My Pakistan Diary: Retracing the Conquerors’ Steps

Dost Mittar:

This is the best written piece so far. I know that is what I said last time as well, but there seems to be more of an immersion, an increasing sophistication of the travelogue as you continue writing.

>Pakistani Kashmiris do not want freedom from Pakistan.....

Romair, it`s premature to say what Kashmiris whose land has been occupied by Pakistan want. Pakistan does not have a system wherein the genuine wishes of Pakistanis, let alone of Kashmiris, can be ascertained with any objectivity.

Ralph #35: ``Agree. A pity Kashmiris took two decades to realize that fact.``

The core basis of every popular freedom movement is economics, and a desire to control one`s own economic future. That is why India wanted freedom British. Pakistan wanted freedom from India. Bengladesh wanted freedom from Pakistan. And Kashmiris want freedom from India. And why Pakistani Kashmiris do not want freedom from Pakistan.....

ahmadzai

``It is crap. Traditions, language, history counts only when nations have made economic development and gained prosperity. Clinging to the former without achieving the latter is an expeditious way of getting to ones decimation.``

Agree. A pity Kashmiris took two decades to realize that fact.

ahmadzai, fuzair:
Thanks for shedding more light on the pathan/pushtoon/pakhtoon issue. I was hoping that some of the more informed people, esp. ahmadzai would elaborate on this issue and you have. But all said and done, it still looks like they are different names for essentially the same people.

Urstruly, ferozk, doubec and others:
Thanks for reading the article.

Below is one version of the dialectical differences in Pashto. My friend years ago told me that one dialect is ``softer`` than the other and the dialects are not really mutually intelligible unless you make a real effort to understand what the other guy is saying. He was a Yusufzai (according to him, the only civilized Pathans) ``Khanzada`` from Abbotabad (though his family may not have been from there originally).

BTW, the British considered the Yusufzais (and some of the downcountry/settled areas Khattaks) to be almost as reliable as PMs/Sikhs/Rajputs as far as recruitment into the IA went and Mardan and Campbellpur (i.e., Attock) district were major recruiting areas. Most of the real tribals were considered too untrustworthy to be taken into the IA in large numbers.

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LANGUAGE VARIATION

There are two major dialects of Pashto: Western Pashto spoken in Afghanistan and in the capital, Kabul, and Eastern Pashto spoken in northeastern Pakistan. Most speakers of Pashto speak these two dialects. Two other dialects are also distinguished: Southern Pashto, spoken in Baluchistan (western Pakistan and eastern Iran) and in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

The variation in spelling of the language`s name (Pashto, Pukhto, etc.) stems from the different pronunciations in the various dialects of the second consonant in the word; for example, it is a retroflex [sh] in the Kandahari dialect, and a palatal fricative in the Kabuli dialect. The major dialect divisions themselves have numerous variants. In general, however, one speaker of Pashto readily understands another. The Central and Southern dialects are more divergent. The Kandahari dialect is reflected in the spelling system, and is considered by some to be the ``standard`` for that reason.
http://www.afghan-network.net/Ethnic-Groups/pashtu-history.html

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PS: Ethnologue gives a slightly different account, saying that the dialects aren`t mutually intelligible: http://www.christusrex.org/www1/pater/ethno/Pakn.html

The ``Paktha`` are people who have mentioned in the Puranas. Pashto is the language.
The Bhalana are the people of the Bolan pass.

These are people who have been there for thousands od years before the advent
of islam. The so called ``kafiri`` people are remnants of the culture of the
area.

Ahmadzai Khana ..salamoona

I always assumed pakhtuns are North pakhtuns ..and southern ones are pashtuns..

Pathans is a word used for anyone of pathan ancestry..originally in a derogatory sense..before that the term Afghan was used for anyone of pashtun descent?

Ref avkrishna #26

[``I will say that I appreciate the gracious manner in which Vajpayee conceded defeat. This speaks louder than any words about the level of maturity of Indian democracy and Indian politicians. ``

Thanks but he is, by no means, setting a precedent here. That`s the minimum we expect from the politicians..

What else he can do anyway?]

