Pashtun people Facts for Kids

Pashtun people of Afghanistan.

Pashtuns, sometimes spelled Pushtuns, or Pakhtuns, or Pukhtuns, (Urdu: Pathan, Persian: Afghan), are the largest ethnic group in Afghanistan and the second largest in Pakistan. Their mother language is Pashto, but many of them also speak neighboring Urdu, Hindko and Dari languages. They are the original or native people of the area south of the Hindu Kush in Afghanistan and west of the Indus River in Pakistan. However, in the modern period, they have spread to cities outside their native land. According to researchers, the total population of the group is estimated to be around 50 million.

Origins
Tribal code
Occupations
Populations in Afghanistan
Populations in Pakistan
Images for kids
See also

Origins

Many Pashtuns believe that their ancestors were ancient Hebrews who arrived to what is now Afghanistan over 2,000 years ago and settled there. They were first mentioned by a Greek historian in 500 BC, then by Alexander the Great, and in the 3rd century they are called "Abgans" ("Afghans") by the Persian rulers. In the army of the Ghaznavids and Ghurids, thousands of Afghans were reported to be serving. They ruled Delhi Sultanate in the past and also Persia between 1725 to 1729 until they established the last Afghan empire that became what is now Afghanistan.

Tribal code

The Pashtun people follow a strict code of honor, known as Pakhtunwali, that requires them to support the poor, the weak, and the challenged; to fight evil; to provide shelter to anyone who needs it and many more. Pashtun are also strict with obedience in their families and society. They are also known as the best at welcoming guests and taking good care of them. They really love to see respectful people around the society, with great manners and obedience.

Occupations

The Pashtuns are mostly farmers, herdsmen, and warriors but many of them are also businessmen and politicians. Most tribesmen are sedentary farmers, combining cultivation with animal husbandry; some are migratory herdsmen and caravaners. Large numbers of them have always been attracted to military service.

Populations in Afghanistan

In Afghanistan, Pashtun make up around 50% of the total population. They form about 60 tribes of different size and importance, each of which occupies a different territory. In Afghanistan, where Pashtun are the major ethnic group, the main tribes are the Durrani, who mostly live in the south and west, and the Ghilzai, who live in northern and eastern parts of the country.

Populations in Pakistan

They are over 15% of Pakistan's population, with Peshawar and Quetta being their principal cities. They predominate north of Quetta between the Sulaiman Range and the Indus River. Significant number of Pashtuns also live in most other major Pakistani cities, particularly Karachi, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Lahore. In the hill areas the main tribes are, from south to north: the Tarin, Kakaṛ, Sherani, and Ustarana south of the Gumal River; the Maḥsud, Darwesh Khel, Waziri, and Biṭani between the Gumal River and Thal; the Turi, Bangash, Orakzay, Afridi, and Shinwari from Thal to the Khyber Pass; and the Mahmand, Utman Khel, Tarklani, and Yusufzay to the north and northeast of the Khyber.

Images for kids

Pashtun-inhabited areas in Pakistan and Afghanistan (including the southern borders of the former Soviet Union, the northeastern borders of Iran, and the northwestern borders of India disputed with Pakistan), in the early 1980s.
A map of Pashtun tribes
Tents of Afghan nomads in Badghis Province who are known in Pashto language as Kuchian. They migrate from region to region depending on the season (transhumance).
Head of a Saka warrior
Pactyans, present day Pashtunistan. The Oriental Empires about 600 B.C., Historical Atlas by William Shepherd (1923-26)
Heads of two males, discovered in Hadda (Pashto: هډه) 10km south of Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Dated 3-4th century CE.
Afghan Amir Sher Ali Khan (in the center with his son) and his delegation in Ambala, near Lahore, in 1869
Leader of the non-violent Khudai Khidmatgar, also referred to as "the Red shirts" movement, Bacha Khan, standing with Mohandas Gandhi
Malala Yousafzai, a Pashtana, recipient of 2014 Nobel Peace Prize
American diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad with Taliban officials Abdul Ghani Baradar, Abdul Hakim Ishaqzai, Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai and Suhail Shaheen
President Hamid Karzai and Abdul Rahim Wardak
From left to right: Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai; Anwar ul-Haq Ahady; and Abdullah Abdullah
Imran Khan, Pakistani cricketer-turned-politician and former Prime Minister, belongs to the Niazi tribe.
Ethnolinguistic groups in Pakistan and Afghanistan in 1982
Pashtun female festive dress in Faryab, Afghanistan
Khattak dance involves running and whirling. It is mainly performed in and around the Peshawar area of Pakistan.
Mahmud Tarzi, son of Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi, became the pioneer of Afghan journalism for publishing the first newspaper Seraj al Akhbar.
Arachosian priests of Zoroastrianism carrying various gifts and animals for a ritual of sacrifice at Persepolis.
The Friday Mosque in Kandahar. Adjacent to it is the Shrine of the Cloak(also known as Kirka Sharif), and the tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani, the 18th century Pashtun conqueror who became the founding father of Afghanistan.
Men doing Islamic salat (praying) outside in the open in the Kunar Province of Afghanistan
Two Pashtane (Pashtun women) from Kuchi tribe pictured in 1967 on the Helmand river (د هلمند سيند)
Queen Soraya of Afghanistan
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate
Zarine Khan, Indian model and actress in Bollywood films
Madhubala, Indian Bollywood actress and producer

Pashtun people facts for kids

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