Challenges to State Governance in FATA—Society-Centric Approach

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter provides a detailed account of challenges to state governance in the tribal areas (FATA) from the context of a society-centric approach/society perspective at micro-level. The chapter analyses various society-based factors from historical as well as a current perspective which helped the tribal society to resist state governance (authority) and to remain independent. The chapter discusses the current dynamics of society, emphasizing on its importance for a state to integrate its society. The society-centric approach analyses the centuries-long roots of the social strength of tribal society resisting state, which resulted in the failure of the extension of governmental policy in these areas. By making a critical analysis of the historical basis of governance in the precolonial, colonial, and postcolonial period, it helps in understanding the widening gap between Pakistani state and tribal society of FATA. The colonial policy of occupation and pacification through aggression is also considered one of the causes of underdevelopment and marginalization of the tribal society of FATA. Also an understanding of Pakistani state’s weak governance in tribal society has been obtained within the perspective of a society-centred approach by analysing the tribal society origin of adaptability, potent and continuing social formations because the Pakistani state did not bother to integrate the tribal society of FATA after independence and kept continued the legacy of indirect rule of the British period.KeywordsHistory of resistanceTribal revolts and warsPrimordial factorsPrecolonialColonial and postcolonial periodOutside invaders and tribal resistancePenetration by statePacification through aggression and suppressionYaghistan (land of free/rebels)Social controlSocial forcesAutonomyInformal economyState–society interactionCivic trustMarginalizationSocial exclusionAlienation