Declare an Emergency. Remember that trick of Indira Gandhi and her sycophantic Congress chanting ``India is Indira``?

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Dost-Mittar:

``I had never been able to find the difference between Pathans and Pashtoons. I put the question to Aitjaz. He replied that there was no distinction; the British used the term Pashtoons for the tribes that supported them and Pathans for those that fought them. ``

I think either your guide made a mistake or you recorded his answer incorrectly by mistake.

It is other way round. generally Pathans were living in cities and towns of plains and were OK by British. Otoh, Pashtoons were living in hills and mountains and fighting the Bristish.

1. Pathans living in Afghanistan were called Pashtoons, while those living in Pakistan - Pathans.

2. Pathans were probably given this name by inhabitants of Indian heartland either because they took them for parthians or as some people claim the word was derived from PAT = Takers and HANS = Girls: meaning kidnappers of girls. The latter definition is questionable.

3. Another term Pakhtoon was coined (well not exactly coined, but popularized) by nationalist Pakhtoon party viz. National Awami Party of Wali Khan in the 70s.

4. Pakhtoons would basically mean Pakhto speaking people having a code of honor of Pakhtoonwali.

5. But Afghans and Pathans of Balochistan will call themselves Pashtoons, because they speak Pashto and have `Pashtoonwali`` as code. The difference is that the sound `sh` changes to `kh` as you move into the NWFP. Therefore, Peshawar would be Pekhawar and Romair`s Nowsherah would be Nowkhwar.

6. Afghan Pashtoons will always call Pakistani Pakhtoons/Pathans of NWFP as Pathans in derogatory terms. Hence, NAP`s bid to change the term Pathan to Pakhtoon was a pure case of inferiority complex.

7. Afghan Pashtoons have great respect for Balochi Pashtoons and their center of the city of Zhob in Northern Balochistan.

8. Today the term Pakhtoon applies to a Pakhto speaking person of the NWFP, primarily proud of history of giving resistance to British and will most probably be a nationalist supporting a nationalist Pakhtoon party of Asfandyaar wali Khan.

9. The term Pashtoon will apply to Pashto speaking person of Afghanistan, who will only converse in his language with Pathans of Pakistan, but will revert to darri or farsi when speaking to someone from Afghanistan, and yet make fun of a Pakhtoon or Pathan from the NWFP as speaking lesser Pashto ;-)

10. The term Pathan will apply to all Pashto/Pakhto speaking people, as well as to their descendents who may not be speaking Pashto anymore (therefore, Amir Khan, Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan of Bollywood may be Pathans, but not Paskhtoons/Pashtoons anymore).

To summarize: It is crap. Traditions, language, history counts only when nations have made economic development and gained prosperity. Clinging to the former without achieving the latter is an expeditious way of getting to ones decimation.

Ref #18,

``I am sorry but far from sharing your grief at this defeat of the hindutva movement, I am in fact delighted.``

I accept that.

``The India electorate has spoken.``

Yup, A majority esp. the rural electorate and minorities had spoken clearly. I guess a lot of like minded people didn`t bother to vote. (Either stayed at home or enjoying the fruits of development in far away lands)...

``I will say that I appreciate the gracious manner in which Vajpayee conceded defeat. This speaks louder than any words about the level of maturity of Indian democracy and Indian politicians. ``

Thanks but he is, by no means, setting a precedent here. That`s the minimum we expect from the politicians..

What else he can do anyway?

-Avkrishna

HP #13: ``Educated Pathans rarely go to Karachi. Most of them attempt to find jobs in NWFP or at the most in Islamabad.``

Do you agree that Karachi has the highest number of Pathans, of any city, in Pakistan; inlcuding Peshawar? Where exactly do Pathans from Peshawar find jobs in NWFP? Isn`t Peshawar easily the most developed city in the Pathan belt of NWFP. Wouldn`t Pathans from other parts of NWFP come to Peshawar, or would the traffic be in the other direction? Abbotabad etc. are not part of the Pathan belt of NWFP. Where else do people from Peshawar go, except outside NWFP? Do they go to Kohat? Or to Charsadda? Or to outside NWFP?

