Social Change

A social change is not merely the name of some self-automated processes or the interplay of diverse factors in these processes. True, there are certain factors or shocks like natural or man-made disasters which could influence people's perceptions and direct them in a certain way but a social change largely occurs inside our minds. We are the driving forces, the bearers of the processes and the agents of change. Time mostly offers us with choices either to succumb to these processes or to direct them as we deem suitable for ourselves and the society at large.

Risk/ Opportunity Management Plan Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party

Risk/ Opportunity Management Plan Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party

No.	Issues	Risk/ Opportunity	Effect	Strategy/Action
1	Civil-Military Relation	Risk	Negative:	1.       Avoid: Avoid being part of any decision imposed by the military 2.       Transfer: In unavoidable circumstances transfer the burden of ownership to the PML (N) 3.       Mitigate: In rare cases there must be a bargain to reduce the loss
2	Militancy	Risk	Negative	1.       Avoid any direct conflict with the militants both ethnic and religious 2.       Focus more on Pashtun areas and socio-economic development
3	Ministries and Portfolio	Opportunity/Risk	Positive/Negative	1.       Enhance: Ensure effective governance by focusing collective problems. 2.       Share: Involve local party activists in all major developmental projects 3.       Avoid: Avoid violation of merit on key posts 4.       Mitigate: Discourage the use of party for vested interest by lobbies, bureaucracy or party activist.
4	Ideology	Risk	Negative	1.       Mitigate: Start cultural exchange programs by inviting Pashtun intellectual from Afghansitan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi
5	Expansion	Opportunity	Positive	1.       Enhance: Expand party to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, FATA and Karachi through a palnned and phase out strategy
6	Governance	Opportunity	Positive	1.       Enhance: Capacity building of the party workers for effective governance. 2.       Share: Participatory decision making 3.       Mitigate: Effective evaluation, introspection and recommendation from outsiders to check for any loopholes and to look for improvement

ANP & Media

ANP media should have three expert teams for:

1. Mass Media (Electronic Media English/ Print Media English)

2. Mass Media (Electronic Media Urdu/ Print Media Urdu)

3. Social Media (Facebook, Twitters, Blogs)

Objectives:

a) Deconstructing myths through full time participation on these medium and replying directly to any objections.

b) Creating space for the manifesto through creative and innovative strategies.

c) Using diverse techniques to attract masses

d) Full scale propaganda to build strong moral foundation for the workers.

e) Inter-connectivity of workers through social media for exchange of views and information

Elections 2013: Fair or Geared

Last night I was thinking about the possibility of any foreign hand (US) and any efforts to direct May 11 Elections in favour of PML N and PTI. Many things were in my mind about thinking in this direction:

1. That the US and other democracies including the UN, European Union and others kept a strange (though criminal) silence about the pre-poll rigging and persecution of PPP and ANP leadership and workers. Asfandiyar’s vague reference to the “third party” was also in my mind.

2. The recent statement by President Asif Ali Zardar in which he accused the national and international establishment for failing the PPP.

3. That in the 2014 US and NATO withdrawal’s scenario, peace deal with the Taliban for the logistic purposes would be required and there must be some strong players in Paksitan who could ensure a safe exit.

4. That the US has a notorious history of keeping her options open all the time and engage with anyone who serve her interest best.

5. That the Pakistani media deliberately created the impression that the real contestants are the PML (N) and the PTI and that PTI was supported unjustifiably against all parties.

6. That Najam Seti in one of his last interviews with Muneb (Aapas Ki Baat) hinted towards a prior knowledge about the unexpected results. He had also said the he could not share the information due to his sensitive position as CM Punjab.

Many counter arguments also came to my mind.

1. That from the Elections 2008 and onwards both the PPP and ANP dogmatically supported US policies without keeping their own party interests superior. Thus relying too much on US’ support and ignoring the internal changes/perceptions against the left and anti-Taliban forces.

2. That the federal govt of PPP failed to develop a counter narrative of Talibanization and hence disappointed the US and her allies.

