The total population of FATA is estimated to be about 3.5 million people, or roughly 2 percent of Pakistan's population. Mostly warlike Pashtun tribes inhabit the region. Only 3 percent of the population resides in established townships. It is the most rural administrative region in Pakistan.FATA comprises seven administrative agencies, namely Khyber, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Orakzai, North and South Waziristan and six Frontier Regions. The main towns are Miranshah, Razmak, Bajaur, Darra bazzar and Wana.
It is covered by high mountains, deep valleys and gorges and has thousands of caves. In short, FATA is inhospitable and is an ideal area to attack, retreat and hide in. For these reasons, al-Qaeda and other militant groups have chosen the area to deploy to and attack American, Afghan and NATO forces.
This week, FATA was the focus of the attention of US President Barack Obama during his speech on Monday to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Phoenix. He pointed out that for the American people, this border region had become the most dangerous place in the world and continued by reminding the audience of his new strategy for Afghanistan.
In this context, he said: “By moving forward in Iraq, we're able to refocus on the war against al-Qaeda and its extremist allies in Afghanistan and Pakistan. That is why I announced a new comprehensive strategy in March. This strategy recognizes that al-Qaeda and its allies had moved their base to the remote, tribal areas of Pakistan. This strategy acknowledges that military power alone will not win this war -- that we also need diplomacy and development and good governance. And our new strategy has a clear mission and definite goals -- to disrupt, dismantle and to defeat al-Qaeda and its extremist allies.
“When I announced this strategy, there will be more difficult days ahead. The insurgency in Afghanistan didn't just happen overnight. And we won't defeat it overnight. This will not be quick. This will not be easy. But we must never forget. This is not a war of choice. This is a war of necessity. Those who attacked America on Sept. 11 are plotting to do so again. If left unchecked, the Taliban insurgency will mean an even larger safe haven from which al-Qaeda would plot to kill more Americans. So this is not only a war worth fighting. This is fundamental to the defense of our people.”
President Obama's explanation for the war in Afghanistan is of course not new. His predecessor, George W. Bush, and his officials said many times that their chief objective in Afghanistan is to eliminate al-Qaeda and to make sure that it never again uses Afghan territory and FATA to attack America like it did during the Sept. 11 attacks.
Well, it is this fear of al-Qaeda, which could again find a safe haven in Afghanistan if the Taliban rules Afghanistan, that has been the main motivation and reason for America's military involvement in Afghanistan since December 2001. However, since the defeat of Taliban in late 2001, which left al-Qaeda without the support and protection of the Taliban, al-Qaeda moved to FATA and is still there, plotting to attack America.
That is why America is in Afghanistan for the long haul and considers the adjacent FATA the most dangerous place in the world. In this respect, what America needs to ensure is that FATA does not remain as such. This of course depends not only upon its own efforts but also those of Pakistan. And Pakistan seems determined to help America in this regard because the existence of al-Qaeda and the Taliban in FATA also became a national threat to Pakistan itself this year. So in the long run, FATA could lose its status as the most dangerous place in the world, providing that America, Afghanistan and Pakistan cooperate fully and sincerely to make it happen.
