Combating Terrorism through Social Capital Building in FATA, Pakistan

Aminullah, Johar Ali & Javaria Raza

Abstract
Viability of Social capital is not only omniscient in success of development
models, its absence/erosion blatantly effects the smooth running of society too
especially in developing countries. Unfortunately, public institutions in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa in general and Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) in
particular are deficient in its functioning where the affairs of governance are
carried on through few proxies i.e.,elites. This absence of social networks
segregated local communities in the shape of mere conglomerations and the
vast gaps are filled by external elements later on turned into terrorists.Consequently, the exodus elements/terrorists never allowed government to synergize institutions and local social groups through hitting functional institutions like police and army; try to counter every effort in the shape of Local Peace Committees (LPCs) to rebuild social capital.This paper
argues that governance system in FATA- in practice, not on paper- is
responsible for loosening horizontal intra/inter communities links and vertical
connections of individuals with organizations/ state‟s institutions.

Key words: Social capital, synergy view, institutions, terrorism