[citation needed] Troops of the British Raj coined a name for this region "Hell's Door Knocker" in recognition of the fearsome reputation of the local fighters and inhospitable terrain.

These three subdivisions are further divided into eight Tehsils: Ladha, Makin, Sararogha, Sarwakai, Tiarza, Wanna, Barmal, and Toi Khula.

Traditionally, feuding local Waziri religious leaders have enlisted outsiders in the Pakistani government, and more recently the U.S. forces hunting al-Qaeda fugitives—in attempts at score-settling.

[citation needed] The tribes are divided into sub-tribes governed by male village elders who meet in a tribal jirga.

In terms of area, South Waziristan was the largest agency in the erstwhile FATA region(now merged with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) being 6,619 km2.

[6] Located near the site of the ancient Indus Valley civilization and Harappa, the region was annexed as part of a far flung satrapy by the old Persian Achaemenid Empire before 500 B.C.

The Macedonians under Alexander the Great marched on the area around 330 B.C., the later Greco-Bactrians establishing an independent Indo-Greek Kingdom following a split with the Seleucid Empire to the west.

Islam was spread further east under the Saffarid dynasty which, under Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari, pressed deep into the Khyber hinterlands.

The succeeding centuries saw Ghaznavid, Ghorid, and Babar control of the area, where regional Pashtoon tribes living in and around the Hindu-Kush later battled the encroaching British India northwest of the Punjab.

From then onward, the region remained under British Indian Empire rule after the 1893 Durand Line agreement, until the state of Pakistan was created.

Up to 1895, the Deputy Commissioner of Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu had controlled all political matters in Waziristan since the taking over of the Frontier from the Sikhs.

These areas did not come under British control until November 1893, when the Amir of Afghanistan signed a treaty renouncing all claims to these territories.

After an attack on the Delimitation Commission Escort at Wanna in 1894 and subsequent large military operations in 1894–95, a Political Agent for South Waziristan was permanently appointed with its headquarters at Wanna; another was appointed for the Tochi area (North Waziristan) with headquarters at Miramshah.

With the withdrawal of Indian government to the settled districts, the regular armed forces were withdrawn and, instead, a local militia was raised in 1900.

However, large scale disturbances occurred in 1904 resulting in the murder of the Political Agent and Militia Commandant at Sarwakai.

Later, a plot to murder all the British officers, seize the Wanna fort; and hand it over to Mullah Powindah, the self-styled king of Waziristan, was discovered.

The rest are mountain streams which can become dangerous and impassable during heavy rains which frequently occur during the months of July and August.

Some Bettani tribal people live in a strip on the south-east border, while the Ghilji are mainly settled in the south-west corner.

in wazir etan the trend is slowly emerging but those people who migrated to other Urban areas of Pakistan they changed the fashion and also adopt the other culture.

[citation needed] The people of South Waziristan eat simple food of wheat and maize bread.

The famous food of Dotani and suleman khel tribe is "Korrat", the half white rice mix up with "ghee" which is made from cow milk and second is Bar be Q of Goat.

The Historic Gomal Pass is mentioned by a famous diplomats and writer Dr Shamshad as an entry point of the Shahab- u- Din Ghouri's attacking army in 1192 AD.

Besides, famous lawyers of SWD Bar like Advocate Fida Hussain wazir were born here in Ghowa Khawa.

Khaisur, Osspass, karama, Ladha, Makin, Sararogha, Azamwarsak and Angur Ada are also important places of the Agency.

These three subdivisions are further divided into eight Tehsils: Ladha, Makin, Sararogha, Sarwakai, Tiarza, Wanna, Barmal, and Toi Khwla.

On 4 June 2007, the National Security Council of Pakistan met to decide the fate of Waziristan and take up a number of political and administrative decisions to control "Talibanization" of the area.

The government decided to take a number of actions to stop the "Talibanization" and crush the armed militancy in the Tribal regions and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The NSC of Pakistan has decided the following actions will be taken to achieve the goals: The Ministry of Interior has played a large part in the information gathering for the operations against militants and their institutions.

The government is also trying to strengthen the law enforcement in the area by providing Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Police with weapons, bulletproof jackets and night-vision devices.

Army has control over the main roads and strategic hilltops while TTP militants have safe havens in the valleys.