"Linguistic" census reduce Pakhtuns' population in Pakistan from 35 % to 15%

[Ghorzang]

"Linguistic" census reduce Pakhtuns' population in Pakistan from 35 % to 15%
Jan Assakzai

Though the official number of Pakhtuns in Pakistan constitutes 15 percent of country's population, some NGOs and observers believe that their actual number could be between 40 to 50 million comprising over 35 percent of country's population, provided and "ethnic" demographic is carried out instead of "linguistic" census. The main reason for Pakhtuns' under counting is the census only choice: spoken-language-at home-principle whilst there is no racial or ethnic background choices available in the census form as is the case in multi-cultural countries like the United State or United Kingdom.

here is the article.. http://21centuryreforms.blogspot.ca/...-pakhtuns.html

[haviZsultan]

"Linguistic" census reduce Pakhtuns' population in Pakistan from 35 % to 15%
Jan Assakzai

Though the official number of Pakhtuns in Pakistan constitutes 15 percent of country's population, some NGOs and observers believe that their actual number could be between 40 to 50 million comprising over 35 percent of country's population, provided and "ethnic" demographic is carried out instead of "linguistic" census. The main reason for Pakhtuns' under counting is the census only choice: spoken-language-at home-principle whilst there is no racial or ethnic background choices available in the census form as is the case in multi-cultural countries like the United State or United Kingdom.

here is the article.. http://21centuryreforms.blogspot.ca/...-pakhtuns.html

You are absolutely right. The linguistic census has to go into the dustbin of history.

How can you tell the persons ethnic group with just the language he speaks despite the fact their is heavy urduization?

Its not just biased towards many Pashtuns but is also biased towards the Baloch. You will notice many #Baloch know neither Brahui or Balochi.

I think the government fears giving rise to ethnic sentiment if they start a census based purely on ethnicity.

[R3SISTANC3]

The census is right if the numbers of Pashto speaking Pashtuns has been reduced whether you like to admit it or not. Without Pashto there is no such thing as Pashtun. Through genetic lineage you can claim a blood relation to the whole of humanity why stop at lets say Bihar or Bangladesh? What good are these non-Pashto speaking Pashtuns to the Pashtun ethnicity which is heavily dependent on the Pashto language?

How do you differentiate between a Farsi speaking Tajik and a Farsi speaking Pashtun when both are genetically similar? How do you differentiate between a Urdu speaking Jatt or Rajput and a Urdu speaking Pashtun when both are genetically similar? Do the majority of Muhajirs in Karachi who are very likely to be descendants of Afghans and Pashtun associate with Pashtun ethnicity or are busy slaughtering any Pashto speaking Pashtun they come across during political turmoil?

Your argument is old, unscientific and reaps of prehistoric definition of nationhood. Please get down to reality and stop holding this nation back with such pseudo kaliwaal limits. These claims nullifies the importance of our language and it's fundamental right in defining our ethnicity. You sentence our language to its grave if a English speaking second generation Pashtun can be recognized as Pashtun. You are justifying the rational behind adopting Urdu and Farsi as primary languages for those who abandoned Pashto for various economic reasons. You are in fact helping Pashtun to be willingly colonized by Urdu or Farsi if their children are still Pashtun without their mother tongue.

Without Pashto there is no Pashtun. That is how originally a Pashtun was defined and separated from his cousins who were of the same genetic stock but spoke their own unique dialects like Hindko, Pamiri, Wakhi, Chitrali, Kunari, Urmari or even Dari and Farsi.

[Breshna]

^All these people...learning

Pashto?

Do they become...Pashtun?

If Pashtun is not by...blood?

So this...means,

American soldier, Irish Soldiers,

British Soldiers...speaking

fluent...Pashto.

They are the new...Pashtun.

[R3SISTANC3]

Wawrina, all those people, that had Pashtun or Afghan ancestors today speaking their mother tongue which happens to be English, Dari, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and associate with those cultures, ethics, morals and religious values are Pashtun?

The Irish, American and British soldiers who learn Pashto, do Pashto, and associate with Pashtun heritage are far more valuable than those by "blood" who have no clue of what it means to be a Pashtun. Outsiders and forigners can learn the language but they will associate with their own cultures. Just like you learned English yet you still are a Pashtun. But if you were to born to Pashtun parents, and your mother tongue was English, your culture was English, your ethos and values were English, then you are an English person.

On the other hand if a forigner gave birth to a child in Afghanistan, that child grows up to associate with that land, it's people, language and heritage, that child is a Pashtun and Afghan.

If you think otherwise, then you shouldn't have a problem with Americans modernizing and Westernizing Afghanistan. Remember, everyone will be still Afghan/Pashtun by your definition. So what if they dont have any Afghanyat or Pashtunyat left in them. They are by "BLOOD" no? Why be against the Western invasion. Embrace it with open arms. Embrace Dari, embrace Urdu.

Ethnicity is different than race. You are confusing the two. Pashtun is an ethnicity, not a race. Racially you are no different than Tajiks, Turks, Punjabis, Kashmiris, Northern Indians, Iranic or Caucasoid groups.

