In the aftermath of terrorist incident of 9/11 the interest of the world powers was
drawn to the issue of ungoverned spaces (UGSs) in the world. The tribal region along
the Durand Line known as Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) emerged as a
matter of major concern since it was believed to be a safe haven for the masterminds
of international terrorism. Inheriting the administrative system of FATA from the
British government, Pakistan continued to rule the area through Frontier Crime
Regulations (FCR). The British established its writ in the UGSs through a powerful
political agent and local influential known as maliks. Using a theoretical framework
based on Glue and Prospect theories this paper explores the current status of FATA as
a major UGS and the consequent impact upon Pakistan and international community.
Data for interpretive analysis was acquired through primary and secondary sources.
The paper concludes that the indicators of UGSs are present in FATA as lack of
inclusive approach to integrate the tribal area in the mainstream national politics has
been instrumental in adversely affecting the tribal belt of Pakistan. Presence of armed
groups, ethnic diversity, and tribal structure supporting social norms are identified as
the most important factors that contribute towards un-governability in the tribal belt.
The study recommends improving governance with socio economic and legislative
initiatives to tackle the problem of UGSs in the country.
Syed Akhtar Ali Shah, Saima Parveen, Saima Kayani. (2017) Ungoverned spaces and the crisis in Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan, , Volume-11, Issue-3.
