WHAT REMAINS OF EDUCATION IN PAKISTAN’S TRIBAL BELT
Pakistan’s former tribal regions along the Afghan border are facing a resurgence of militant activity, fueling growing frustration and a sense of abandonment among local communities.
Since mid 2021 - the return of taliban in afghanistan-, a majority of the surging terrorist attacks in Pakistan have occurred in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. There is a significant concentration in the seven former tribal districts, most notably North Waziristan and South Waziristan. The region’s people were denied basic rights and excluded from national governance; they were not given the right to vote in Pakistani elections until 1997.
Waziristan is home to the Mehsud, a prominent Pashtun tribe rooted in South Waziristan. Like the rugged mountains that cradle their land, the Mehsud people are shaped by resilience—unyielding, fierce, and deeply romantic in spirit. With a history marked by resistance, from colonial conquests to modern-day conflicts, they have long stood at the heart of geopolitical fault lines, often bearing the cost of the battles around them. The tribe has faced significant disruption due to militant violence, military operations, and displacement. Despite these challenges, many Mehsud youth are pushing for education and stability in a region long marked by instability and marginalization. Military operations have responded with force, but the cycle of violence has left deep scars, especially on the younger generation.
Located in south Waziristan, remains what is left of a bombed school. And yet, every morning, children still gather here; because they want to learn. Among them is a 13 year old girl, who has taken on the role of a teacher. She stands before her classmates with quiet authority, leading English lessons with words she’s carefully memorized.
For many young people in Waziristan, the future is both fragile and fiercely hoped for. Education is more than a right, it’s a form of resistance.
"She’s the best in English, so we listen to her," one student explains. There is no adult to guide them, and no official curriculum, but the class continues, page by page, hoping that knowledge might offer a way out.
In 2014, during Operation Zarb-e-Azb—a major military offensive launched by the Pakistan Armed Forces along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, approximately one million people were internally displaced from North Waziristan. While some eventually returned, many fled to Afghanistan or nearby regions, leaving those who remained behind with limited access to basic infrastructure, especially in education.