Borderlands: Afghanistan and Pakistan Provinces and Tribal Areas - Literature review Example

Borderlands and Borderlands: Afghanistan and Pakistan provinces and tribal areas. Geography. Feb 13, References Cited List Borderlands and Borderlands: Afghanistan and Pakistan provinces and tribal areas The border between Afghanistan and Pakistan stretching to the western Afghanistan and the tribal areas and provinces of Pakistan has been described as the most dangerous place on earth (Thomas & Mason, 2008). The area is highly inaccessible due to the terrain as well insecurity because of insurgency and militias operating in the area leading to the creation of a safe haven for terrorists. Consequently, the region has come under global scrutiny because of the unique problems it poses to international security. In this research, it is, therefore, paramount to understand this area from the point of view of its history, geography, security, administration, legal status as well as the foreign policy of major stakeholders. Hence, this research will be based on materials that reflect and make the above conspicuous. Several factors have informed the selection of the sources listed below. First, is the depth of research exhibited in the work and reliance on data derived scientifically. Secondly, accessibility of the material has been factored in to enable both the researcher and any other third party to easily get access to them. Thirdly, the experience of the authors and their extent on which they have written concerning the topic. Moreover, conflicting opinions, ideas, or conclusion among scholars and experts has been factored in to absorb information that has been criticized and evaluated from several points of view. Finally, the research has been divided into the following subtopics; History Hussain, Hamid.N.d. Afghanistan: A Changed Landscape. Defense Journal. Available at http://www.defencejournal.com/2002/january/landscape.htm In this column, Hamid looks at the history of the state of Afghanistan, from the efforts of Ahmad Shah Durrani, through the Russian invasion to the present day. He also describes the Pashtuns, their quest for autonomy and the strategic point which they occupy at the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. To add, he describes at length the eastern, southern and western areas of Afghanistan which border Pakistan. He further delves into the territory and its inhabitants looking at its geographical and demographic characteristics that inform the region. He addresses at length the ethnic composition and Trans boarder interactions between these tribes from time immemorial. Further, he writes about the civil war that engulfed the region, up to the rise of the Taliban’s. He further states that some tribes of Pashtuns and Tajiks chose Pakistan over kaboul due to its geographic and ethnic factors. This article forms the basis of my thesis since it provides details of the subject. Hamid’s column clearly summarizes the history of the region in question. He addresses the ethnic tribes that occupy this region, and the reasons why Kaboul and Islamabad disagree over their common border. Embree, Ainslie. 1977. “Pakistan’s Western Borderlands: The Transformation of a Political Order”. The Journal of Asian Studies. 38,411-413. It is a collection of over 7 articles written by historians, political scientists and anthropologists. The book presents a detailed overview of the two provinces of Baluchistan and the Northwest frontier, analyzing the process of their integration into Pakistan. It delves into the social and political structures including the tribal organizations, nomadic and sedentary life. It employs the anthropological model of segmentary lineage to explain the development and consolidation of a Pathan principality, with projections to Mughal government and finally to the government of Pakistan. The book has also addressed the transformation that has taken place in this area over time. It presents a chronological state of the events and how they led to each other. This article book is important to this article as it delves not only on the history but also transformation that has taken place in this region. It is written in a clear language, easy to understand. Location and physical features Federally Administered Tribal area website available at http://Fata.gov.pk This website basically provides all the necessary information with regards to FATA. It is described as located in northwestern Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan. It has a mountainous terrain, broken by small basins or valleys. It is dotted with settlement and agricultural fields. The area is further subdivided into northern, central and southern regions which coincide with administrative boundaries. The soil is made up of a mixture of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks. The soil is derived from weathering of bedrock, deposited by streams and rivers. The area sits in the point of two major climatic systemss, the Mediterranean towards the west and the monsoon to the east. Most parts are arid and semi-arid, with warm summers and cool winters. The area is said to receive rainfall in the region of 630 mm in 2001 and 88mm in some region. This website is critical to understanding the region, and it is, therefore, key to my thesis. It also provides information with regards to land use indicators, tribal and ethnic diversity, economy and livelihood, socio-economic indicators and population demographic. The data posted here is both objective and scientifically derived and, therefore, it is reliable Current status Iqbal, Humera. N.d. Pak-afghan ties in the light of Pak-Us Strategic Dialogue. Humera describes the relationship between the government of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He states that the relationship between the two countries cannot be termed friendly despite their historical, cultural and ethnic ties. He points to the fact that, at Pakistan’s independence, Afghanistan was the only nation that voted against its admission to the United Nation due to its claim over Durand line and given the Pakistan foreign Policy towards Afghanistan since 1947. He also refers to the reliance placed by Afghanistan on Pakistan to access the sea and international market, a factor which avers led to Afghanistan’s attempt to expand their territory to gain access to Arabian Sea. To achieve this, Afghanistan sought to exploit the Pashtunians marginalization, an ethnic group that is supported by India. Consequently, this dispute has resulted in a porous border between the two. The author also looks at this on the basis of Pakistan’s ties with U.S. Humera’s work shall be key to the thesis, as it unravels politics behind this region. It is an objective piece of work that looks at the issue from various angles both Local and international. To add, he has demonstrated various instances when the border has come under sharp scrutiny. Legal status Constitution of Pakistan. Chapter 3: tribal areas. The supreme law of Pakistan defines the term ‘tribal areas’ includes the areas of Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkwa