NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT, KARACHI

22ND Mid-Career Management Course

(22nd August to 25th November, 2016)

SYNOPSIS

Reference No : 2.11

Mode : LD

Topic : Administrative Peculiarities of KP, FATA & PATA

Guest Speaker : Mr. Ejaz A. Qureshi

Sponsor DS : Ms. Samina Intizar

Dated : 02.09.2016

Submitted by : Shadia Abdullah

Service/Group: Pakistan Administrative Service

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The core thematic concern that wove the fabric of Mr. Ejaz A. Qureshi's lecture
was the administrative and indigenous peculiarities of the KP, FATA and PATA,
beginning from the Colonial times, right up to 9/11, which led to an array of
destabilizing experiences. Also partly responsible for it is Pakistan's steep
negligence to address the fast crumbling administrative, policing and civic
structures.

KPK Mr. Qureshi dilated upon the interplay between history and geography in
KPK during the last 300 years and how later on, the interests of Soviet Union and
the USA converged into this region. KPK is far more democratic as compared to
other provinces since there is no Sardari nor Feudal system in KPK. Their tribal
structure rests predominantly on democratic values on account of tribal loyalties.
This region, due to prolonged strife over centuries with different warring tribes, has
evolved its own norms of warfare, excluding women and children from the ambit
of the victimization, while the elders of the tribes intervene to settle the war issues.

Jirga occupies a pivotal role in the Pakhtun social structure and decides who the
culprit is and concentrates more on the compensatory aspect rather than punitive,
eg. marriages to patch up generations old rivalries and confrontation.

KPK has kept open interaction between the bureaucracy and rulers. Elders of a
family could meet the secretaries and the DC to help sooth crisis situations. There
were hardly any pressures on the civil servants to accommodate political
personalities which is unlike other provinces where bureaucracy is urged to take
sides with the political leaders and oblige. Overall, the Pakhtun society was
integrated into the mainstream Pakistani setup on account of transportation and
other businesses which ended all aspirations for Pakhtunistan, so widespread in the
1950'S.

KPK has high population growth rate, resulting in massive migration to other parts
of the country, especially Karachi which has the highest concentration of Pakhtuns
golbally. Migrations have shot up with the influx of Afghan refugees in the post
1979 era. There remained religious conservatism in KPK but no extremism nor
bigotry in KPK. However, with the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the very
environment of tranquility was stunted.

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FATA enshrines unique traits with a special status in Pakistans 1973 Constitution.
After independence, Mr. Jinnah had specifically committed to the tribal elders that
all their treaties would be honored and that the Army would be removed from the
tribal areas.

The British had initially tried to subdue the locals but when they faced immense
resistance, they created the office of the Deputy Commissioner. The Political
Agents were also deployed and the tribal elders acquired a say in administration,
making the tribal leaders answerable to the Political Agents. However, no robust
effort was made to integrate the Tribal areas into the mainstream.

It is interesting that in 1947, the Government writ was 30% but in 2000, it went up
to 90% and now, it is at 99%. The Frontier Corps acted as Police force but were
not involved in prosecution nor investigation.

FCR is also a colonial legacy and is the CRPC of the Tribal areas but is no longer
able to deliver relief to the poor. It is just a customary law amalgamated with
Jirgahs and decide accordingly. After 9/11, there has been a sea change in the tribal
areas too and destabilization began to take its roots as proxy wars began and non
state actors started playing their roles.

Lately, the administrative machinery under political agents has weakened with the
Army taking over civilian powers in pursuit of the militants. In war zones, there
can be no development package. Due to military operations, the issue of IDPs has
gone berserk. Around 1.8 million IDPs make rehabilitation a marathon task.

PATA has a long history of strong rulers in Dir, Swat, and Chitral. It took around
two decades to establish proper court apparatus and administration. PATA enjoys
tax exemption. Their administrative and legal systems are in a state of transition. It
is a combined failure of the state and society as the specific structures needed in
PATA could not be identified and the socio-economic uplift is also patchy.

POLICY OPTIONS

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 Crisis governance to curb corruption through meaningful mechanism of
accountability.

Resource mobilization with prevention of leakages.

Human resource development. In a population of 20 million, around 60%

are around 25 years, most of whom stand deprived of proper education, skill
development and consequently proper employment. Such youth is
vulnerable to be taken by anti-social and anti-state elements.

Competent Civil service to carry out the reform agenda.

Public-Private Partnerships as huge resources can be tapped through PPP

modes.

Poverty Bombshell needs to be defused since it provides fertile grounds to

militancy and extremism, which in turn result in anarchy.