Islamabad is tiny, other than the beaurecracy, which moves around, all over Pakistan. I haven`t seen too many Pathans in the heartland of Punjab, in places like Lahore. So which other city is left? Karachi.

``90% of pashtun population in Karachi is semi educated and mostly factory and construction workers.``

I wouldn`t say it is 90%. But probably something close to that figure. But that is the demographics of the population of NWFP also. So proportionately speaking, a large number of educated Pathans end up in Karachi also. But for the sake of argument, lets assume it is not Karachi. The point is that many are moving out of NWFP, if they can, for other cities in Pakistan. And there is nothing in NWFP`s future, unlike Gwadar for Baluchistan, which will attract educated skilled people from other parts of Pakistan into NWFP.

The other popular profession for the educated folks from the lower two districts of NWFP, bordering Punjab, is the Army and Air Force. Which takes them out of NWFP, regularly also.

``As far as I remember there was no electronics strip mall in Hayatabad.``

I lived in Peshawar for around three years or so. And I have lived in the Nowshera area for around five years or so. Hence my familiarity with Russian A/Cs. I remember the Hayatabad of around 10-15 or so years ago. I don`t know what is there now. It did not have an electronics strip mall. You are correct. But it did have electronics shops. I bought stuff from there. As a whole, Hayatabad was mostly imported shirts, colognes etc., at that time. But was the prime place to get stuff. It seemed to be a more organized and urban version of Bara.......

``Your info about Gwadar is patchy too.``

This could be true. I have only been to Gwadar once, for one day, twenty years ago. It was sparsely populated with beautiful beaches, is what I remember. My info is based on articles I have seen in the newspapers as well as ads. Apparently land is being bought there like hotcakes. Pearl Continental has bought some land, I heard. Following is an ad on the front page of the Dawn site, for West Bay City in Gwadar http://www.bohradevelopers.com/westbay/. Looks fancier than anything I have seen in Lahore.

There is bound to be huge progress there. A harbor, a road to Karachi, road links to Central Asia. Even if runs in a loss. I am sure the Pakistan Navy will shift some of their big naval stations there, from Karachi.

``In fact, recently Sardar Ataullah Mangal complained of not enough jobs for Baluch in Gwadar. ``

The Baluchi tribals will always be against progress. Progress for the common man means end of tribalism. So they will always complain. The big jobs will probably go to Punjabis and Karachiites, because they will bring in the skills. However, the locals are bound to benefit. In the end, Gwadar will probably turn into a smaller more organized version of Karachi, with a lot of Karachiites, and Lahoris, etc.

I doubt Baluchistan can ever advance, without being flooded by skilled inviduals from other parts of Pakistan. Baluchistan`s local college educated population can be counted on one`s fingertips.

fuzair:
Do pashtoons and pathans use different dialects of pashto?

``Incidentally, the ``Sikh`` army was at least 1/3 Punjabi Muslim and the artillery was commanded by a Muslim (Aleemuddin? not sure of the name).``

I think most non-muslim kings, including Shivaji and Maharana Pratap, used muslims, especially pathans, as their ``topchis``. The artillery commander of the Maratha forces fighting against Afghans during the last battle of Panipat was also a muslim.


NHK:
``Can Sonia become a Prime Minister? If she does, that will be the ultimate Kudos to the Indian Democracy.``

The odds should be in her favour, since the Left parties who are now the king-makers have said that they have no problem with her foreign origin. I would personally favour Manmohan Singh. In either of those scenarios, this would be moment of glory for Indian secularism as both the President and the Prime Minister of the country will be from the minority religion, without anyone making a big issue of it. (the furor over Sonia is because of her foreign origin, not her Roman Catholic religion!).

Ras:
I didn`t go to the Green Hotel. I wish I had more time to spend in Peshawar and, indeed, every other city. I didn`t get the time to see the museum in Peshawar.

malik77:
``As the borders open between India and Pakistan, I wonder whether Indians will adopt this trait or would Pakistanis adopt the less hospitable trait of Indians.``

...I don`t think that the people`s nature will change if the borders open; the best one can hope is that it will open their minds towards each other.
BTW, Indians too are quite hospitable, may be not as much so as the pathans. :)