Re: Taming the wild West (FATA): in American style
Pashtun society may be conservative; however, before its Talibanization by Pakistan, women played a very active role in society and they had their representatives in the Jirga. According to Sharia law, a women's word is worth that of three men, in Pashtunwali a women's word is equal to that of her male counter part. It is true that women do not have equality in Pashtun society but they still played a greater role than women in the rest of Pakistan.
I'm not saying that the tribal system is 100% democratic but it is far better than the corrupt "democracy" of Pakistan. The legal system has failed in Pakistan. After 60 years of independence, today, the Judiciary is finally ascerting its authority. We have spent the the last 60 years in and out of military rule, our constitution has been shredded numerous times, our main political parties do not hold internal elections and do not function to the grassroots, we do not have any stable democratic institutions functioning, the entire system is corrupt. Pakistani law does not work in Pakistan itself so how can you expect it to work in the tribal areas?
I think you are saying that Pashtuns in Tribal society do not deserve the law and order. That is like treating them as if they belong to a mentally lower level than the rest.
Tribals areas have been begging for the rights for a long time. They don't want to be governed by the draconian rules called FCR.
FCR has treated these tribals as wild animals that do not deserve a law abiding society.
Thanks to FCR and Jirga system, tribal society has become hotbed of criminals , terrorists, and recently suiciders.
Criminals have used tribal areas long before Talibans and pimped the innocent people there.
Few examples of criminality are:
Right now the electricity theft in the rest of the country is 30% at its worst while in tribal areas the theft is 100%.
Almost 90% of the settled areas pay customs and excise on cars.
In tribal areas 100% of cars are unlicensed and without custom.
You can't eat drink and sleep Jirga. For real life you have to run businesses that bring development and prosperity. With the historically criminal element thanks to FCR, no sane businessman can go in tribal areas for investment.
This will surely result in the abject poverty and further degradation of the Pashtun tribes.
It is easy for people like SJ to live in comfy Mississauga, and give lectures on the virtues of FCR.
It is mighty difficult to talk about bread and butter issues.
Peace!