FATA and the shame democracy!

FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area) and PATA (Provincially Administered Tribal Area) straddled along Pakistan’s porous border the ”Durand line” since time immemorial was considered Terra-Incognito, and its fierce inhabitants were ruled by their own set of rules, customary, unwritten yet democratic but harsh. Reward and punishment were summarily exercised by a ‘Jirga’ of the elders who took into consideration equality and justice, and at the same time ensured tribal integrity as the ancient code of Pakhtunwali.

The British during their sojourn in landlocked Afghanistan had to first overcome the warlike Pashtun clans against whom they led numerous punitive actions and by the end of the 19^th century were able to establish a foothold. Tribal wars against Pashtun tribes were understood by all conquerors and each in his turn had decided to bribe them and let them be governed by their own set of laws known as ”Riwaj” (customs). The least that was expected of them was to hold the passes leading into the plains of India and to desist from kidnap and plunder into the domains of their empire.

With the partition of India, tribal areas east of the Durand line acceded to Pakistan which also governed them by the same rules. Till date they were devoid of adult Franchises and the Political Parties Act. With the elections in the foreseeable future the Political Parties Act has been extended to FATA and PATA so as to allow the tribesmen to exercise their democratic rights of electing their chosen representatives. To a distant observer this may look like a step in the right direction paving a way for democracy to reach the tribal doors. Unfortunately this is far from reality as can be seen by the present predicament of the social unrest that prevails throughout the tribal areas.

Out of a total population of 4.5 million, 0.85 million are presently displaced and are living outside the limits of FATA either as settlers or IDPs (Internally Displaced People). Unfortunately, they have no right to vote in the settled districts. Moreover, 52 % of the tribal population are women folk who are prevented from casting their votes as it is considered taboo to be seen in public. This accounts for almost seventy five percent of the tribal population who cannot vote. The twenty five percent that are left in their present homes, it is expected that at best ten to twelve percent will cast their votes.

The representatives thus chosen are few. Their past performance has shown that they are highly susceptible to avarice and greed and tend to be bought by the highest bidders. It is said that the loyalty of a tribal nominee is directly proportional to the length of the purse of his benefactor. Besides, once elected to represent their people in the National Assembly, they become a ‘marked’ target for the insurgents and due to fear for their lives they remain missing from the people they represent and are confined to the sedentary life style of the capital.

Thus, those whom they represent cannot avail the fruits of democracy. It has been said that Democracy is a system of governance where people are counted and not weighed. However, in the case of the tribal areas they are neither counted nor weighed.