EXAMINING THE 25TH AMENDMENT'S ROLE IN INTEGRATING FATA AND ITS IMPACT ON COUNTERTERRORISM STRATEGIES IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

The increase in Pakistan's geopolitical prominence in international politics since 2001 can be attributed to the terrorism originating from the unstable Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Governed by the Frontier Crime Regulation (FCR) of 1901, inherited from the British colonial era, FATA remained a semi-autonomous region with minimal government control even after the partition. However, during the War on Terror, Pakistan suffered significant losses, prompting its political parties and military establishment to initiate reforms in the legal, socio-economic, political, and security systems of the region. One significant reform was the proposal to merge FATA into the mainstream, which was debated among various stakeholders for several years. In May 2018, Pakistan's parliament approved the merger of FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa under the 25^th Constitutional Amendment. This merger aimed to integrate FATA fully into the administrative and legal framework of Pakistan, thereby addressing the longstanding governance challenges and security threats posed by militancy and terrorism originating from the region. This paper seeks to explore the efforts made by both the United States and Pakistan in counter-terrorism endeavors, particularly in the context of FATA. It also aims to assess the impacts of the FATA-KP merger on counter-terrorism efforts and Pakistan's internal security landscape. By examining these aspects, the study aims to provide insights into the evolving dynamics of counter-terrorism strategies and their implications for regional security and stability.