The Pashtuns

Title: The Pashtuns – The Unresolved Key to the Future of Pakistan and Afghanistan

Author: Abubakar Siddique

Publisher: Random House India, 2014 (First)

ISBN: 978-81-8400-607-0

Pages: 271

Formerly called Pathans, and now indigenized to Pashtuns, the sturdy people of Pakistan's north west and Afghanistan's south east provinces make a unique amalgam of tribes seen anywhere else in the world. Fanciful tales have often been told about them, of honour killings, blood feuds between families and tribes and a propensity for keeping vendetta alive for a long time until retribution for an actual or perceived slight is extracted from the other party. These belligerent people have traditionally been ruled by chieftains according to tribal mores and customs. Outsiders found it expedient not to stir up a hornet's nest by unnecessarily provoking confrontation with them. The British fought some disastrously expensive battles with them in the 19th century and were only too happy to demarcate a border and safely withdraw behind it. But the region's history transformed in a unique way by the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan in 1979. The country became a battleground for Islamist fighters coming from all Muslim nations of the world, taking it out with the infidels. When the Soviets were routed and driven out, the mujahedeen fought amongst themselves, eventually making Taliban gravitate to the top spot. Then the flirtation with global terrorism ensured their downfall. But during all these episodes of modern history enacting violently, the Pashtuns were forced to toe the Islamic line at the expense of tribal affinity. We see a tribal society gradually absorbed into the pan-Islamic current and conforming to the hard rules of it. The loss of a tribe causes no concern for the broad world, but the present context is further vitiated by Islamic terrorism exported by secret sponsors in the oil rich states. However, the author presents a picture which is not altogether hopeless. He believes that the Pashtuns are desperately in need of peace now and this idea is dawning on them after nearly four decades of hard fought battles in which the death toll was very painful for the society. Icons like Malala Yousufzai reflect the beginning of the slow transition to peace. The book is a must read for those who take an active interest in the region's present and future. Being in an effortlessly readable format and decor, the book is extremely relevant in today's South Asian scenario. Abubakar Siddique is a senior correspondent for Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL). Based in Prague, he covers the Middle East, South Asia, and Central Asia, with particular focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Siddique has spent the past decade and a half researching and writing about terrorism, security, political and humanitarian issues in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and the Pashtun heartland, the border region where he was born. His background and professional experience have given him a specialized knowledge of the politics, social life and security situation in this strategic and volatile region.

The Pashtuns occupy a prominent position in Indian history as the founders of the Lodi dynasty, the last among Delhi’s sultanates when Babar snuffed out Afghan ascendancy in the Battle of Panipat in 1526, by establishing the Mughal dynasty, which was Turkish in origin. Though the Pashtuns were able to defeat the second Mughal, Humayun, for a short period, their star had set for the final time in the sub-continent. Ahmed Shah Abdali, who later renamed his tribe to Durrani made a trailblazing drive to power in Afghanistan. It were people affiliated to this family and tribe who ruled the country till monarchy itself was abrogated by communists in the 1970s. Then came the invasion of the Soviets that would change Pashtun social life forever. The Pashtuns were tribal people imbued with a strong group ethos and consisting of allegiance to nang (honour), melmastya (hospitality) and badal (reciprocity, often revenge). Outsiders attacked them, like the British did, in a vain bid to annex the country. But the people maintained their tribal outlook and continued their simple, but chivalrous pursuit of the three goals. The Soviet occupation changed all that. Islamic fighters congregated in Afghanistan in drones. Attracted by a call to Jihad against Russian infidels, the fighters included fanatics from all over the Muslim world which had no affinity to the Pashtuns’ tribal mores, but to the Sharia alone. This corrupted the Pashtuns’ outlook, who eagerly embraced the culture of weapons and Jihad. Siddique skillfully presents the picture of a once simple tribal society trying to find its roots in the changed social milieu of pan- Islamic terrorist ideology.

An illuminating assessment of the socio-political climate of Pakistan and Afghanistan follows. Right from its inception, Pak military wanted to have an elbow room in its western neighbor in the scenario of an all out war against its eastern enemy – India. But they were reluctant to extend wholehearted support to Pashtuns who formed sizeable communities in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA provinces. A consolidation of Pashtun nationalism was certain to ignore the sanctity of the Durand Line that demarcated the two countries de jure. Calls for a Pashtunistan were being heard aloud. But the act of imposing such a frontier was a clever move on the part of the colonial British in effort to remind them never to cross it to avoid disastrous consequences. But the tribal affinities transcend national boundaries and Pakistan was paranoid more than ever, after the secession of Bangladesh that the Pashtuns across the border may team up with their brothers in Pak border districts. So, when an opportunity presented itself for uniting Islamic forces to oppose Soviet occupation, it sensed its chance and intensely pushed for a pan-Islamic coalition in whose melting pot tribal affiliations would fuse together under the blinding radiation of Sharia philosophy in the garb of the Arabic language. Mercenary Jihadists from West and central Asia and also from the other Islamic nations fought together under the green banner of Islam and won the war. The soviets were thrown out and the Mujahideen assumed power. Internecine warfare among the former fighters helped Taliban win the race to absolute power. The author identifies the present position as a unique one in which the Taliban is forced to make their tribal identity play second fiddle to Islamic compulsions. At the same time, he makes some unusual maneuvers  to claim that the Taliban, which was ousted from power after the post-9/11 blitz in Afghanistan have now recouped and are ready to assume power again, as part of an international agreement on power sharing after the western powers evacuate their troops from the territory. This time, he concludes, the Taliban is doing its homework to govern better by reconciling with the other tribal factions in the country and not to repeat the earlier mistake of playing into the hands of terrorist organizations like the al Qaeda. The book thus offers a peek into the mind of the Taliban, which is quietly licking its wounds in Afghanistan’s tribal heart lands.

The book presents a balanced view of the socio-political situation in the two countries. He proposes a road map for future progress which is a snapshot of a whole slew of measures rational and practicable. Any attempt at long term stability in the region involves close cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Even though Siddique shies away from using the terms ‘terrorist’ to denote organizations like the Taliban or Lashkar e-Jhangvi, no sympathizing with the terrorists is visible in the text. It is curious to note the synonyms the author utilizes, like ‘extremists’, ‘Jihadists’, ‘militant’ , but not ‘terrorist’.! Siddique recognizes the Taliban as an organization that can and should rule over future Afghanistan. He cites examples where Taliban is at the receiving end, like the mass grave of about 2000 Taliban fighters found near Mazar-e Sharif who were killed by Hazaras in encounters. He also takes pains to clarify that the Taliban militia, with the exception of the Haqqani network, don’t indulge in terrorism elsewhere.

The book is highly recommended.

Rating: 3 Star