FATA reforms: ‘Funds promised for education in FATA not delivered’

A new report explores the attitudes towards governance, religion and society of the tribal region.

ISLAMABAD:

Funds that were promised to Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) for building schools, colleges and universities have not been delivered.

This was stated by MNA Munir Orakzai at the launch ceremony of a report tiled “Understanding FATA-Volume 5 Attitudes towards Governance, Religion and Society in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas” here on Wednesday. The report, launched by Community Appraisal and Motivation Programme (CAMP), is based on opinions of 4,000 respondents with an equal number of men and women and 18 focus group discussions.

Orakzai added it is for the people of FATA to decide if they wanted to merge with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) or establish an independent province for themselves. The National Assembly termed the prevailing government policies in the region as the root cause of the problems faced by its people.

According to a survey conducted in FATA, more than 43% of people from tribal areas said the degenerating law and order situation remains their chief concern while 14% said terrorism was the main problem.

More than two-third responded by saying that “Pakistan is going in the wrong direction.” The largest group of respondents identified an “inability to provide basic amenities” as the greatest human rights concern in FATA.

K-P Governor Barrister Masood Kausar praised the efforts that went into the making of the report, saying “only correct information can lead policymakers to make correct decisions.”

Khalid Aziz of CAMP said the report raised questions besides analysis. About the reforms in the FATA region, Aziz said the survey found that more than one-third of the FATA population is not able to offer any opinion, which highlights the need to educate people on what reforms will mean for them.

However, a variation in opinions was prevalent, with only 11% of respondents desiring no reforms, said Aziz. The report also highlighted the need to invest in education and health services, and creating employment opportunities as they are “the biggest problems in FATA”.

In his statement, CAMP Chief Executive and author of the report, Naveed Ahmad Shinwari, said that the report has taken a step forward – it shows the world what people in FATA are thinking now and follows the trend since 2007, when CAMP launched the first opinion poll in FATA.

“The key message of the report is that reforms and development activities must seek to empower the disenchanted people in FATA, so that issues concerning security and prosperity can be championed,” he said.

The report was funded by the British High Commission in Islamabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 2^nd, 2012.