Pashtun nationalism

An exploration, for the magazine *Tanqeed*, of the Pashto poetry of Amir Hamza Shinwari: a poet who lived a borderland life, or rather, a life into which borders grew.

About mobility, culture, infrastructure, nation and identity formation, bordering, and trauma on the Afghan-Pakistan frontier. Originally written for the web, the online version should probably be the one of record, and has linked citations:

http://www.tanqeed.org/2016/02/personal-history-against-an-imperial-border-the-lives-of-amir-hamza-shinwari/

Cricket-inspired nationalism has become entrenched in the urban middle class. Cities represent a culture of diversity. This diversity in metropolitans shatters old bindings of tradition. It can hardly be denied that both the cricket-inspired Pakistani nationalism and the political landscape of cities are now coloured in various shades of the national flag—less inclined to separatist tendencies.

The aim of this article is twofold: first, to examine the veracity of the scholarly and journalistic tendency to equate Pashtun nationalism with Talibanization and second, to explore whether there exists an entity called ‘Pashtun nationalism’ or, if it is, like most other nationalisms, an imagined and mythical construct that defies definition. Herein, the tension between the three identities – Muslim, Pashtun and Pakistani – never at total ease with one another historically, has risen to the point where these aspects of the self compete for primacy.

Political parties push for FATA  in reforms to mainstream the 'sick man of the Pashtun belt', so-called the hotbed of terror its and merger with KP.  The government has been trying to maintain some semblance of order in the region by making arrangements for emerging social forces while keeping the traditional classes in its fold to enable them to make the return of militants impossible.

By Sartaj Khan
Abstract
This article examines one of the key responses to terrorism in Af-Pak—courting Pashtun Mashran (commonly known as elders such as Khan, Maliks and tribal chieftains and others influentials)— to counter Taliban’s militancy in the Pashtun region of Pakistan comprising FATA and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The aim of this article is to discuss both the success and failures of the strategy in various parts of the region especially forming Peace Committees/Militias (Lashkars) as a counter-insurgency strategy. The analysis evaluates the strategy which initially focuses on strengthening the local influentials rather than combating Taliban for its strategic interest in Afghanistan. However, the fallacy of this strategy has never been fully acknowledged. Instead of counter-insurgency measures, the government’s initial approach was to protect the local influentials on one hand and close eyes on Jihadi groups on the other. This strategy paved the way to strengthen the former Jihadi and religious figures and finally an insurgent movement. This has created suspicion amongst people and particularly in Pashtun traditional elites. Pakistani government resorted to military operations in various parts of the region. As part of the strategy government has tried to court Pashtun elites and help in creating local militias/Lashkars to combat Taliban. However, the situation in Swat and FATA shows that Pashtun elites no longer enjoy support in society at large. They are dependent on state to protect them, their families and property. The strategy of facilitating and arming local influentials bring less fruit as Pashtun elites are unable to stand to militants because of their social basis. The emergences of new social forces on Pashtun soil consequently destabilize society as a whole. Despite military operations in various parts of the region, law and order situation has deteriorated and means of peace far from being achieved yet.

The aim of this article is twofold: first, to examine the veracity of the scholarly and journalistic tendency to equate Pashtun nationalism with Talibanization and second, to explore whether there exists an entity called ‘Pashtun nationalism’ or, if it is, like most other nationalisms, an imagined and mythical construct that defies definition. Herein, the tension between the three identities –

Alizai Bilal Khan, a graduate in gems and jewelry design from Pakistan Institute of Fashion and Design Lahore, is determined to introduce the nifty art in the craving of Gandhara civilization and floral designs of ancient Swat art to the world by replicating it in fine jewelry.

Obecna sytua.cja na pograni cz u pakistalisko-afga.ri.skim jest efektem proces6w historycznych i politycznych, zachodz'1cych tam od drugiej polowy XIX wieku. Dlatego w celu jej dokla.dnego zroz umienia, konieczne jest przedstawienie owej genezy historycznej.