There has been much ado about the problems faced by the people of Fata. Some of the problems have now grown so complex (thanks to the indifference of those who could have tackled them in the past), that it will take years to resolve them. And, that too, only if the process is initiated now.
There are several other issues, which although seem formidable, but are so easy to take care of, that they don’t require military operations or heavy investments at all.
The problems in Fata are countless and diverse in nature – everything from justice and healthcare to education; all of them issues of an administrative nature which can be quickly resolved, but neither the past nor the present government appears to be concerned about them.
Fata has been in the past and still is geostrategically an important region, and its importance saw a meteoric rise after 9/11. Since it is located next to Afghanistan, whatever transpires within the neighbouring country affects the affairs of Fata.
Had Fata's issues been resolved, this current sense of severe alienation in the people of the region could have been eliminated. The residents could have been in a stronger bond with the State, because they are as, if not more patriotic than the rest of the citizens of this country.
Some stories from Fata:
Years ago, a political agent of the South Waziristan agency, Muhammad Azam, used to hold ‘Khuli Katcheri’ or open-house sessions, to listen to the complaints of the people. This was the routine every Friday; people used to put forward their complaints in front of the PA, and were able to get relief in return.
Why the PA could not remain on the post for very long is another matter.
Once, an elderly tribal man complained to Muhammad Azam about a relative who had been imprisoned for many years. The man insisted that the crime was not as big as the punishment served.
Upon verification, the political agent discovered the case was about the theft of a pair of plastic slippers, costing less than a dollar; the man accused had been in jail for years. Such are the sentences that a grade-5 officer can award to any resident of tribal areas.
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Similarly, a non-resident was hired in a Khasa-daar company in Wana. He saw a swift professional rise and was promoted to the position of a ‘development clerk’ at the agency. He had his own luxury car, a huge mansion in Dera Ismail Khan and much else while still being a clerk.
He had become so influential at one point that his name even popped up in a meeting with the former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani (I was present in the meeting). Someone raised a point about this specific clerk, and when Gilani inquired about his reputation, he received an endless list of illegal activities.
The governor, secretary Fata Law and Order, additional secretary Fata, and political agents were all aware of the cases of corruption against this development clerk – I simply cannot assume that they were not. However, no action was taken against him. He continues to live a lavish life amidst the miseries of the local people.
An orthopaedic imaging machine was procured in 2004 for the Headquarter Hospital Wana at the cost of Rs 6 million. However, to this day this machine lies eating dust, because a platform of Rs 25,000 needed for the machine was never purchased.
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A report was forwarded to the Director Health Fata, Governor House, Prime Minister House, and Fata Secretariat, in 2009 and 2011. Once, a surgeon from there had reported that the machine is functional, but reality contradicts.
The three examples above are enough to elaborate the kind of problems faced by the residents of the tribal areas and the quality of healthcare and justice available to them; all of these problems have fairly simple solutions, wouldn't you agree?
Whether it is the civilians or the military who are ruling, the only people who are perpetually left out are the people from Fata.
Health, education and justice are basic constitutional rights. The government can ensure these rights for the people and swiftly too. These administrative issues require little more than a sincere willingness on the government's part.
What if the governor issued a notification today, making it compulsory for all education and healthcare staff to maintain 100 per cent attendance? He could then follow-up with monitoring teams and helplines to keep check on the performance of the staff.
It appears to be a fantasy, though.
I am saddened to see that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and President Mamnoon Hussain appear to be all but clueless about the importance of Fata. Both of them should have visited the agencies, if for nothing else, to at least let Fata's residents know they belong to this country.
Or is that also for the army to do? It will be dishonest for me to say that the Pakistan Army has not completed several developmental projects in South Waziristan.
But Mr Prime Minister, you are the elected one, not the Army.
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A few people from South Waziristan live on ‘that’ side of border. There, the Afghan Government, Afghan National Army provide relief to poor people under the disguise of welfare work. Secret services of several countries are operating in Afghanistan and in this critical scenario, our core issues seem to be either the Metro Bus or rigging in those four damned constituencies.
I am not presenting a bleak picture, nor do I want to spread panic. I am just a reporter hailing from Fata simply stating what I see.
Until and unless education, jobs, healthcare, and justice are made immediately available in Fata, one cannot bring ‘peace’ to the region. After all, what happens in Fata does not stay in Fata – it brims over in other parts of the country.
This area requires several short-term and long-term plans rather than ad hoc policies. General Musharraf’s government has already tried the latter and the results were nil.
Currently, elected representatives of Fata are given so little importance that when national leaders sit together to formulate a 'strategy' for the war on terror, no one is there to represent the tribal areas.
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Why can't the government keep the locals in the loop? Tribal elders, retired and serving officers from Fata, scholars, and the Ulema could have guided the government equally well because they know the area so well. The tribes are not devoid of people having unbiased and sound opinions. But it seems the government is having trouble in prioritising the tasks.
Over 2 million people from Fata are currently displaced from their homes and are forced to lead miserable lives in tribal areas. Does that concern anyone?
Be it the government or the opposition, why are media statements repeatedly followed by deafening silence?
It is ironic that the budget of the Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro Bus project is estimated to be Rs 44 billion, whereas the entire tribal area, home to over 10 million people, has a combined annual budget of less than Rs. 19 billion. The tribal areas are surely deserving of some relief?
Contrary to common perceptions, the people of Fata are patriots, lovers of humanity, and hard workers. They play a huge role in bringing foreign exchange to Pakistan. They require care and attention from the government. If peace prevails in Fata, the natural resources found here can turn the face of the country. Coal, marble, copper, gas, and oil are found in huge quantities in the region. The forests of Fata are also priceless. If put to use, these natural resources can open doors of opportunities to Fata, which it deserves.
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No dharnas, no ‘establishment’ can serve as an excuse for avoiding these matters.
It should be noted that the war on terror cannot be won unless you win the hearts of locals, the same people who are willing to sacrifice everything in the way of Pakistan's fight against terrorism.
Translated by Bilal Karim Mughal from the original in Urdu here.