3. That PPP leadership failed to confront the military, media and the Supreme Court after the killing of Osama and thus lost the strength to serve as a strong player inside Pakistan.

Drone Attacks: A bit change in perspective

(Let us discuss why the Americans are preferring drones over other strategies. They are without pilots so no threat to US soldiers?): Muhammad Arif

Khan Baba

Very obvious, long range missiles are very expensive and comparatively less accurate. Not possible to use Air force due to hidden deal with Pakistan. Hence drones are more effective, accurate and most appropriate according to the situation.

Muhammad Arif

Drones are effective to a certain extent and are focused on a certain territory. What else are they using against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda?

Bacha Khan

Drones are the most effective weapons against Taliban. Collateral damage is very limited as compared to a suicide bomber. I still fail to understand how come Imran Khan convinced his enlightened youth that it is drones that are the cause of all trouble. 50000 thousand deaths in suicide attacks become insignificant before drones which r killing Taliban and only limited (unfortunate) civilian casualties.

Muhammad Arif

But Drones are effective to a certain extent and are focused on a certain territory.

Khan Baba

What do you mean by “to a certain extent and territorial focus”?

Khan Baba

Bacha Khan, I dont agree that drones are also killing innocents. Drones are very accurate and follow the sim/chip which is being placed by an agent or source. Those children and women shown in the media are not innocent, because terrorists are provided shelter by the families in their houses, when drones strike, then it also takes the children and women residing in the same house/compound.

Muhammad Arif

“To a certain extent” means that they largely fail to break the networks, pose greater damage to the command and control systems and target the foot soldiers in greater numbers. By “territorial focus” means that they are mostly focused on Wazristan or we have seen some lately in Orakzai.

Khan Baba (Smiling)

 I agree to the first part but then every weapon has its own disadvantage, US can’t use atomic bomb to achieve the aim you mentioned. About territorial restriction, I think it is the part of the deal with Pakistan and not a limitation of the weapon.

Muhammad Arif

 Isn't it a very stupid deal on the part of the US?

Khan Baba

How? Deal restrictions are from Pakistan side and not from US. Do you think Pakistan should give US open hand to strike drones anywhere in Pakistan?

Muhammad Arif

As a matter of territorial sovereignty Pakistan should not have given the US any hand at all. But as a “deal”  is there I am looking at it from the US perspective.

Khan Baba

I think deal is there. As per my opinion there are many Taliban in Quetta and surrounding areas but there is no drones here. Sometime back, US wanted to use drones in Baluchistan which was rejected by Pakistan. Hence it is very obvious that deal is there and deal is restricted to some areas only.

Muhammad Arif

So the question is still there.  Wasn't it a very stupid “deal” on the part of the US?

Muhammad Arif

Let me change the question a bit. Why the US remained complacent with this strategy for the last so many years?

Khan Baba (Smiling)

Something is better than nothing. Striking drones inside a sovereign country is not minor issue. US has got Pakistan's permission to strike drones in FATA is big achievement, I don’t think, there is any other country in the world who granted any such permission to an outsider.

Muhammad Arif

This is something very important. I can see a design in this. It is not as simple as we made a fool of them and they remained complacent with whatever they got.

Muhammad Arif

I think Drones are not used as a strategy. It is rather more tactical. The strategy is something else. Now can you guess what might be the possible strategy?

Khan Baba

But to me they already got a lot from drones. In addition to testing their new weapon in future warfare, they almost eliminated Al-Qaida from FATA and Afghanistan.

Muhammad Arif

Primarily Drones are used to check and improve the technology. This is the best way to check and improve and get excellence in this technology by directly using it in the war-field for years. Now the US will be having a more sophisticated version of this technology.

Omar Usman

Arif you are right. Drones have two perspectives. One is achieving their political agenda. The second which is of more use to them, is that drones are a research tool in extending and perfecting the next generation of unmanned warfare equipments which will include ground vehicles, aerial, sea vehicles, and eventually robots!!! And no this is not some secret DoD program, surprisingly most of this is open research.

