Much thought is now being given to how to contain the threat of terrorist violence emanating in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and reshape governance structures, both to manage security and make progress on economic and social development in the area, thereby mitigating the extremist challenge. Wilton Park’s conference brought together key Pakistanis administering and working in the area with other international experts to obtain a shared appreciation of the options open for governing FATA and border security. Some of the major issues discussed were:
- the need for a comprehensive approach, combining military, political and development initiatives;
- the need for a regional approach encompassing in particular Afghanistan, India and Iran;
- the need for better communication of policies by the Government of Pakistan (GoP), the US Administration and other interested governments;
- a lack of dialogue and coordination between the Pakistan authorities and the international community, and a trust deficit which needs to be bridged.
