Pashtun physique/build

[Samandri]

The physical characteristics such as height, build , complexion varies among the Pashtuns based on tribe and the area they inhabit.In this thread, I am seeking feedback from my fellow Pashtuns regarding the physique and build.
Basically, in your opinion , which tribe/ area people(among Pashtuns of course ) have broad and heavy built physiques?(regardless of height)

As far as my observation goes , the Pashtuns of Northern Balochistan comprising Quetta,Zhob ,Chaman etc tend to be quite heavy in physique.

Also, I heard a Pakistani Pashtun remark that Afghans tend to be more heavily built than Pakistani Pashtuns, is there any truth to this?

Note: As mentioned above also, in this thread we are only discussing the body structure and not height.

People of Bannu are shortest among Pashtuns in my opinion. The Marwat people from my area are tallest in the region in my observation, that was also the case with other Lodi tribes..........In FATA, Wazir and Mehsuds have best heights and physique, while Turis are shortest......People of Peshawar valley have short to medium heights ....

Pashtuns of Afghanistan, in my humble observation, are neither too short nor too tall.....lean towards bulky and broad body.....

Overall Pashtuns are not very tall and broad like Europeans but have impressive physiques in south Asian context........The tallest Pashtuns are Lodi tribes and they were the ones who established two large empires in india and were migrating to India since Mahmud Ghaznavi times....So Indians judged Pashtuns on the basis of heights of Lodis , and assumed that all Paashtns are tall and are like giants.....If they had encountered Bannuchis in medieval period, they would have stereotyped Pashtuns to be short

[toughpashtun]

People of Bannu are shortest among Pashtuns in my opinion. The Marwat people from my area are tallest in the region in my observation, that was also the case with other Lodi tribes..........In FATA, Wazir and Mehsuds have best heights and physique, while Turis are shortest......People of Peshawar valley have short to medium heights ....

Pashtuns of Afghanistan, in my humble observation, are neither too short nor too tall.....lean towards bulky and broad body.....

Overall Pashtuns are not very tall and broad like Europeans but have impressive physiques in south Asian context........The tallest Pashtuns are Lodi tribes and they were the ones who established two large empires in india and were migrating to India since Mahmud Ghaznavi times....So Indians judged Pashtuns on the basis of heights of Lodis , and assumed that all Paashtns are tall and are like giants.....If they had encountered Bannuchis in medieval period, they would have stereotyped Pashtuns to be short

Samandri brother, what a good analysis. Just some questions for you:
1) Don't you think that Wazir tribe have thin bodies?(not considering height)
2) I am sure not all Afghan Pashtuns are similar, do you know which area in specific have bulky bodies?(regardless of height)
3) Among Pakistani Pashtuns, which area/tribe you think have bulky bodies?(not talking about height)

[Samandri]

Samandri brother, what a good analysis. Just some questions for you:
1) Don't you think that Wazir tribe have thin bodies?(not considering height)
2) I am sure not all Afghan Pashtuns are similar, do you know which area in specific have bulky bodies?(regardless of height)
3) Among Pakistani Pashtuns, which area/tribe you think have bulky bodies?(not talking about height)

I think Mehsuds, Wazirs and Bhittanis have broad bodies, though not that bulky......their heights are also good....so overall they are very intimidating due to great physique as well as due to their wild appearance.....its my observation of the Wazirs that i have come across.

I have very poor knowledge about Afghan tribes on other side of Durand, cant tell them apart.....i have only general idea about their appearance and heights on the basis of Afghan refugees of Pakistan...... Usually Afghans from Paktiya and Khost are found in my region, and they have strong physiques , broader and bulky than my tribe though comparatively shorter.

Within Pakistan, i think your observation is correct....Pashtuns of Zhob, Chaman etc tend to be heavier in built.....

[Samandri]

Irrespective of built, hill Pashtun is more sturdy than the Pashtun of Plains

[toughpashtun]

I think Mehsuds, Wazirs and Bhittanis have broad bodies, though not that bulky......their heights are also good....so overall they are very intimidating due to great physique as well as due to their wild appearance.....its my observation of the Wazirs that i have come across.

I have very poor knowledge about Afghan tribes on other side of Durand, cant tell them apart.....i have only general idea about their appearance and heights on the basis of Afghan refugees of Pakistan...... Usually Afghans from Paktiya and Khost are found in my region, and they have strong physiques , broader and bulky than my tribe though comparatively shorter.

Within Pakistan, i think your observation is correct....Pashtuns of Zhob, Chaman etc tend to be heavier in built.....

You know what, there is a guy on Pakistan Defence forum,his username is Marwat Khan Lodhi, he gave the exact observation about the Afghans from Khost settled in Lakki Marwat.Are you, by any chance, that guy?

As I mentioned and you agreed, that Pashtuns of Balochistan e.g Zhob,Chaman etc are heavy built, so I guess that the Pashtuns of southern Afghanistan(Kandahar) should also have a similar physique because both areas are populated by the same tribes; various Durrani and Kakar tribes.
As far as I have seen Marwats, I have found them to have broad shoulders and powerfully built bodies, as compared to the other tribes in that belt such as Khattak,Wazir , Bannuchi etc.However,you being from that area, will know better.

[toughpashtun]

Irrespective of built, hill Pashtun is more sturdy than the Pashtun of Plains

I agree one hundred percent.

[toughpashtun]

Somewhat old thread, but I have made an observation that I will like to share and then see what you all think.
Pashtuns (of Khattak tribe) from Saleh Khana/Kotli Kalan in Nowshehra district are also quite bulky and broad(and some fat) in terms of build.
A possible explanation for this would be that many of them work abroad(or have relatives abroad) hence they are well-off and get good food/nutrition.

