The Pashtun Presence In Afghanistan: Understanding Their Significant Population And Influence

Pashtuns, also known as Pathans, are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. They are united by the Pashto language, which is a member of the Indo-Iranian language family. There are at least 30 major tribes, and countless sub-tribes and clans. They constitute around 47% of the total Afghan population, with estimates ranging from 42% in 2013 to 52.4% in 2023. The Pashtun population in Afghanistan is estimated to be around 11 million.

The Pashtun are Afghanistan's largest ethnic group​

The Pashtun constitute around 42% to 52.4% of Afghanistan's population, with the majority practising Sunni Islam. They are spread over a wide geographical area, residing primarily in the region between the Hindu Kush in northeastern Afghanistan and the northern stretch of the Indus River in Pakistan.

The Pashtun are united by a common language, religion, and social code. The origins of the Pashtun are debated, even among the Pashtun themselves. One tradition asserts that they are descended from Afghana, grandson of King Saul of Israel. Several Pashtun tribes are known to have moved from Afghanistan to Pakistan between the 13th and 16th centuries, and many Pashtun migrated to northern Afghanistan after the formation of the modern Afghan state in the late 19th century.

The Pashtun people are believed to have a diverse range of ancestral groups. The foundational population was likely of eastern Iranian origin, bringing the Indo-European language with them. They probably intermixed with other peoples, including the Kushans, the Hephthalites or White Huns, Arabs, Mughals, and others who passed through the area.

Pashtun identity is based on four elements: heritage (descent from a common ancestor), Islam (with 99.9% of Pashtun being Muslim), the Pashtunwali Code of Honour ("The Way of the Pashtun"), and, to some extent, language (Pakhtu or Pashto).

The Pashtun comprise about 60 tribes of varying size and importance, each occupying a particular territory. In Afghanistan, the main tribes are the Durrani, south of Kabul, and the Ghilzay, east of Kabul. The Pashtun were the traditional rulers of Afghanistan for over 250 years.

The cities of Kandahar, Jalalabad, and Lashkar Gah in Afghanistan are important centres of Pashtun culture.

They are also the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan

Pashtuns, also known as Pathans, are the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan. They are an Iranic ethnolinguistic group and speak Pashto as their first language. They are divided into multiple tribes, including Afridi, Yousafzai, and Khattak, which are the main Pashtun tribes in Pakistan.

Pashtuns are believed to have settled in the traditional Pashtunistan region around the early 1st millennium CE. They are spread over a vast geographical area and are united by their common language, Pashto, which is a member of the Indo-Iranian language family. However, many also speak Dari (Persian) or Urdu. In Pakistan, they are concentrated mainly in the northern and western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.

Pashtuns make up an estimated 38 million of Pakistan's total population and are mostly adherents of Sunni Islam. They are believed to have descended from several ancestral groups, including Eastern Iranians, who likely brought the Indo-European language to the region. They may have mixed with other peoples, including the Kushans, the Hephthalites, Arabs, Mughals, and others.

Pashtun culture is based on the Pashtunwali code, which sets out standards for individual and communal behaviour. This code includes principles such as hospitality, justice, courage, loyalty, and honouring women.

Some notable Pashtuns from Pakistan include former president Ayub Khan, former prime minister Imran Khan, cricketers Shahid Afridi and Shaheen Afridi, actor Fawad Khan, and Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Pashtuns are united by the Pashto language

Pashtuns are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, making up between 42% and 52.4% of the country's population. They are united by the Pashto language, which is a member of the Indo-Iranian language family and is spoken by at least 40 million people worldwide. Pashto is one of the two official languages of Afghanistan and is considered the mother tongue of the country's largest ethnic group.

Pashto is primarily spoken in the east, south, and southwest of Afghanistan, but it is also spoken in some northern and western parts of the country. It is also the second-largest provincial language in Pakistan, where it is spoken mainly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the northern districts of Balochistan. Additionally, there are Pashto speakers in India, Tajikistan, and northeastern Iran.

The exact number of Pashto speakers is unknown, but estimates show that it is the mother tongue of 45-60% of the total population of Afghanistan. In Pakistan, Pashto is spoken by approximately 15% of the population.

Pashto has been a written language for almost four centuries and has a rich literary tradition, including classical poetry, historical texts, and 20th-century short stories. It is also the primary language of the Pashtun diaspora around the world.

The Pashtun people do not share a single origin myth, and their origins are debated even among themselves. One tradition asserts that they are descended from Afghana, the grandson of King Saul of Israel. However, many scholars believe that the Pashtun people descend from several ancestral groups, including eastern Iranians, Kushans, Hephthalites, Arabs, Mughals, and others.

Pashto is considered "one of the primary markers of ethnic identity" among Pashtuns, and it plays a crucial role in uniting this diverse group of people.

They are believed to have descended from several ancestral groups

The Pashtun people are believed to have descended from several ancestral groups. They are indigenous to southern Afghanistan and western Pakistan and are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. They are also the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan.

The early ancestors of modern-day Pashtuns may have belonged to old Iranian tribes that spread throughout the eastern Iranian plateau. However, there is no evidence that all modern Pashtuns share the same ethnic origin. It is likely that the foundational population was of eastern Iranian origin and later mixed with various other groups, including the Kushans, the Hephthalites, Arabs, Mughals, and others.

Pashtuns in the Kandahar region have a tradition that they are descended from the Greco-Macedonian troops of Alexander the Great, who invaded the area in 330 BCE. Other origin theories include descent from Vedic Aryan Pakhtas (or Pactyans), Saka, Rajputs, and Israelites.

The Pashtun are Sunni Muslims

Pashtunwali includes principles such as hospitality, justice, courage, loyalty, and honouring women. One important concept in Pashtunwali is the worship of a single god, Allah.

The Pashtun are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan, with estimates of their population ranging from 40% to 52.4% of the country's total population. They are also the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan.

The Pashtun have played a dominant role in Afghan history, with the Durrani Empire covering most of what is now Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, the Indian Punjab, and Khorasan province in Iran.

The Pashtunwali code may date back to at least the second century BCE, although it has likely undergone modifications over the past two millennia.

The Pashtun have a rich oral tradition, with legends and stories of their origins being passed down through generations. While there are conflicting theories about the Pashtun's origins, DNA evidence suggests that Central Asia was among the first places peopled after humans left Africa, indicating that the ancestors of the Pashtun may have been in the area for a very long time.

Some Pashtun tribes claim descent from Arabs, Greeks, and even Israelites. One Pashtun tradition asserts that they are descended from Afghana, grandson of King Saul of Israel.

The Pashtun have a diverse and complex history, society, and culture that continues to evolve and play a significant role in the region.

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