Who are Pashtuns?

About Pashtuns:

• Pashtuns—also known as “Pathans” and “Pakhtuns”—are an ethnic group of people found throughout Afghanistan and Pakistan.
• They reside primarily in the region that lies between the Hindu Kushin northeastern Afghanistan and the northern stretch of the Indus River in Pakistan.
• The Pashtuns in Pakistan were separated from those in Afghanistan by the ‘Durand Line’, which divided the region between British India and Afghanistan in the late 19th century.
• The Pashtun constitute the largest ethnic group of the population of Afghanistan (40-50 percent of the population) and bore the exclusive name of Afghan before that name came to denote any native of the present land area of Afghanistan.
• The Pashtun are united primarily by a common language, Pashto (an official language of Afghanistan).
  • They are generally able to speak Farsi (Persian), when necessary, often relying on the language in the context of trade dealings in the region.
• Other commonalities include Sunni Islam and a common social code (Pashtunwali) that governs both ethical behaviour and custom.
• Kinship is the basis of Pashtun society.
  • Each tribe, consisting of kinsmen who trace descent in the male bloodline from a common tribal ancestor, is divided into clans, subclans, and patriarchal families.
• Occupation:
  • Most Pashtun are sedentary farmers, combining cultivation with animal husbandry. Some are migratory herders and caravaners.
  • Many Pashtuns serve in the military. Smaller numbers hold political posts.

Q1: What is Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region?

The HKH region stretches 3,500 kilometers and spans eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal, and Pakistan. The range has numerous high snow-capped peaks, with the highest point being Tirich Mir or Terichmir at 7,708 meters (25,289 ft) in Chitral, Pakistan. It is considered the Third Pole (after the North and South Poles) and has significant implications for climate. It contains the largest volume of ice and snow outside of the Arctic and Antarctica. The HKH region is the source of ten large Asian river systems.

Source: Pakistan government bans ethnic Pashtun party

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