Muhammad Arif

The possible strategy looks more horrible. From the Durand Line to Kashmire, from Kashmire to the Arabian Sea and then to the Durand Line again the trapezoid is in big trouble. It is under threat from the terrorists or the enemy within besides so many other chronic problems. Thanks to our omniscient, omnipresent and God-fearing generals (Musharaf and his crew) for signing a deal with the Mephistopheles![i]

P.s: Thanks to Khan Baba and others for such a nice chat.

---

 i. http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Mephistopheles

ANP: The Present and the Future

The Loss:

ANP lost elections because it failed to make the people understand why did they lose  800 lives!

The Reason:

ANP was stabbed by the double-edged sword of attacks from the Taliban and the Media-created Craze among the youth. The rest of Pakistan watched ANP blood but all were silent and were busy stampeding the corpses for their political gains. Congratulation to all of them! They have won a victory against the rule of "fair play".

The Performance vs. Defeat

By all means ANP government's performance was the best of all in the last 20 years history of Pakistan. ANP did not lose elections due to its bad performance. ANP was defeated by the Taliban and the media created "crazy" youth.

The Revival:

ANP needs new, young, talented, intellectual and committed institutionalized leadership who could change the whole politics in the region by starting study circles at the grassroots level. Social empowerment is the prerequisite for political empowerment.

The Discourse for Future Action

1.       ANP encouraged freedom of speech and tolerated all kind of criticism from the media. The Federal Govt several times bribed the journalists, used PEMRA to suppress free speech but ANP never engaged in suppressing any voice of the media. Look at Altaf Hussain! He threatened the anchor persons but ANP will continue to engage democratically with the media.

2.       ANP increased space for Civil Society and allowed NGOs to work more effectively. ANP expects the Civil Society to continue their good work uninterruptedly. Civil Society is the backbone of an organic society.

3.       ANP stood for secular values. This is called bravery. No party in Pakistan has such clarity of vision and progressive political approach.

4.       The 5 years ANP government encouraged free speech and free choices. So people voted for a change unlike in other provinces where people supported the status quo. Thus ANP was largely successful to make a dynamic society.

5.       ANP encouraged women (Youth) to participate in elections, hold portfolios and Party offices. ANP tried its best to provide equal opportunities to women. But they did not vote for ANP. ANP respects their choice. ANP simply wants the women to remember these great contributions for women's empowerment.

6.       ANP opened the Nishtar Hall for cultural activities and empowered the artists, artisans and craftsmen. But all of them voted for the PTI! NO PROBLEM! Vote is your basic right. Next time if you feel your life and work is threatened, join the ANP. ANP knows your value and struggling against any oppression is our common goal.

7.       ANP gave away thousands of laptops to talented youth. They voted for the PTI. ANP appreciates them that they have made their choice. ANP only wants these youth to study hard and join us in the future.

8.       ANP trained thousands of youth in different fields. Most of them voted for the PTI. We encourage them that they have made a choice at least.

9.       The 5 years ANP government established 7 universities. So more educated youth who voted for a change.

10.   Add more to the list….

The politics of economic conflicts

Politics in Pakistan is going to be shaped as a conflict between the industrialists and wealthy ruling elites (PML N and their economic policies) and a public reaction to these policies. The PML N think tank has already hinted to go for “austerity” which would mean cuts to developmental projects, social spending and welfare schemes.

The initial challenge for PML N, however, would be how to tackle the energy crisis which has almost crippled economy. Power outage to industries and businesses has already paralyzed the working class and further cuts to welfare schemes and social spending would add fuel to the fire.

Study suggests that fiscal austerity largely contributes to unemployment.  Though the PML N has previously launched self employment schemes such as the “Yellow cab scheme”, this time it is going to be very harder as Pakistan is already deficient in natural gas and we have been witnessing a decrease of supply to CNG stations. 

