Authors: Farooq Yousaf, Haroon Rasheed, Imtiaz Gul
Edited by: Zeeshan Salahuddin, Syeda Uruba Nisar
This report – part of the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) special publications series – provides a brief introduction to the history, culture, traditions and demographics of the ethnic Pashtun tribes inhabiting the north-western border regions of Pakistan. The 27,220 square kilometre area inhabited by these tribes is historically known as the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and, until May 2018, had been governed by the Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR). Since then, Pakistan’s parliament has approved the merger of FATA into the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and they are no longer subject to governance informed by British colonial-era legacy. The focus of this report is on the tribes, sub-tribes and notable families residing in the seven administrative units known as Agency (districts) that make up FATA. This report also looks at the traditions, cultural norms, and various traditional conflict mitigation and resolution mechanisms that these Pashtun tribes have practiced for centuries. An overview of economic, demographic, and geopolitical dimensions of FATA is also provided.