commercially unrentable properties. They have no issue in taking up jobs involving killing own brothers, as long as the salary is very high.

Our innocent soldiers are facing such ruthless elements in FATA. These elements are particularly notorious in the Khyber, Khurram Kohat, Orakzai and Bajour Agencies near Peshawar, Bunnu and, thus these cities are shaking with daily attacks. These elements are raged and surprised at the daring of our soldiers who have entered their most secret and well defended hide outs. Our Air Force and US drones have done a great job in this respect. These need to be intensified to reduce casualty of our soldiers.

FATA can and should be absorbed:
To respect the scarifies of our soldiers and to protect the interests of the common people of FATA, the whole area should be permanently incorporated into Pakistan ignoring the calls of people like Imran Khan and Munawar Hassan. They argue based on history of half hearted attempts of the past to incorporate these areas into main stream, as areas which can never be penetrated. They have not studied in detail the finer points of how the process of incorporation of Chitral, Gilgit and Northern Baluchistan differed from the methods followed by British Punjab. If same resolve, clearity of purpose and financial resource were available, FATA could also have incorporated long time ago. However, Punjab Government on cost consideration never followed the Sandemanian system, as followed else where.

Common people of FATA have suffered immensely in the hands War Lords, Foreign terrorists and in recent time as collateral damage of our armed forces and US drone attacks. They deserve better. Every one, I known from that Area desire to be treated as proper Pakistani. They wish to vote, they wish to escape collective punishment, they wish to see proper legal system with Land Registry establish so that their property could become sellable and of greater value. They wish to see schools, colleges and training centers open in their area. They wish to see cinema, internet cafes, gaming parlors open up in their areas as in rest of the country.

As the World acknowledges poverty is the root cause of terrorism in Pakistan and this fact is most relevant for FATA. West is ready to invest in the region to create jobs and ease poverty. However, no real progress can be made in this regard if infra structure referred to above is not created. The foremost among them is establishment of several cantonments all over FATA, followed by FC bases, Police and Local Levy force on the line of security arrangement in Northern Baluchistan. Besides Civil Court and Registry in big population centers. This will create a good market for property, leading to development of hotels, shopping malls, small factories etc. Substantial investment is expected to come to this Area to take advantage of missing facilities like Hospital, Diagnostic Centers, Branded Schools and other educational facilities.

Role of Overseas Pakistanis:
Poverty in the FATA area is appalling since ever. The first cause of poverty is the generally poor land quality and the second is the law less ness. This has not allowed capital formation and jobs. As a result the people of this area have always been forced to find jobs else, where leaving behind families. They live in constant anxiety worrying about their families and missing them.   A very large percentage of these have found jobs in the Middle East. This desperate lot also known as Overseas FATA Pakistanis (OFP) have over the year’s accumulated considerable wealth, which could have been used to create jobs near their homes if normal laws were applicable in their area. However, given the law less ness the same wealth is invested in settled areas while poverty persists in FATA. Besides the money which was bought by OFP into Pakistan up to now; it is estimated that those still living abroad have additional USD 100 billion. A large part of this money will flow into FATA once the area is absorbed in Pakistan. One reason for this is that with the settlement and pacification of FATA, all kind of illegal activity and violence will reduce substantially all over Pakistan. This will lead to return of Overseas Pakistanis in large number generally and the FATA based in particular. Overseas Pakistani in general is very uncomfortable with the social structure of the West and this is particularly true for people from FATA. Thus given a chance of peaceful existence in their own country they will prefer to return. They will not only bring with them USD 1,000 billion wealth but also their connections and latest technology and help make Pakistan a Leading Economic Power.