Capitalist Democracy: A Two Parties System

Typical capitalists’ democracy or ideal democracy is a two parties system. This is what has been tried recently in Pakistan. But unexpectedly Imran failed to win in Punjab and lost so many seats with slight margin.

The initial plan seems to have received a big setback. It was expected that PML N will win more seats from other provinces while PTI will win more seats from Punjab. However, one cannot control all the political dynamics. This is where the whole game apparently went wrong from a traditional political perspective and analysts are puzzled.

The biggest success of the strategy was by the non-state actors who helped PTI a big victory not only on National Assembly seats but also on provincial Assembly seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to the surprise of the masterminds the whole province is now under control. It was not intended to completely wipe out the  ANP but the Tsunami went out of control.

The policy also could not succeed to disturb power structure in Karachi in favour of a more centralist politics and somehow could not succeed to further shrink political space for the PPP in Sind.

In Baluchistan an alliance between PML N and PMAP would mean diluting the hardcore Pakhtun nationalism. A representative government in Baluchistan would also mean de-legitimizing Baluch insurgency.

Both PML N and PTI are now supposed to redefine the civil-military relation in the light of the changes the region is passing through especially detachment of Pakistan from increasing US pressure and setting it on the path of attaining a sovereign status for itself. The policy would also seek good relation with India and Afghanistan.

A two parties system is introduced mainly to address the following issues.

1. Pakistan needs democracy and political stability which can best be ensured by a two parties centralist political arrangement.

2. It will dilute regional and nationalists parties who are at present in a better position to blackmail the center and in case of Baluchistan invite foreign intervention.

3. This system can easily be manipulated by outsiders through (MMM) money, media and military force where necessary.

Garrison State

Garrison State is a state which is directly or indirectly ruled by the military. The military has almost total or partial control over state institutions. It usually owns major corporations in the country for sustaining itself as a separate class besides spending huge budget on military expenditures.

This is a totally new form of status quo, requires more study to be understood. What actually can break this status quo is either an external war or an internal revolution within the organization.

Such state owes its existence due to a strong enemy usually in its neighborhood. It also engages itself in continued fights against internal insurgencies.

The state is much consolidated in areas where majority of the population is concentrated. However, the population is mostly marginalized due to lack of political and democratic culture. In the peripheries, marginalization is greater and people are more undeserved.

The population is depoliticized. They are mostly dogmatic, frustrated and vulnerable to all kinds of hate-mongering  That is why popular slogans, anarchic models and even patriotism of the olden days find a good market.

Usually state control is sustained through fear and through intermittent hopes. Pockets of population are also ignored to experiment and to allow some emotional release to their frustrations. In rare cases state control is also ensured through non-state actors who have symbiotic relation with the state and who are mostly ambivalent towards the power elites.

The top-down power structure is properly networked. A second tier of Elite minority who has often some nuisance value is allowed to rule turn by turn.

DURAND LINE

DURAND LINE

(I am not some frustrated individual who tries to break Pakistan and who struggles for a Fanciest Pakhtun Republic. My intention is to understand the issue of Durand Line and peace in the AF-PAK Region)

In the wake of elections in Pakistan the issue of Durand Line raised by the Afghan President Hamid Karzai may seem a non-issue. However, this issue will always remain fresh. Karzai said that Afghanistan would never recognize the Durand Line. In response to the statement Foreign Ministry Pakistan said that the issue was already settled.

Apparently, these are occasional statements and are mostly issued for the internal consumption as one of my friends on facebook pointed out. However, on both sides of the Durand Line Pashtuns hold a strong perception against the Durand Line and believe it to be dividing Pashtuns politically, culturally and as an organic society.

Have we the courage, will or an unbiased approach to address this issue from different perspectives? Do we have any solution for it through peaceful means and dialogue? What future do we have as Pashtuns from both side of the Durand Line?

A fair referendum is not possible in Pakistan. Here elections are rigged and political parties are persecuted.

