Yes the tribal area myths have evaporated for sure. And they had to.
100 years ago, the armies had to fight hand to hand, over-land battles with lightly armed but highly mobile tribals. Obviously the tribals had a huge advantage in that situation.
The tribals also took great advantage of their knowledge of the terrain.
Fast forward to 21st century. And those tribal strengths are now their weaknesses.
-----If they are lightly armed, the modern air-cavalry is heavily armed.
---- If the tribals were mobile, the modern air-cavalry is much more mobile thanks to the helicopters.
-----If the tribals had the advantage of terrain, now with GPS and nigh vision equipment, the hilly terrain no longer offers a big advantage to the tribals.
---- The only exception to the above rules was that in 1988 when a super power USA supplied necessary and sophisticated weapons to the Afghan Muj so they could counter the air-cavalry advantage of Ruskies. But there is no super power supporting Talibots now and thus they can be crushed to pieces with no problem.
so militarily tribals can be utterly destroyed if the attacking forces wanted it so. But Pakistan army do not want to create another BDesh, and thus they are treating these wehshis with kid gloves. And that’s OK.
However let’s not kid ourselves by just looking at the military solution for the tribal problem. That would be really shortsighted.
The real goal should be that after military operation, Tribals must be civilized. They should be given highways, and allowed to have modern police system, and modern court system, and modern bureaucracy.
then only then, they will have an internal force to resist temptation of siding with the international goons like Qaida.
We must abolish the draconian, and inhuman system called FCR that is being used abused to keep the tribals as primitive beings.
FCR and FATA system must go. If the FATA folks do not want to be governed by Peshawar, then give them a separate province.
But for Allah swt sake, end the zulm in that area in the name of FCR and FATA. End it before it is too late.
Thank you.