FATA is characterized by a very strong tribal structure and very rich ethnic diversity and cultural heritage. However, scanty material is available on the ethnic diversity of the area. There are about a dozen major tribes with several smaller tribes and sub-tribes. Utmankhel,  Mohmand, Tarkani and Safi are the major tribes living in Bajaur and Mohmand. Afridi, Shilmani, Shinwari, Mulagori Orakzai are settled in Khyber and Orakzai while the FRs of Peshawar and Kohat are  occupied by Afridi. A good mix of Turi, Bangash, and Masozai inhabit Kurram Agency.  Major tribes of North and South Waziristan are Darwesh Khel Wazirs with a pocket of Mahsuds in the central part of the region. Other tribes of the region are Utmanzai, Ahmadzai Dawar, Saidgai, Kharasin and Gurbaz. Bhittani occupies FR Lakki and Tank, while FR Bannu is Wazir.  Ustrana and Shirani tribes live in FR D.I. Khan.

The cultural heritage of FATA is very rich in terms of hospitality, tribal arts and crafts, historical places, ethnic diversity and natural beauty. The tribes are used to looking after their own resources and solving local problems.  They take collective action in support of economic and social activities such as, supporting each other on special occasions like death and marriage ceremonies, harvesting and threshing of crops, construction of Hujra (a meeting place), mosque, buildings and cleaning of irrigation channels, protection from flood, maintaining paths, wood and grass cutting etc.

Jirga and Malki systems are strong and powerful local institutions for the reconciliation and resolution of local disputes and even to punish those who violate the local rules and customs.  If the dispute is of bigger nature between the tribes then the PA, MNA and Senators, Maliks and elders, sometimes from neighbouring FRs/agencies also participate in the jirga to resolve the disputes.  Maliks and elders are nominated both by the accused and the grieved. The people have to accept the decision made by the jirga. The jirga results are presented to the PA for information and record. If any one of the party is not happy or satisfied with the decision made by the jirga then the grieved party can go to the appellate court and then the Home Department, GoNWFP who decides the case under the FCR. Sometimes the jirga uses local power, which they have by tradition such as, Muchalga (fine), to eject a person or even a family from their area as a punishment or impose heavy fine and destroy/put their houses and property to fire. The whole tribe makes a lashkar (group together) for the implementation of the decision taken by the jirga. Due to these strong local traditional rules the reported crime rate in FATA is low.  However, with the passage of time the element of corruption has also entered this traditional dispute resolution system.  It is reported that the poor and vulnerable cannot afford to have a jirga.  There are a lot of requirements of jirga like hospitality and many other things, which the poor cannot afford. Thus Jirga is now becoming very expensive to convene. There is a grievance among the people that most of the time the ultimate decision is in favour of the rich and the influential.

 

A Malik has his own status in his tribe.  The PA gives him some amount as Mojib (allowance) periodically to run his local hospitality expenses. The local people respect Maliks possessing good quality, quantity of weapons and the number of male members to use these weapons when needed.
 
Traditionally the household head has a strong hold and decision-making power for the whole family.  The wives are traditionally submissive to their husbands and the likelihood of divorce or separation in the tribal society is negligible.  If there is dislike and conflict between wife and husband, he will marry another girl if he is rich and also keep his old wife as well.

 

The tribesmen when they are in their local area generally wear their traditional clothes with a large turban and rifle on shoulder. The women-folk generally use printed cloth and observe strict purdah from outsiders. Their working and festival dresses are all the same with the exception that they wear new dress on festivals like Eid and marriage or visiting relatives outside the village. In the winter season the males use a woollen blanket, while the female dress remains the same.  Tribal women are very found of wearing ornaments and jewellery of all type made of gold and silver.  A lot of money is spent on the local ceremonies, particularly on marriage, death, birth and other ceremonies/festivals like celebration of Eid and performing Haj.

People of FATA are fond of games and sports, which are essential for healthy living and positive growth of youth.  Unfortunately, in FATA with the exception of few places the availability of sports grounds and related facilities are almost nil.  There are no sports clubs to facilitate and arrange tribal sport tournaments. However, there are a variety of local games and sports played commonly all over both indoor and outdoor. These include hunting, gun shooting, wrestling, swimming and local child games, dog/cock/bird fights and many other games.