Referendum by the UN is also a possibility. However, this must require Afghanistan to convince the UN or there must be a very genuine political movement among Pakhtuns in Pakistan which may force the international community for direct actions. International intervention is always subject to Great Powers interest. For example Pakistan has not progressed on the Kashmir issue an inch further due to the fact that India enjoys diplomatic ties with almost all major powers.

This is an issue. As long as Tribal Areas maintain a special status and as long as they remain as buffer the issue will exist.

This special status of FATA is very interesting. The colonialists left this area as buffer simply for two reasons. 1. To give Afghanistan some room for claiming these areas back. 2. To use the same areas for any future advancement by Soviet with the help of Afghanistan. Otherwise no reason exists for giving a special status to FATA.

Now this is not as simple as there was one person Jinnah who created Pakistan and who knew all about Pakistan and the rest of the Muslim Leagues were blind followers. Isn't it very strange that 2,640 Km border with a hostile neighbour (Afghanistan) and still more hostile population (Pakhtuns) was left to be protected by those who held some loose allegiance to both Afghanistan and Pakistan?

My point remains that neither Jinnan, nor Pakistan nor the British nor Afghanistan were in favour of a permanent border status for the Durand Line. That is why all were pleased with this buffer zone formula.

Finally, the demarcation of Durand Line is not to be taken as an issue as the line originally meant political sphere of influence of Afghanistan and the British India and which did not mean a traditional border between two countries. So I reiterate the "Buffer Zone Theory" has got more substance. There remained a tacit understanding among all the stakeholders to keep this area as buffer and successive regimes in both Pakistan and Afghanistan never questioned its status.

P.S. In a latest interview Karzai made it clear that Afghan govt is not raising the issue because Afghan government wants a peaceful solution to the problems between Afghanistan and Pakistan. He added that more friendly ties between the two country can develop a confederation between the two countries due to which the Durand Line will itself become irrelevant. 

Jirga on Geo News ( Exclusive Interview Of Hamid Karzai ) – 16th June 2013

www.zemtv.com

Watch Jirga on Geo News () – 16th June 2013

دا زړه سپکوم

دا زړه سپکوم

(محمد عارف)

او دا نيشنلزم بس زمونږ مجبوري جوړه شوې ده ګنې د دے څۀ خاص فايده نشته. زه وايم چې وخت تېر دے. اوس د نړئ نوې حقيقتونه دي، يا خو پاکستان په تسليمول دي چې دا خبره ختمه شي. او يا نظرياتي سوشلسټ سياست شورو کړۍ نو څۀ به ترې جوړه شي.

دا ټول نيشنلزم د يو پس مانده سماج نرګسيت وړاندي کول دي او پاور ته ځان رسول دي. نور هېڅ هم نشته. نۀ ژبه، نۀ کلتور، نۀ تخليق، نۀ مزاحمت او نۀ انقلاب.

د استعمار شکلونه بدليږي خو استعمار په خپل ځائ لا پوخ ولاړ دے. مصيبت دا دے چې د سماج ګس اړخ د فکري ديواليه پن ښکار شوې دې. ننۍ سياسي مبارزه د زيډجيسټ پوهه او د هغې نه د وتلو تګلاره غواړي، او دا تر هغې نۀ شي تر سره کېدې چې په ميډيا، علم او پوهه باندې د استعمار کلکه قبضه وي.

زمونږ وړومبۍ مبارزه د علم او پوهې قبضه ګرو سره ده کوم چې علم او پوهه ګرانوي او د عامو خلقو نه ئې لرې ساتي.

مسله دا نۀ ده چې حالات بدل شو. حالات خو بدلېږي. اوس خو سرمايه داران پوهان هم وائي چې دا نظام ناکامه دے. خبره د پياوړې ردعمل ده. خبره اولس له يو متبادل سوچ او فکر ورکول دي.

زما په خيال د يو متبادل ردعمل شورو د علم او پوهې قبضه ګرو خلاپ ردعمل دے. د علم او پوهې ردعمل چې تر څو د دے ناکامه نظام اپالوجسټان نۀ وي چيلنج کړې تر هغې د يو عملي رد عمل لارے نۀ شي پرانستې کېدے.

