ABSTRACT
In 2008, armed conflict in Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) continued and became more violent, expanding into some settled districts of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) as well as some other parts of Pakistan. The differences between the NWFP and the FATA relate to their administration and the state’s writ. While the NWFP elects its own government, the FATA is directly administered by Islamabad. The Government of Pakistan is a principal actor in the armed conflict in the FATA and the NWFP. While Pakistan is willing to target the Al Qaeda and foreign militants like the Uzbeks in the FATA, the federal government is extremely reluctant to pursue a confrontationist policy with the Taliban and its local supporters in this region. The United States-led security forces in Afghanistan, though not allowed formally to operate inside the FATA by Pakistan, could be considered the third principal actor in the armed conflicts in this region.
