North-West Frontier Province Pakistan: Encyclopedia II - North-West Frontier Province Pakistan - Social Issues

North-West Frontier Province Pakistan - Social Issues

The NWFP continues to have an image problem. Even within Pakistan it is regarded as a "radical state" and a "backwater" due to the rise of Islamic parties in the province and purported support for the remnants of the Taliban who are believed by some to be hiding in the province. Others claim that the plagues of sectarianism, terrorism and insurrection have not been a problem in the North-West Frontier and the local economy has met with significant gains in spite of hosting millions of Afghan refugees, many of whom have been integrated into the local society.

The NWFP remains closely linked to Afghanistan and is a natural bridge for Pakistan's hopes to conduct trade with Central Asia, including the possibility of oil and natural gas pipelines.

Pashtuns within the NWFP have sought to rename the province Pakhtunkhwa, which translates to "Land of the Pakhtuns" in Pashto. This has been opposed by the people of the mountainous northern regions of NWFP, many of whom are non-Pashtuns.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Social Issues", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki