Duration: March to April, 2010
Locale: Swat, Bunner, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir and Malkand
Introduction: The socio-political system in the Malakand area is signaling a transition, there are gaps between the traditional social order, modern political and administrative mechanism. Moreover, the society is experiencing a shift in the traditional power structure and social order. However, accessibility to state institutions and its delivery mechanisms, perhaps do not have enough capacity to consolidate and streamline the social change in positive channels due to the conflict that has been witnessed in this area. In addition the poor condition of road infrastructures and access to education and health facilities further deteriorated in the post conflict period. Agriculture and livestock is the main source of household, however, to some extent foreign remittances also supplement the income of households. These factors limit progress and therefore, whenever the community finds no alternative it reverts to the traditional social order for remedy. By and large, it seems a matter of pragmatism rather than conservatism Keeping in view these factors, the Sustainable Development Police institute (SDPI) launched a survey in six districts; Swat, Bunner, Shangla, Lower and Upper Dir and Malkand District/Agency for the Transnational Crisis Project in April 2010. The study aimed to explore the human landscape and social political realities and the relationship between the traditional social order and modern political institutions in the region to facilitate the reconstruction and rehabilitation process. The total sample size was 2400 household questionnaires that have been distributed on the basis of proportional allocation. Malakand Division witnessed a conflict of high intensity in the last three years and the peace process needs to be reinforced through well-planned reconstruction and rehabilitation activities. This was a social ethnography study aimed to explore the human landscape and social political realities and the relationship between the traditional social order and modern political institutions in the region to facilitate the reconstruction and rehabilitation process. The sample size was 2,000 households along with 4000 interviews of influential people. The findings of the study, “Frontier Digital Gazette” served as a knowledge-sharing platform and catalyst for cooperation in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Malakand Division, in line with the objectives, strategies, and work plan of the Government of Pakistan. The population of surveyed area mostly consisted of adult persons and young persons with a large average household size. Pashtoon is the larger ethnic group in the area and Pashto as the mother language of overwhelming majority of population in the six districts of Malkand Division
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