The Pashtuns, representing the second-largest ethnic group in Pakistan, have faced significant marginalization, oppression, and violence, both socially and politically. This ongoing narrative has its roots in the colonial era, particularly during British rule in the subcontinent. Despite constituting over 40% of Afghanistan’s population and more than 18% in Pakistan, Pashtuns have been depicted in colonial literature and studies in a reductive and orientalist manner. Their historical resistance to foreign invasions, including the three Anglo-Afghan wars, led colonial powers to characterize them as turbulent and unruly, with a mindset perceived as irrational and tribal.

Pashtun culture has often been portrayed as misogynistic and violent, fostering a negative image that has persisted beyond India’s independence in 1947 and the subsequent formation of Pakistan. The instability along the Durand Line has further entrenched these stereotypes, particularly since the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, exacerbating the precariousness of Pashtun lives under the Pakistani state. The combination of geopolitical conflicts and historical narratives has resulted in a continued cycle of discrimination against this minority ethnic group at the hands of affluent Pakistani Punjabi community.

The Pashtuns, primarily residing in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan and to a lesser extent in Balochistan, have experienced their territory being exploited as a battleground for proxy conflicts driven by various Pakistani state interests, which have also propagated radical and extremist religious ideologies. During the Cold War, particularly following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the United States supported the Mujahideen, a group that later evolved into the Taliban within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and KP, to combat the communist USSR. The involvement of Saudi Arabia and its fundamentalist religious ideology further contributed to the radicalization of these regions, a process in which the Pakistani state was complicit.

After the events of September 11, 2001, the US military actions against the Taliban led to an influx of Taliban fighters into KP from Afghanistan, where they continued their operations and targeted Pashtun youth for recruitment and radicalization. These fighters inflicted severe harm on ordinary Pashtuns through extortion and executions, violently suppressing any dissent from community leaders. In response, the Pakistani establishment initiated a series of military operations aimed at expelling the Taliban and its local affiliate, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), along with other terrorist groups that had entrenched themselves in the area. However, this approach resulted in viewing the entire Pashtun population as a security threat, leading to widespread abuses by Pakistani security forces such as extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and intrusive surveillance measures. This violence has caused significant loss of life and livelihood for Pashtuns and has resulted in repeated internal displacements due to military clashes and airstrikes.

Moreover, the Punjabi-dominated Pakistani state has systematically marginalized provinces inhabited by non-Punjabi ethnic groups, particularly KP and Balochistan. Consequently, alongside enduring poverty, unemployment, and underdevelopment stemming from these proxy wars, Pashtuns face structural discrimination and dehumanization perpetuated by the Pakistani state.

The portrayal of Pashtuns, often referred to as Pathans, as “fools who think from their knees” is prevalent in Pakistani media and everyday life. This stereotype manifests in jokes that mock the supposed “ignorance” of Pathans and in media representations that depict them as violent, religiously radical, misogynistic, and involved in drug trafficking. Such depictions contribute to a hostile environment for ordinary Pashtuns. These negative perceptions are so entrenched in society that even high-profile politicians do not hesitate to endorse them publicly. For instance, a former Pakistani Prime Minister had once said in public gathering, “God has created two types of creatures in this world-one is ‘insaan’ (human), the other is ‘Pathan’.” He also suggested that Pashtuns in Pakistan were entirely sympathetic to the Afghan Taliban, which provoked significant backlash from the Pashtun community.

This widespread dehumanization and securitization of Pashtuns have led to racial profiling by Pakistani police forces, particularly targeting low-income Pashtuns residing in Punjab, such as laborer and street vendors. The systemic discrimination exacerbates the challenges faced by the Pashtun community in Pakistan, reinforcing existing biases and contributing to their marginalization within Pakistani society.

Amidst a context of persistent precariousness, a peaceful Pashtun movement, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) has emerged as a beacon of hope, representing grassroots resistance by Pashtuns advocating for autonomy and dignity in their lives and narratives. Contrary to their common portrayal as violent, separatist, and tribal, the PTM is primarily led by students, lawyers, political activists, and academics who believe in constitutional democracy and indigenous values. Established in 2014, the movement draws inspiration from the Red Shirt Movement of legendary Bacha Khan (Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan) and the non-violent civil disobedience efforts of Abdul Samad Khan Achakzai, a Pashtun nationalist in present-day Balochistan who resisted British colonialism.

Despite its commitment to non-violence and democratic principles, the Pakistani state routinely accuses the PTM of secessionism and claims it is funded by foreign inimical actors. In reality, given that Pakistan’s foundational narrative is rooted in a singular Islamic identity, any assertion of ethno-linguistic identity is viewed as a threat to national integrity. Pakistani Media outlets are often instructed to avoid coverage of PTM protests and marginalise its leaders. The establishment’s deep-seated insecurity has resulted in extreme measures, including the killings of PTM activists like Arman Loni, Arif Wazir, and more recently, Gilaman Wazir. Such acts represent just the most severe instances of ongoing abuses faced by PTM members, which include arbitrary arrests, torture, false sedition charges, death threats, and systematic vilification.

In the lead-up to the three-day Pashtun National Jirga that commenced on October 11 this year, a significant gathering organised by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) aimed to highlight the oppression faced by Pashtuns and articulate their political demands. Despite facing intimidation, unlawful arrests, and violent disruptions from authorities, tens of thousands of individuals gathered, culminating in a charter of demands. This charter issued a two-month ultimatum to both the Pakistani Army and militants affiliated with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and ISIS to vacate the tribal areas. Additionally, it called for the establishment of an unarmed tribal Lashkar comprising 3,000 volunteers from each Pashtun district to ensure local security and facilitate peaceful dispute resolution.

The charter also advocated for the revival of visa-free movement for Pashtuns and more relaxed trading arrangements along the Durand Line. The PTM seeks to shed light on the systemic discrimination, poverty, and militarization that have afflicted Pashtuns for decades due to state policies. A central demand of the PTM is the formation of impartial truth and reconciliation commissions to investigate human rights violations that occurred during military operations in Pashtun regions. The movement aims to end the exploitation of Pashtun territories for proxy wars and to restore indigenous ways of life characterized by peace and prosperity.

For decades, the Pashtuns have been treated as outsiders in their own homeland, enduring suffering from both terrorist groups and a self-serving state intent on their systemic oppression. If the community is denied the opportunity for peaceful advocacy, such as that offered by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), they may be driven to resort to more extreme forms of resistance. It is imperative for the international community to intervene, drawing attention to the dire situation of the Pashtuns in Pakistan and exerting pressure on the state to afford them the dignity, equality, and justice that has long been denied to them.

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