|
THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER: THE PATHANS
The Pthans (also Pushtun, Pakhtun, ethnic Afghan, or
Pashtun) are an ethno-linguistic group consisting mainly of
eastern Iranian stock living primarily in eastern and southern
Afghanistan, and the North West Frontier, Federally Administered
Tribal Area and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan. Large
additional colonies can be found in the, Northern Area and Azad
Kashmir and there are thought to be about 3 million in the city
of Karachi, 1 million in Islamabad/ Rawalpindi and an additional
million in Lahore, as well as being scattered throughout other
parts of Afghanistan. There are smaller communities in Iran and
India, and a large migrant worker community in the countries of
the Arabian Peninsula. The Pathans are typically characterized
by their language, their pre-Islamic indigenous code of honor
and culture Pashtunwali, and adherence to Islam.
|
