Roadmap to FATA: Rehabilitation strategy to be presented today

An estimated $120 million needed to implement plan

PESHAWAR:

After binding resolutions for reforms in Fata from both houses of Parliament, the government will formally present the ‘FATA sustainable return and rehabilitation strategy’ for IDPs to donors in Islamabad on Tuesday (today).

The strategy seeks to bridge the gap in long-term development and governance reforms in Fata. It focuses around five main points, while a report assesses damage to the area and outlines a future course of action by critically analysing previous approaches to maintaining peace in the tribal areas.

However, the overall plan depends on the security situation in Fata.  The estimated funding needed to implement the strategy is a substantial $120 million.

One of the prerequisites identified in the strategy is the return of 1.6 million displaced people from all seven tribal areas and adjoining Frontier Regions within a period of 24 months. The repatriation process itself is divided into four phases ending by December 2016.

However, the strategy clearly states that it cannot answer all questions related to conflict and the challenge of governing the tribal areas.

Instead, it seeks to identify actions which will enable the FATA Secretariat to ensure basic conditions to allow the repatriation of displaced people and facilitate the reintegration of returning families.

A Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Unit (RRU) has been set up to coordinate with donor agencies to streamline the rehabilitation process which will include rehabilitation of physical infrastructure, strengthening law and order, expansion of government service delivery, reactivation and strengthening of the economy, and strengthening social cohesion and peace-building.



Social fabric

While accounting for damages in the tribal areas, the assessment also highlights the level of neglect throughout the ages.

The majority of the population remains illiterate and literacy rates for women range between 3% and 14%. It adds only 44% boys attend primary school, while the lack of female teachers is also mentioned.

The report acknowledges that jirgas are losing decision-making powers and it was suggests that the political administration and tribal elders be trained on legal matters.

It is mentioned around 73 security installations in Fata have been destroyed and need to be rebuilt on an immediate basis, while 11,789 levies forces personnel will be trained like a professional police force along with 17,800 khasadars.

However, this leaves little room for judicial reforms and extending the jurisdiction of superior courts to the tribal areas. The absence of a separate prosecution department and the fact that the levies force is not trained enough to ensure transparent investigation does not help matters either.

The role of the FATA tribunal, currently the highest judicial body under the Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR), has been questioned due to the absence of members of the judiciary.

A senior official associated with drafting the strategy tells The Express Tribune the basic impediments to the current strategy were based on three different perceptions.

“[They are] the lack of security and a robust political deal; lack of credible, real and perceived reforms which support a new political settlement; and finally money.”

However, another administration official fails to agree and claims security and strategy are in place, but money is required to implement the strategy.

The report was scheduled to be launched at Governor House in Peshawar, but the venue had to be changed to Islamabad. “The security situation in Peshawar did not allow foreign dignitaries to come to the city” an official of the FATA Secretariat told The Express Tribune, requesting anonymity.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 7^th, 2015.