This report explores the reasons why the Pakistan tribal areas have become a haven and hotbed of radicalism and the steps being taken to reestablish control and to promote peace and stability in the region. It begins with a brief overview of the recent history (1893 to Partition) of the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, followed by the political and cultural ramifications in the area due to the creation of Pakistan. Religion, tribal customs, socio-economic development and the unique political relationship between the FATA and the central government must be considered when forming policy recommendations and planning future engagements. The article concludes with an examination of recent initiatives by the U.S. and Pakistan to pacify the area, to include short term and long term strategies, and describes the ramifications of failure. / text

Life, individual and collective, exists in reference to what came before; my research into the life histories of places explores the cultural threads which tie us to places and which allow us to make personal and collective connections between the past and the present. Understanding these life histories helps us understand the value and power historic places have in the world today. This thesis focuses on Mughal caravanserais from northwestern Pakistan, examining how they were initially intended to be used during the Mughal rule of South Asia and how they were reused in the periods that followed (Sikh, Afghani, British, and Pakistani). Caravanserais are walled arcaded buildings where travelers could stop briefly. After the Mughal Empire declined, caravanserais were reused by local people and/or taken over by subsequent governing bodies. Surviving structures are still used today, although their original appearance and functions have been altered to serve new purposes. My research is part of the Caravanserai Networks Project, directed by Dr. Heather Miller, University of Toronto. I develop my survey method through comparative study of two caravanserais, Gor Khuttree and Pakka Khanpur. Using information from architectural survey, historic documents, and photographs, I create three-dimensional architectural models of Gor Khuttree���s occupations. I use access and planning analysis to characterize the use and alteration of the sites��� architecture. Conceptually, I develop a tripartite formation of place: formed, in practice, and in memory. As a multifaceted place, I consider Gor Khuttree���s life history; the occupations, identities, and memories associated with the site through time. The City of Peshawar, central to this research, was at the time of writing in Pakistan���s North West Frontier Province. This province was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 15th, 2010. This research continues to refer to the province by its former name. This ensures continuity with published documents and the organizational names used by colleagues in Pakistan at the time of research.

Life, individual and collective, exists in reference to what came before; my research into the life histories of places explores the cultural threads which tie us to places and which allow us to make personal and collective connections between the past and the present. Understanding these life histories helps us understand the value and power historic places have in the world today. This thesis focuses on Mughal caravanserais from northwestern Pakistan, examining how they were initially intended to be used during the Mughal rule of South Asia and how they were reused in the periods that followed (Sikh, Afghani, British, and Pakistani). Caravanserais are walled arcaded buildings where travelers could stop briefly. After the Mughal Empire declined, caravanserais were reused by local people and/or taken over by subsequent governing bodies. Surviving structures are still used today, although their original appearance and functions have been altered to serve new purposes. My research is part of the Caravanserai Networks Project, directed by Dr. Heather Miller, University of Toronto. I develop my survey method through comparative study of two caravanserais, Gor Khuttree and Pakka Khanpur. Using information from architectural survey, historic documents, and photographs, I create three-dimensional architectural models of Gor Khuttree’s occupations. I use access and planning analysis to characterize the use and alteration of the sites’ architecture. Conceptually, I develop a tripartite formation of place: formed, in practice, and in memory. As a multifaceted place, I consider Gor Khuttree’s life history; the occupations, identities, and memories associated with the site through time. The City of Peshawar, central to this research, was at the time of writing in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. This province was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 15th, 2010. This research continues to refer to the province by its former name. This ensures continuity with published documents and the organizational names used by colleagues in Pakistan at the time of research.

The Durand Line, the western border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, was delineated in 1893 as the boundary between then British India and Afghanistan. The international community recognizes the Durand line as the Pak-Afghan border since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, but successive Afghan rulers have repudiated its legitimacy. This dispute has caused turbulence in relations between these countries and instigates greater problems with regard to the Pashtun nationalism. The Durand Line has remained porous due to the nature of tribal cultures and the socio-economic compulsions of the people living along the Durand line. The Durand Line was exploited to launch the Afghan Jihad against the Soviets in the 1980s. The GWOT in Afghanistan has once again brought misperceptions regarding alignment, and the porous nature of the Durand Line to the lime light. This thesis demonstrates that existing combat operations against Al-Qaeda and the Taliban and the exploitation of the Durand Line by the U.S.-led coalition forces, had a destabilizing effect on Pakistan, due to the autonomous nature of tribal areas and Pakistan's necessity to extend its authority in tribal areas while supporting the GWOT. This thesis recommends that a clear understanding of the Durand Line as an international border by all concerned states will enhance the coordination of operations at all tiers, and thereby prevent this border from becoming South Asia's next trouble spot.