زما په خېال انقلابيانو له پکار دي چې پوسټ ماډرنزم بربنډ کړي. او د دے رياکاري نړۍ ته په ګوته کړي. د ژبې فلسفه يا تجزياتي فلسفه د سرمايه دارانه نظام اخرې فلسفه ده چې اولس د کنفيوژن ښکار کوي. د ريسرچ په نوم علم صرف د علم د پاره، د وخت او پېسو زيان دے کوم چې پوهان د عمل نه لرې ساتي.

دا فکري ردعمل په په رائج فکري ديوالونو کښي شګافونه پېدا کړي او پوهان به عمل ته مجبور کړي.

د دے نوے ردعمل فوکس به دا وي چې علم اسان دے، او په دے د هر چا حق دے. علم چې څوک ګرانوي او د اولس نه ئې لرې ساتي نو د استعمار ملګرې دے. علم، فکر او پوهه د نړۍ هر انسان د پاره داسې ضروري ده لکه ساه اخيستل.

علم او پوهه د يونيورسټو ډګريانو ته نۀ وائي. علم او پوهه د پوهانو ډائرکټ مشاهده ده کومه چې هغوي په خپل چارپيرچل کښې کوي او علم او پوهه عمل دے.

کله چې مونږ په دے کښې کامياب شو چې د علم په اړه يو کاؤنړ پرسپشن ډيولپ کړې شو نو زمونږ جذبات به هم پېدا شي او چې جذبات پېدا شي نو سياسي تحريک په خپله په مخکښې ځي.

د سرمايه دارۍ اپالوجسټان او د علم بتان به ماتول وي، چې د ازاد فکر او سوچ لارې پرانستې شي.

د ميډيا نام و نهاد خبريال به په اولسي پرسپيکټيوز پوهول وي چې د اولس ستونځو له ډير ځائ ورکړي.

Zardari Calls the Shot

President Asif Ali Zardari has been emerging as one of the strongest power-brokers in Elections 2013 in Pakistan. The PPP strange but meaningful silence for not launching a political campaign may apparently seem due to threats from the TTP and PPP bad performance in the previous government. This is what the popular media which has remained anti-Zardari for the last five years is telling us. However, there is something deep which might startle students of politics in the end.

Zardari has remained successful to keep himself aloof from the ongoing tussle between Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan which is now in the critical stage and which is closing the doors for any alliance between Imran Khan and Nawaz  Sharif for the formation of government in the center. Thus whoever takes most of the seats will solely rely on PPP which is supposed to get a maximum number of 50 or more seats in the center  and a considerable majority in Sind.

The PPP’s bargaining chip in the post-elections scenario would possibly be unconditional support to any major party in the center in exchange for accepting President Asif Ali Zardari for another five years as the President of Pakistan and the office of Chief Minister of PPP in Sind. 

Open Letter to Honourable General Kiani

Subject: Actions speak louder than words

Honourable Sir,

The recent statement about the ownership of the war against terror by you is extremely encouraging. As an ordinary Pakistani I understand the crisis Pakistan is passing through. So we expect from you concrete measures against the militants and changing security paradigm of the country by making it more pro-people and help our people to benefit from increased bilateral ties and friendship with Afghanistan.

The system (capitalism as I don’t have any other substitute for it so please don’t consider me typical communist) operates through political influence. Now there are two possible strategies of political influence. One way is using hard-war tactics or direct military intervention, stationing your army and thus loot and plunder whatever is available or having strategic goals of containing your enemies who could use the soil against you. In Afghanistan case the US primarily came here under compulsion to safeguard strategic interests which include restricting the growing influence of China, Russia and even India and to expand this military influence as far as the Arabian Sea. The resources in Afghanistan, the oil and gas reservoirs in Central Asia and other benefits such as economic gains through regional cooperation and from countries like India are the byproduct of this military intervention.

