Pakistan’s “Tribal” Pashtuns, Their “Violent” Representation, and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement

Abstract

In recent times, the emergence of the Pakistani Taliban, especially in the tribal areas, and the strengthening of the anti-U.S. Haqqani Network (Afghan Taliban) has further propagated the violent image of the Pashtuns. However, the loss of thousands of Pashtun lives in Pakistan's Pashtun tribal areas-along with targeted killings of tribal elders at the hands of the militants-suggests that the Pashtuns in the former-FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Areas) region have mostly been victims, rather than perpetrators of violence (Z. Ali, 2010; South Asia Terrorism Portal [SATP], 2017). Hence, due to the rise of militancy in the tribal areas, Pakistani military operations, and the U.S. drone strikes, the tribal Pashtuns have been both directly and indirectly affected, losing lives and living in fear along with their properties being destroyed (

Context-specificity of violence: Physical, psychological, and social dimensions of harm during the Taliban’s insurgency (2007–2009) in Pakistan

“…Pashtunwali (translated as “the ways of Pashtuns’ life”) is a body of norms, values, and institutions which guide and facilitate the lives of Pashtuns (Rzehak, 2011), an ethnic group that is located mainly in Afghanistan and Pakistan (Yousaf, 2019) and particularly in Swat Valley (Barth, 1956). This unwritten code is strongly followed, and those who do not abide by it are not considered Pashtuns of an equal status (Lindholm, 2003).…”

Unification of Former Fata With KPK and Its Impact on Domestic Sanctuary

“…The people that were sustained in their local areas for centuries came face to face with the people of other parts of the country. They started learning and even accepting the juridical system as more appropriate for resolving their issues (Ahmad and Mohyuddin, 2013;Gohar, 2014;Yousaf, 2019a). Furthermore, in the past weapons were the sign of dignity and bravery for the FORMER FATA community, however, after the execution of the army operation, they let the whole area clear from these type of weapons and shifted the community towards various parts of KPK (Röder and Shinwari, 2015;Tameez, 2015;Yousaf, 2019b).…”

“…FORMER FATA remained the victim of ignorance by government authorities in every walk of life including social, economic as well as political aspects (Noor et al, 2018;Shah et al, 2019;Yousaf, 2019a). Moreover, FORMER FATA remained the part of as another world country and remained bound to their conservative and local cultural and social esthetics (Qaziand et al, 2018;Khan, 2019).…”

Pashtuns and Pakistan Army: A Proposal for Equitable Collaboration

“…Their grievances further include extreme underdevelopment of tribal areas that embarrass young Pashtuns when they visit other parts of the country where development indicators are comparatively higher. (Yousaf, 2019a) Instead of ensuring the fundamental rights of equal citizenship to various ethnic groups in the country, Pakistan has always placed Islam as the prime identity but left the ethnic and linguistic identities behind in the struggle for their fundamental rights in politics and the economy (Mir, 2018). The Pashtun belt has been a sanctuary for engineering wars in region and then the battlefield itself, which has resulted in the complete destruction of Pashtun society's social fabric like Pashtunwali.…”

“…The PTM leadership has repeatedly denied any affiliation with the anti-state agenda and the possibility of adopting a violent means to raise their demands for equal citizenship. PTM wants the state to recognize Pashtuns as equal citizens and grant them everything that goes with that, a PTM leader Ali Wazir is reported to say (Yousaf, 2019b).…”