Pakistan, Regional Security and Conflict Resolution

This book shows how colonial legacies and the postcolonial state of Pakistan negatively influenced the socio-political and cultural dynamics and the security situation in Pakistan's Pashtun 'tribal' areas, formerly known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). It offers a local perspective on peace and conflict resolution in Pakistan's Pashtun 'tribal' region.Discussing the history and background of the former FATA region, the role of Pashtun conflict resolution mechanism Jirga and the persistence of colonial-era Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR) in the region, the author argues that the persistence of colonial legacies in the Pashtun 'tribal' areas, especially the FCR, coupled with the overarching influence of the military on security policy has negatively impacted the security situation in the region. By focusing on the Jirga and Jirga-based Lashkars (or Pashtun militias), the book shows how Pashtuns have engaged in their own initiatives to handle the rise of militancy in their region. Moreover, the book argues that, even after the introduction of constitutional reforms and FATA's merger with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, little has changed in the region, especially regarding the treatment of 'tribal' Pashtuns as equal citizens of Pakistan. This book explains, in detail, why indigenous methods of peace and conflict resolution, such as the Jirga, could play some role towards long-term peace in the Sotuh Asian region.Historically and contextually informed with a focus on North-West Pakistan, this book will be of interest to academics studying South Asian studies, international relations, peace and conflict studies, terrorism and traditional justice and restorative forms of peace-making.