Editorial
The federal government’s move to revive the jirga system in the newly merged districts of ex-FATA reflects a regressive shift that risks undoing decades of policy evolution and national consensus on mainstreaming tribal areas. This initiative, now under review by a federal committee led by the Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, has triggered serious constitutional, political, and security concerns.
After the 25th Constitutional Amendment in 2018, the merger of FATA into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) was widely hailed as a historic step toward integrating these long-marginalized areas into the constitutional and legal framework of Pakistan. It aimed to replace a colonial administrative order—dominated by the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), political agents, and unelected jirgas—with modern governance, judicial access, and democratic rights. However, the slow pace of implementation and the federal government’s failure to fulfill financial commitments—especially the promised Rs100 billion per year and a 3% NFC share—has stalled progress and deepened public frustration.
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Rather than addressing these core structural failures, the federal initiative to revive the jirga system suggests an alarming policy reversal. Not only is this move unconstitutional, it also marginalizes the KP provincial government’s constitutional mandate, intensifying the centre-province standoff. Furthermore, such a reversion to the old system risks fueling the very militancy the merger was meant to counter. Militants exploited the earlier semi-autonomous status of FATA to establish strongholds. Restoring pre-merger frameworks will recreate the vacuum that once allowed terrorist networks like the TTP to thrive.
The current breakdown of civil administration, resurgence of militancy, and humanitarian stagnation in the merged districts demand a renewed focus on legal reforms, rule of law, and development—not archaic tribal mechanisms. The state must accelerate civil enforcement capacity, ensure financial transfers, and prioritize human security over political expediency. Reverting to a colonial order will only alienate local populations, embolden militants, and undermine national unity.