province, the former states of Amb, Chitral, Dir and Swat (article 246(a). Further, article 246(b) describes the provincially administered tribal areas. With regards to the administration of the tribal areas, the constitution expressly provides that the executive authority of the federation shall extend to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), while the executive of a province extends to FATA. Further, it empowers the president to give directions to governors of a province, and the governor shall be bound to those directions. The constitution provides for semi autonomy of this region through stating that Acts of parliament and of the province shall not be applicable to the regions unless expressly stated. Nevertheless, the constitution empowers the president to make regulation for peace and good governance of this region. To add, the constitution states that the highcourt and the Supreme Court of Pakistan shall have no jurisdiction in this area unless the parliament enacts law to provide otherwise. The constitution shall of immense importance to the thesis as it clearly articulates the legal status of the region subject to this study. Being the supreme law, it supersedes all other laws, and it best represents the policy of Pakistan towards these areas. . Security status Johnson, Thomas &Mason, Chris. 2008. “No sign Until the Bust of fire: Understanding the Pakistan-Afghanistan Frontier. International security. 32, 41-77. In this paper, Chris mason, states that the Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder is the world’s most dangerous frontier, and the most challenging to United States national security interest. He states that extremist groups such as al-Qaida and Taliban’s have their home in the region overwhelmingly dominated by the Pashtun tribes. He asserts that the implications of this fact, that most of Pakistan’s and Afghanistan’s violent religious extremists and with it most of the United States counter terrorism challenge are contained within a single ethno-linguistic group have escaped the governmental policy community. Therefore, he argues that the United States and the international community should be doing everything to empower the tribal elders whose influence had been waning since the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979 and, therefore, restore balance to a tribal/cultural system. Further, mason address the security status of the Pakistan-Afghanistan boarder and the threat paused to international security by extremists. He states that this border presents the greatest danger to the international security. Mason’s article is valuable to the thesis as it introduces a new element of the region, the fact that it harbors world greatest terrorists. He has employed data from various bodies which makes his research objective and authoritative. To add, he boasts of outstanding achievements and experience which makes his work key to this thesis. Shuja, Nawaz. 2009. FATA- A Most Dangerous Place: Meeting the challenge of Militancy and Terror in the Federally Administered Tribal areas of Pakistan. International Security.23, 12- 22. The writer also concentrates on the increased violence and militancy in the border region between Pakistan and Afghanistan and has brought FATA into sharper focus. He states that this region could be the source of another 9/11 type of attack. He states that in both countries the main player is the Taliban and their allies in the soviet era mujahedeen commanders. He paints Taliban as operating Tran’s boundary, engaging in a struggle against foreign forces inside Afghanistan and against the military in Pakistan. He states that the geopolitical nexus of Pakistan-FATA-Afghanistan-India must be seen as a regional crisis that requires holistic politico-military approach. He also argues that the region forms a safe haven for both Al- Qaida and Taliban guerillas and have materially seeded the seed of Islamic militancy and terror inside Pakistan proper. He holds that many Pakistanis consider al-Qaida and Taliban to be the good guys who punish Pakistan military for fighting American war. This article also introduces another aspect critical to this research, the possibility of the government of Pakistan cooperating with the extremists in this area. This work is a result of several international experts and is therefore objective. It is clearly written with maps of areas concerned clearly drawn and well-illustrated. Insurgency and crime United Nations. 2009. Addiction, Crime and Insurgency: The Transnational Threat of Afghan Opium. This book captures the organized crime in Afghanistan and the drug trade of opium. It contends that the trafficking of this drug has been a prime source of revenue for the insurgents and warlords, criminals and terrorists undermining international security. In this book, it is clear that the drug trade contributes significantly to the insurgency and instability in the region under this study. Further, this report paints this region as a chief menace to the security of the region and the world, operating as safe trafficking hub for these drugs to the rest of the world. The report further states that organized criminal gangs that are ethnic based operate and rule this area. The origin of warlords is dated back to the war against Soviet Union, where well-funded young mujahedin commanders began to assert their authority to the detriment of traditional elders which tore the Afghan social fabric apart. When the soviet withdrew, the infighting among the commanders to controls the opium trade fragmented the region to fiefdoms. This report shall play a significant role in the thesis. It conspicuously links drug trade to the rise of warlords and the persistent instability in the region. Further, the report is very reliable having originated form the United Nations, with the data objective and derived over a long period of time by multi-international bodies. . Shah, Mehtab.1995. The Foreign policy of Pakistan: ethics impacts on diplomacy, 1971-1994. This book delves into the culture of the Pashtuns who mainly occupy Pakistan tribal areas and the policy of the government of Pakistan towards them. The author also delves into the foreign policy of Pakistan and to some extent other stake-holders like Afghanistan. He states that the foreign policy of Pakistan has been subject to major and several changes because of the mutating and unpredictability of tribal politics in the region. Moreover, the foreign policy has also been subject to the position of foreign powers namely US. He states that the U.S growing relationship with India is likely to impact negatively on this region, given the growing militancy and insurgency that is witnessed in this area. The position of Pakistan is contrasted with that of Afghanistan, their neighbors, towards the area bordering Pakistan and the disputed ownership by the two countries. This article is crucial as it addresses the official policy of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States towards this autonomous region. It has compiled official government publications and therefore represents the real status. Read More