[Charsi Malang]

Generally speaking, I don't think there is any "Pashtun" physique. They come in all shapes and sizes. All the ones I have seen back home have very poor physiques when younger with medium heights, small frames and thin limbs, and are very prone to becoming fat as they age. The only ones in my area that are heavy in build are Shinwari's, who tend to be large with large stomachs, which is not a very impressive body shape.

[toughpashtun]

Generally speaking, I don't think there is any "Pashtun" physique. They come in all shapes and sizes. All the ones I have seen back home have very poor physiques when younger with medium heights, small frames and thin limbs, and are very prone to becoming fat as they age. The only ones in my area that are heavy in build are Shinwari's, who tend to be large with large stomachs, which is not a very impressive body shape.

Which area in specific do you mean by ' back home'?
You mentioned the Shinwaris. Their neighbours, the Afridis, also have a similar physique.

[toughpashtun]

Generally speaking, I don't think there is any "Pashtun" physique. They come in all shapes and sizes. All the ones I have seen back home have very poor physiques when younger with medium heights, small frames and thin limbs, and are very prone to becoming fat as they age. The only ones in my area that are heavy in build are Shinwari's, who tend to be large with large stomachs, which is not a very impressive body shape.

You have to keep in mind that most Pashtuns you see in Pakistan and Afghanistan do not really care about maintaining their physique, just like you would expect from people in third world countries.So it is not surprising if they have bulging stomachs, or small muscles etc. What is important is the frame.So for example, if the Shinwaris have large frames, then they have potential for strength sports like weightlifting etc.and so on.
Generally people with large body types have a tendency to put on fat easily.

[Charsi Malang]

You have to keep in mind that most Pashtuns you see in Pakistan and Afghanistan do not really care about maintaining their physique, just like you would expect from people in third world countries.So it is not surprising if they have bulging stomachs, or small muscles etc. What is important is the frame.So for example, if the Shinwaris have large frames, then they have potential for strength sports like weightlifting etc.and so on.
Generally people with large body types have a tendency to put on fat easily.

I agree with you. Priorities are different in 3rd world countries. Majority of Shinwaris we have in Kohat have large frames and tend to be very heavy. I haven't spent much time there but I have seen a lot of Shinwaris and I have a lot of friends and family who are of that tribe and I've never seen a thin one. Even their newborns are huge lol. I also have Afridis in my family who don't tend to be as large and although there are some heavy ones amongst them, I've come across many small and thin Afridis.

Traditionally, I think Pashtuns were renowned for being tall, sturdy, muscular etc but I think that phenotype is very slowly dying out as a lot of Pashtuns are diverging and the world is getting smaller. People are marrying into different races etc so these distinctions are becoming a lot more blurred. However I would still say that the more inaccessible mountain tribes for example Tirahwals, skinny or fat, owing to their harsh environment are genetically a lot tougher than their counterparts, i.e. city dwellers. Even the older generation city or mountain dwellers, are a hell of a lot tougher than my generation or the generation below myself.

I suppose even up to 50 years ago and certainly earlier than that the genetically weaker members of those communities would die young, so you would only get the stronger ones or extremely lucky ones surviving.

[toughpashtun]

I agree with you. Priorities are different in 3rd world countries. Majority of Shinwaris we have in Kohat have large frames and tend to be very heavy. I haven't spent much time there but I have seen a lot of Shinwaris and I have a lot of friends and family who are of that tribe and I've never seen a thin one. Even their newborns are huge lol. I also have Afridis in my family who don't tend to be as large and although there are some heavy ones amongst them, I've come across many small and thin Afridis.

Traditionally, I think Pashtuns were renowned for being tall, sturdy, muscular etc but I think that phenotype is very slowly dying out as a lot of Pashtuns are diverging and the world is getting smaller. People are marrying into different races etc so these distinctions are becoming a lot more blurred. However I would still say that the more inaccessible mountain tribes for example Tirahwals, skinny or fat, owing to their harsh environment are genetically a lot tougher than their counterparts, i.e. city dwellers. Even the older generation city or mountain dwellers, are a hell of a lot tougher than my generation or the generation below myself.

I suppose even up to 50 years ago and certainly earlier than that the genetically weaker members of those communities would die young, so you would only get the stronger ones or extremely lucky ones surviving.

You are right on spot,brother.
Just one or two more question(though unrelated to the topic).
I am interested to know that what do majority of Shinwaris do for a living?
Just like the Afridi are usually into trade and business and unfortunately smuggling also,have the Shinwari also adopted similar livelihoods?
Are there many Shinwari living in Kohat region?(I thought that the home of Shinwaris was Khyber Agency LandiKotal area.)

What tribe are you from?

[Charsi Malang]

You are right on spot,brother.
Just one or two more question(though unrelated to the topic).
I am interested to know that what do majority of Shinwaris do for a living?
Just like the Afridi are usually into trade and business and unfortunately smuggling also,have the Shinwari also adopted similar livelihoods?
Are there many Shinwari living in Kohat region?(I thought that the home of Shinwaris was Khyber Agency LandiKotal area.)

What tribe are you from?

Brother, we have a large Shinwari section in our kalay that have been there for a very very long time, but the Shinwaris actually come from Khyber Agency, Nangrahar, and Loargai, and that is where the whole tribe generally live. They do all sorts of jobs, some hold government posts and some trade, and some are involved in their own zamindara. Their livelihoods are actually very diverse.

I am Quraish and Durrani mixed.