The second way of creating influence is through soft-war tactics which include ideological influence through religion such as from the Sauids, Cultural invasion through exploiting the demand of local culture market such as India and through philanthropic activities like the Europeans are doings. Now these strategies secure ground for those who are interested to make more benefits from the local resources through investment.

Peace is ultimately the desired environment for investment and to exploit resources. However, conflicts continues due to the involvement of two or more than two contestants who are always suspicious of one another and who are paranoid as the system (capitalism itself) is myopic without any purpose where you are after money and money and money.

Pakistan's strategic interests in Afghanistan are founded on ill grounds as the strategy is continuation of the old strategic doctrine of "Strategic Depth". Couple with this the Saudis/Wahabi ideological influence has made it more redundant as neither strategic depth has any utility for Pakistan anymore nor Wahabi influence is of any practical utility but is rather becoming a liability. So I very humbly request you to change this policy for the best interest of Pakistan. Pakistan has better prospects of friendship with Afghanistan than any other country of world.

Yours Sincerely,

An ordinary Pakistani.

The Culture of Love and Tolerance

Pakhtuns are unique for many reasons.  One of the distinctive attributes of Pakhtuns is that they form the biggest tribal population in the present time. Though the tribal structure of Pakhtuns is fast losing it distinctive aroma and some of the tribal traditions have been distorted to the extent that they have lost their originality, still the Pakhtun tribal structure is one of the main pillars which could explain a Pakhtun identity. Normally Pakhtuns proudly associate themselves with tribes, sub-tribes and clans. They take pride in their tribal and national heroes. They love the land where they live and a big piece of Pashto literature is about patriotism and nationalism.

The archetypal Pakhtuns way of life was simple and egalitarian where all the members of a family were supposed to work. Historically Pakhtuns had been living a nomadic life in Afghanistan and they had settled in their present homeland after several migrations. Where there was agriculture, men and women would jointly work in the fields. Even still today Pakhtun women have been contributing to family income by engaging themselves in cottage industry. The family structure enjoys a considerable matriarchy and older women have greater say in family matters. In the past women used to form Jarga—the traditional forum for the settlement of disputes—but the practices is now extinct. In time of tribal disputes and wars women would assist men in the battle fields.

The Pakhtuns follow a strictest code of life called Pakhtunwali. Besides some regional variations, this code is practiced in almost all Pakhtun areas to a certain degree. This code is a combination of secular customs and traditions whose values are dear to every Pakhtun. Some of the tenets of Pakhtunwali are bravery, hospitality, loyalty, asylum and justice etc.

Pashto Tapa is one of the rarest literary and poetic genres. Most of the Tapas are orally transmitted and they form the core of Pashto folklore. A significant thing about Tapas is that they are mostly put together by women. Those who always find fault with the Pakhtuns way of life should revisit their thinking and study Pashto Tapa for the degree of freedom of expression a Pashtun culture allow to women. The study of Tapa tells us that the internal fabric of Pashtun Culture is feminine, sensitive and considerably of higher aesthetic value. The themes of Tapa are diverse and cover almost all aspect of Pakhtuns life. The style is so simple and fluent that ordinary men and women can create more Tapas while talking or singing. Majority of these Tapas are about love—love for one’s beloved or alternatively love for the motherland.

The Pakhtuns share a good taste for poetry. Almost all Pakhtuns enjoy poetry and majority of them could create their own poetry. Mushaeras or poetry events have remained major events in the Pakhtun social and cultural life. Every area has its own poets and some of these poets have their poetry collections published. Common themes of Pashto poetry are diverse such as love, patriotism, morality, secular values, longing for peace, hero-worship, and Islam etc. A refined taste for poetry and the diverse poetic themes and genres is a testimony to the fact that Pakhtuns’ worldview is broader unlike the many labels and stereotypes which have been formed by the foreigners about them from time to time. The rich poetic traditions among Pakhtuns tell us about the scholarly aspect of their life which has remained thirsty for more knowledge and learning.

(To be continued)