Federally
administered tribal areas are situated at the northwest of Pakistan; it comprises
almost seven tribal agencies and six frontier regions. The area is entirely
inhabited by Pakhtuns. It borders the province of KPK and Baluchistan to the
East and south. To the north and west the area is bordered by Afghanistan. It
is a well known fact that FATA is the most vulnerable part of Pakistan. Only 34
percents of FATA inhabitants managed to live above the poverty level. As far as
education is concerned, the overall literacy rate in Fata is 33.3%; far less
than the national average of 58%, as estimated in 2013-14. Moreover Fata is
still governed under a distinct set of rule known as the frontier crime
regulation 1901. So it is evident that the trend towards violent extremism in
FATA is deeply rooted and is a reaction to large-scale poverty, injustice, endemic high unemployment,
religious bigotry and barbaric political system.
It is a
well known fact that young tribal’s are ambitious to get knowledge to explore
the meaning and status of their lives. They are adventurous in search for this
purpose. They have the inborn qualities, energy, passion, and the physical and
mental capability to improve their lives and the condition of FATA. But the
government of Pakistan did little to facilitate this young ambitious youth and
as a reaction to this deprivation young people look for other sources which
breeds mistrust between the tribal’s and the government and this ultimately
increase violence.
Events(
both Politically and socially ) in international arena since 1980s have changed
every aspect of tribal lives, yet family and societal expectations of young men
and women remain the same. Young men are expected to provide or win bread for
their extended families and also have to abide by strict social norms. Young
men must abide by their community’s code of conduct, which often varies
depending on family status, tribal standing, and geographic background. They
have to protect and also carry on these principles at any cost. The government
of Pakistan is claiming that they have adopted a number of policies which will
open opportunities for youth but the reality is contrary to this. The youth in
FATA is destroyed instead of improvement. We are going backward in almost every
aspect of life. Youth of FATA needs educational facilities, job facilities,
health facilities etc. but the reality on ground is contrary to aforementioned
facts. The role of youth in these circumstances is nil. It is nil because there
is a lack of proper court system, lack of law enforcement agencies, injustice
with impunity and corruption, unemployment and a lack of basic infrastructure
and community support facilities are the factors make it impossible for them to
uphold their responsibilities. In such situations, extremists’ narratives
cannot be tackled.
The
messages I offer to both the government of Pakistan and the youth in FATA is to
play a constructive role in society to bridge the gaps. The government needs to
adopt a well provisioned policy towards the inhabitants of FATA. The
formulation of policy should not be the end of the story. The implementation as
well as evaluation of these policies is the dire need of the hour. To the youth
of FATA it is needed to play a constructive role for the betterment of their
self, family and the homeland as well as the beloved Pakistan. The powerful
image and the glorification of past heroes and their sacrifices must not be forgotten.
The narratives declare that victory is near and injustices will soon be
reversed if only one joins the noble cause.
Extremists
and violent groups such as the Tehreke Taliban used both traditional and modern
media platforms to indulge youth into violence. Messages are widely spread
using CDs, cassettes, SD cards, and cell phone ringtones. They read the mind of
Tribal. Their ideologies are short, powerful, emotional, patriotic, and
ideologically appealing. These audio tapes are sung in folk poetry with
beautiful voices of young Taliban members.The lines of such NAZAMS even they
call it NAAT are refer to historic religious battles, heroes and events,
current grievances, and the need to take action against the government and the
invaders. The narratives encourage youth to sacrifice their lives for their
religion. In such poems they have tried
to create heavenly lusts like seventy virgins etc, and the shortest way is to
blast yourself. Killing in the name of religion rather Islam. They justify
suicide bombing, in way that in this way we can take our revenge from the
infidels. So both cultural and religious tactics are used by the extremists to
mould the young mind and to fulfill their vicious interests.
To
counter Taliban and other extremist narratives, it is the need of time to take proactive
steps to know, and thus be better able to undermine, the appeal of their
messages. Newly developed and re-shaped initiatives can both stop and counter
recruitment and extremism. The only need is a well defined goals and direction
by the state. All those factors that are leading to cause instability can be
used as a tool to create stability. Sincere and visional leadership is needed
for this purpose both on federal and regional level. For example if schools and
madrassas can be used as the breeding grounds for radicals it can also used for
the purpose to brought peace and bridge the gaps between government and
tribal’s. Civil society, NGO’s and off course government too are well
positioned to take the steps of radicalization in FATA. They can made the
members of victims’ families as peace ambassadors in the area. Programs should
be organized on local as well as on national level which can help to spread the
benefits of peace, fruits of multi ethnicity, tolerance, nonviolence, and
respect for the other communities. The tribal elders should be involved. They
should be encouraged to take it as their responsibility. The parents should be taught
to not create any unnecessary gap with their children. They must have an eye on
their children to identify early signs of radicalism in them.
There is
no doubt that a number of administrative, political and social problems were
faced by FATA before 9/11 but it is also a fact that it was quite peaceful
prior to the said event. The engagement of Pakistan as an ally in war on
terror, the deployment of troops to the Afghanistan and the presence of Taliban
and al-Qaida in FATA worsen the situation. FATA has been mishandled both
administratively and politically specifically since the last 3 decades. There
is a dire need in the revival of policy that has been adopted since 9/11.
Enough blood has been shed in the name of so called war on terror. Peace in
FATA is necessary to create peace in Pakistan. And peace in FATA can be created
by ensuring the dignity and honor of a tribal man as Dr Wali Shah once said “Pakhtuns
are romantic people, they love life but a life with HONOUR”
Muhammad
Kamran