[Breshna]

Wawrina, all those people, that had Pashtun or Afghan ancestors today speaking their mother tongue which happens to be English, Dari, Urdu, Hindi, Bengali and associate with those cultures, ethics, morals and religious values are Pashtun?

The Irish, American and British soldiers who learn Pashto, do Pashto, and associate with Pashtun heritage are far more valuable than those by "blood" who have no clue of what it means to be a Pashtun. Outsiders and forigners can learn the language but they will associate with their own cultures. Just like you learned English yet you still are a Pashtun. But if you were to born to Pashtun parents, and your mother tongue was English, your culture was English, your ethos and values were English, then you are an English person.

On the other hand if a forigner gave birth to a child in Afghanistan, that child grows up to associate with that land, it's people, language and heritage, that child is a Pashtun and Afghan.

If you think otherwise, then you shouldn't have a problem with Americans modernizing and Westernizing Afghanistan. Remember, everyone will be still Afghan/Pashtun by your definition. So what if they dont have any Afghanyat or Pashtunyat left in them. They are by "BLOOD" no? Why be against the Western invasion. Embrace it with open arms. Embrace Dari, embrace Urdu.

Ethnicity is different than race. You are confusing the two. Pashtun is an ethnicity, not a race. Racially you are no different than Tajiks, Turks, Punjabis, Kashmiris, Northern Indians, Iranic or Caucasoid groups.

Actually...my view...

you have to...be Pashtun...by

blood and...language.


If your...born in west,

your ethnicity...is written as Afghan Pashtun.

Your Race is written as...Asian.

That's...what my passport says.

[R3SISTANC3]

Actually...my view...

you have to...be Pashtun...by

blood and...language.


If your...born in west,

your ethnicity...is written as Afghan Pashtun.

Your Race is written as...Asian.

That's...what my passport says.

Don't know which country that is. As far as I know both the British and American passports state nationality which is either British or American depending on which country you are a naturalized citizen of. I don't think they state race or ethnicity, as far American passports are concerned. Not sure about British/UK.

But that's besides the point. A simple question, what separates you from a Tajik who has the same "blood" as you? This "blood" concept is prehistoric in defining nationhood.

This is why the saying goes, to destroy a nation, kill the language.

[Breshna]

Don't know which country that is. As far as I know both the British and American passports state nationality which is either British or American depending on which country you are a naturalized citizen of. I don't think they state race or ethnicity, as far American passports are concerned. Not sure about British/UK.

But that's besides the point. A simple question, what separates you from a Tajik who has the same "blood" as you? This "blood" concept is prehistoric in defining nationhood.

This is why the saying goes, to destroy a nation, kill the language.

Nothing...separates...humans.

The further...back we go

in History.

We all will...die one

day and become...dust.

Then we have...to answer

the...Creator.

I need to go...worship Allah s.w.t.

Do something...constructive.

Read...salah.

[NokiaWnW]

"Linguistic" census reduce Pakhtuns' population in Pakistan from 35 % to 15%
Jan Assakzai

Though the official number of Pakhtuns in Pakistan constitutes 15 percent of country's population, some NGOs and observers believe that their actual number could be between 40 to 50 million comprising over 35 percent of country's population, provided and "ethnic" demographic is carried out instead of "linguistic" census. The main reason for Pakhtuns' under counting is the census only choice: spoken-language-at home-principle whilst there is no racial or ethnic background choices available in the census form as is the case in multi-cultural countries like the United State or United Kingdom.

here is the article.. http://21centuryreforms.blogspot.ca/...-pakhtuns.html

only his own view with no sources, no links and no proofs. Pakistan does not need to forge any linguistic groups or demographic numbers. The Panjabis are the majority, no matter if Pashtuns make 30% of the state or only 15%. Pakistan is not Afghanistan. Pakistan has a national identity and taht is Pakistani. People do not care about beeing 15% or 30%. What counts for them is their role in the society. WAK foundation is really not a serious source. A small group of Pashtun ultra-nationalists who still dream of a Loy Afghanistan which will never happen. In Pakistan psahtuns are a minority and in Afghanistan they are a minority. Pashtuns need to see themslef in the context of a state not of Pashtuns. They ask this from others but they-self act the opposite way,

[R3SISTANC3]

Nothing...separates...humans.

The further...back we go

in History.

We all will...die one

day and become...dust.

Then we have...to answer

the...Creator.

I need to go...worship Allah s.w.t.

Do something...constructive.

Read...salah.

Very true sister. Nothing separates humans because we all come from the same father and mother. However the only thing that does set us apart are the languages we speak. Kind of like that Biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Therefore language is the only thing that defines us as a people.

You are absolutely right, prayer is far more important and constructive than participating in online discussions. Do keep me in your prayers.

[Breshna]

Very true sister. Nothing separates humans because we all come from the same father and mother. However the only thing that does set us apart are the languages we speak. Kind of like that Biblical story of the Tower of Babel. Therefore language is the only thing that defines us as a people.

You are absolutely right, prayer is far more important and constructive than participating in online discussions. Do keep me in your prayers.

I agree with...you on

Culture...and language.

Your...in my prayers Brother.

Remember...me in yours too.