The Fata Conundrum: A Study of the Post-Merger Administrative Chaos

This research examines the post-merger administrative changes in the Erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa(KP) almost six years after the 2018 merger. Policymakers may be optimistic, but the region still has a lot of governance and administrative issues. The problems stem from a hastily merger procedure without adequate planning and impact estimation. The study highlights the nature of the merger and its impact on governance by examining the transition from Political Agents (PA) to Deputy Commissioners (DC). The post-merger justice system has been completely inactive and failed. The research highlights that the transformation of Levis and Khasadars into KP Police was a flawed decision of the government. The administrative capacity and difficulties following the merger are examined in this study using the Institutional Capacity Framework. The results show that the merger's promises have not been fulfilled, and the new administrative structure still struggles to gain public trust.