It was never just about maps. In 2018, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a milestone many called overdue. FATA was no more, they said. Pakistan had stitched its seams. But with seven years behind us, the promise feels unfulfilled and the bond, unfinished.

Because in Pakistan, a merger is only real when the people believe it.

Still, voices rose in opposition. Maulana Fazlur Rehman, JUI-F’s leader, labelled the merger a “mistake,” suggesting it served an “American agenda” to redraw regional boundaries. He claimed tribal people died for the very change he now opposes. His words found resonance in corridors of power, where committees formed and talk of reviving jirgas began again.

The words were soft: “revival,” “tradition,” “consultation.” The intent behind them was not.

The federal government maintains there is no reversal plan. It insists that all reforms remain within the 25th Amendment and that no constitutional change is being considered. Formally, the structure of merged governance remains intact.

Yet the review committee lacks representation from KP’s government, invited only federal actors and selected officials. What was framed as an inclusive process reads to many as centralised design. Without meaningful input from KP, particularly its Assemblies, this is consultation in name only.

In a region where the goal was integration, hearing talk of reviving parallel justice structures raises questions: Are we still dating old era institutions, or ready to build new ones?

The revival rhetoric is often cloaked in support for tradition or local leadership. But tradition does not require subverting the Constitution. Representation does not come through appointed elders. Justice is not restored by sidestepping formal systems.

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