The Impacts of Terrorism on the People of Former FATA (Pakistan)

Abstract

This study examines the multidimensional impacts of terrorism on the people of former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan, focusing on social, economic, psychological, and governance-related consequences. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research draws on primary data collected through 380 structured questionnaires and 10 in-depth interviews conducted across Waziristan (North & South), Bajaur, Kurram, and Orakzai districts. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability analysis, and inferential tests, while qualitative interviews were thematically analyzed. Findings reveal that terrorism has produced long-term socio-economic disruption, widespread psychological trauma, erosion of trust in institutions, and altered community dynamics. The study concludes with extensive policy-oriented recommendations aimed at rehabilitation, governance reform, and sustainable peace-building. The paper contributes empirically and theoretically to terrorism studies and criminological literature in the Pakistani context.