The Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) is strategically located between the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and the settled areas of Khyber Pakhtun Khwa. FATA, both historically and traditionally had a unique administrative and political status from the British times since 1849. However, in 1893, a demarcation was raised with Afghanistan called Durand Line. They controlled the area through a combination of effective Political Agents and tribal elders, while leaving the people
with their traditions and internal independence. Pakistan inherited this system and more or less continues with it even today. Since the independence of Pakistan, FATA has not been accorded the same priority in terms of the development process being undertaken in other parts of the country. The development initiatives and allocations in FATA followed a compartmentalized approach, concentrated around sectoral facilities and benefiting few influential and politically active
sections. This ad hoc approach deprived large segments of the population from social uplift, and economic empowerment.
On 24 May 2018, the National Assembly of Pakistan voted in favour of an amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan for the FATA-KP merger which was approved by the Senate the following day. Since the change was to affect the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it was presented for approval in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on 27 May 2018, and passed
with majority vote. On 28 May 2018, the President of Pakistan signed the FATA Interim Governance Regulation, a set of interim rules for FATA until it merges with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa within a timeframe of two years.The 25th Amendment received assent from President Mamnoon Hussain on 31 May 2018, after which FATA was officially merged with Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa. This further weakened the Pashtunistan movement in a historical context, as Pakistan’s government established full rule, including legal system over the territory.
Total Population = 5.002 (million)
(Provisional Figures ; Population updates 2017 )
The population of the seven Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) has grown by 57 per cent over the past 19 years despite the fact that most residents have moved to settled areas because of military operations against militants in the region.
According to the provisional figures of the 2017 census compiled by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, the population of Fata stands at five million as compared to 3.2m of the 1998 census.
With slightly over 1m people, Bajaur Agency becomes the most populated tribal agency with an increase of 84pc from the 595,227 people who lived there in 1998.
Khyber Agency comes second with 986,973 residents with an increase of 80.5pc from 546,730 people in 1998.
Kurram Agency is third with 619,553 residents with more than 38pc increase in its population from 448,310 people in the last census.
South Waziristan ranks fourth with 679,185 residents with a growth of 58pc from 429,841 people in 1998.
North Waziristan comes fifth with a population of 543,254 with a 51pc increase from 361,246 people who lived there in 1998.
Orakzai Agency ranks last in the seven tribal agencies with 254,356 residents compared to 225,441 in 1998, registering an increase of 12.8pc. It is the only tribal agency which posted the least growth in its population perhaps because of the migration to the settled areas.
The Frontier Regions (FR) are a group of small administrative units lying immediately to the east of the tribal agencies. The overall administration of these regions is also controlled by the FATA secretariat.
The population of FR Bannu rose to 43,114 residents from 19,593; FR D.I. Khan to 68,556 from 38,990; FR Kohat to 118,578 from 88,456; FR Lakki Marwat to 26,359 from 6,987; FR Peshawar to 64,691 from 53,841 and FR Tank to 36,389 from 27,216.
