As has been mentioned violence in punjab preceded the violence in FATA..it was another gift of a dictator like FATA's problems are one from Musharraf.
The present violence in Punjab has connections with FATA but is driven by different groups (Kashmiri ones former ISI backed babies) and inspired by Lal Masjid. In fact the bulk of attacks in Punjab have been by locals...
The events in FATA have not occurred in isolation, west of the border they are backed by money from drug trade and from the east they get volunteers and funding from punjab.
As they say if you want to get rid of mosquitoes you need to drain the swamp.
Bingo! Let us not forget the anti-Shia violence in Punjab that has been going for decades now. I am not from the Shia community, but we have recognize the problems of rel;igious militancy.
Furthermore, lets re run the chronology of the situation in FATA.
- Pakistan supported the Taliban in probably the most unprecedented scale, where ISI was running the framework/intl relations of the country.
- 9/11: Pakistan turns its back on the Taliban. Angering the regime/Taliban is toppled by US + Allies.
- Segments of Pakistani military+recruits from FATA/Punjab/Other parts of Pakistan pour into Afghanistan. They are killed/captured/injured.
- With Afghanistan lost to Allied (US,UK) control, the Talibs+militants regroup in FATA where an base camps had existed since the Soviet invasion and were at times used for the Kashmir insurgency. These bases were fully established under the watchful eye of the Pak. Military.
- Segments of Pakistan continues to support the militants and considers them an 'assets' future takeover of Afghanistan after the US leaves.
Also, it is a MYTH to believe that the trbes in FATA are welcoming the militants with open arms. Sure the Taliban, due to their ethnic and religious affinities are tolerated, it would be completely false to think that the tribes andmore importantly the tribal leaders would want their power structure to be destabilized. In fact most of the leaders in Mohmand Agency continue to be against the militant takeover of the area. They agreed to house the militant for Afghanistan operations not to create skirmishes in FATA.
There has been a lot hate thrown at FATA and many lies based on fabricated reports thrown about on this forum. This just to set the record straight.