Amir, torkham, BLS and others,
I think Pashtun reunification is inevitable. The only thing that matters is when it will take place.
Human societies have shown that they are collectively very similar to each other, whether they're in South America or Asia. Intellectually speaking, our part of the world is in the 15th century. We haven't even reached the era of urbanization (19-20th centuries). India and China have reached the stage urbanization and are experiencing huge culture-shifts but we're still predominantly rural.
We have seen in Europe and elsewhere that when societies begin to urbanize and when education becomes prevalent, communities tend to grow more nationalist. It happened in Germany, Italy, Russia, France, England, Japan, etc... After all, it's only a matter of common sense for a Pashtun in Pakistan to see that while he represents 10-12% of Pakistan, his people already represent more than 60% of Afghanistan and a merger between KP, FATA, southern Pashtunkhwa with Afghanistan would be a matter of common sense. Right now, Pakistan is associated in the semi-literate Pashtun's mind as Islam. Opposing Pakistan is like denying the Quran and Sunnah. The Punjabis know that this Pakistan does not equal Islam but religion is a powerful tool to control people with. Only education can break the Pashtuns of Pakistan free from their feudal mental slavery. With education, they will wake up.
So then comes the question of culture. Now as everyone else here has said, while Olaf Caroe sometimes displays great knowledge in some Pashtun matters, he also, at times, displays a lot of ignorance in other matters. His pro-Muslim League credentials don't increase his credibility either.
You know, the Turkish language used to have just as many Arabic words in it as Pashto has today. Within a generation, most of them were taken out. Similarly, Hindi used to be overwhelmingly Persian and Arabic in its vocabulary. Within a decade after its independence, India replaced almost all those terms with Sanskrit words. So I don't think the Urdufication of Peshawar will be a big issue. No matter how polluted Peshawar vernacular begins, it will always be one alterable within a single generation given that there is genuine will from the center to promote this change.
I think Pashtun reunification is inevitable. The only thing that matters is when it will take place.
Human societies have shown that they are collectively very similar to each other, whether they're in South America or Asia. Intellectually speaking, our part of the world is in the 15th century. We haven't even reached the era of urbanization (19-20th centuries). India and China have reached the stage urbanization and are experiencing huge culture-shifts but we're still predominantly rural.
We have seen in Europe and elsewhere that when societies begin to urbanize and when education becomes prevalent, communities tend to grow more nationalist. It happened in Germany, Italy, Russia, France, England, Japan, etc... After all, it's only a matter of common sense for a Pashtun in Pakistan to see that while he represents 10-12% of Pakistan, his people already represent more than 60% of Afghanistan and a merger between KP, FATA, southern Pashtunkhwa with Afghanistan would be a matter of common sense. Right now, Pakistan is associated in the semi-literate Pashtun's mind as Islam. Opposing Pakistan is like denying the Quran and Sunnah. The Punjabis know that this Pakistan does not equal Islam but religion is a powerful tool to control people with. Only education can break the Pashtuns of Pakistan free from their feudal mental slavery. With education, they will wake up.
So then comes the question of culture. Now as everyone else here has said, while Olaf Caroe sometimes displays great knowledge in some Pashtun matters, he also, at times, displays a lot of ignorance in other matters. His pro-Muslim League credentials don't increase his credibility either.
You know, the Turkish language used to have just as many Arabic words in it as Pashto has today. Within a generation, most of them were taken out. Similarly, Hindi used to be overwhelmingly Persian and Arabic in its vocabulary. Within a decade after its independence, India replaced almost all those terms with Sanskrit words. So I don't think the Urdufication of Peshawar will be a big issue. No matter how polluted Peshawar vernacular begins, it will always be one alterable within a single generation given that there is genuine will from the center to promote this change.


Comment