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Attention Pakistani Pathans: regarding Durand Line
Bismillah
As Salaamu 3alaykum,
In various threads, some Pathans accuse Afghans of selling Pashtunkhwa to the British. They argue, since Afghans betrayed Pashtuns, they have no business claiming Pashtunkhwa is theirs. Let us look back at our recent history and judge if your accusation holds any truth.
Amir Abdurrahman Khan was a tyrant who was held in power with the help of the British. During Amir Abdurrahman Khans reign, the British used Afghanistan as a buffer state against the Tsar of Russia who was expanding towards the South. While Abdurrahman Khan was in power, parts of Muslim areas in Northern India and Pashtunkhwa were already occupied by the British. Amir Abdurrahman Khan used the money and resources provided by the British to suppress rebelling Ghiljay tribes in the South and the East. He massacred the leaders of the Ghiljay because Ghiljay was rebelling against him.
Amir Abdurrahman Khan was helped by the British because they feared the Ghiljay might retake control over key parts of Afghanistan and Pashtunkhwa providing strategic support for the rebelling Pashtun tribes of Waziristan and other tribal areas. Therefore, Amir Abdurrahman Khan was part of the British policy of occupation and suppression of Muslims.
When Abdurrahman Khan signed the Durand Treaty, he was actively persecuting Pashtuns in Afghanistan who opposed him and the British. The Ghiljay, which is by far one of the largest Pashtun tribes, was defeated and dispersed across Afghanistan so that they no longer pose any threat to the British empire. The reason why there are so many Ghiljay tribes all the way in the north, is because Abdurrahman Khan wanted to weaken the Ghiljay stronghold in Loy Paktia.
Later, during the reign of Amanullah Khan, the uprising against the British in Waziristan was instigated by him. However, the purpose of the uprising was not to liberate Muslims. It was merely a strategic decision to allow Amanullah Khan to negotiate for more autonomy. When he got what he wanted, he back-stabbed Pashtuns on both side of the Durand line. In Afghanistan he started a process of secularization where he specifically targeted conservative southern communities.
Amanullah Khan's father in law, Mahmood Tarzi who was a memebr of the Free Masons, instructed Amanullah Khan to strengthen his ties with the West and specifically, the anti-Muslim ruler of Turkey, Atta Turk. The whole purpose of the Amanullah regime was to weaken the Muslims, and Pashtuns in particular.
While you complain how the consecutive governments in Afghanistan back-stabbed and neglected the Pashtuns of Pashtunkhwa, have the decency to investigate what these governments have done to those on our side of the Durand line. In East Kabul, where I am from, our ancestors have opposed the British and the Durani tyrants. Abdurrahman Khan massacred our tribal chiefs and built a huge minaret from severed heads of Ghiljay chiefs. The Tokhi and the Hotak are dispersed all across Afghanistan. Their families were shattered, their possessions were looted and their men were murdered. The amount of cruelty and violence used against Pashtuns during the era of the Durani rulers is deliberately censored from official books.
The Durani rulers never spoke Pashto and preferred Farsi as the official language. The reason why Pashto obtained some prominence as a language over the course of the 20th century was because the Duranis used Pashtuns as a fighting force to remain in power. For that, they needed to fool people and make them believe they represent Pashtuns.
The reason why many minorities in Afghanistan resent Pashtuns, is not because Pashtuns as a whole deliberately oppressed minorities. Neither did we pursue a policy of forcing the minorities to give up their own identity and adapt an Afghan/Pashtun identity. So when you, the Pathans, accuse "Afghans" of selling you out and back-stabbing you, it is practically the same as when minorities in Afghanistan accuse "Afghans/Pashtuns" of denying them their freedoms.
We, as Pashtuns have every right to claim Pashtunkhwa is ours, because we are Muslims and we are Pashtuns. The people on our side of the Durand line never chose to abandon Pashtunkhwa. We didn't participate in any referendums regarding Durand line.
So, in future, if you want to defend your subservience to Punjab, don't make false claims.
As Salaamu 3alaykum,
In various threads, some Pathans accuse Afghans of selling Pashtunkhwa to the British. They argue, since Afghans betrayed Pashtuns, they have no business claiming Pashtunkhwa is theirs. Let us look back at our recent history and judge if your accusation holds any truth.
Amir Abdurrahman Khan was a tyrant who was held in power with the help of the British. During Amir Abdurrahman Khans reign, the British used Afghanistan as a buffer state against the Tsar of Russia who was expanding towards the South. While Abdurrahman Khan was in power, parts of Muslim areas in Northern India and Pashtunkhwa were already occupied by the British. Amir Abdurrahman Khan used the money and resources provided by the British to suppress rebelling Ghiljay tribes in the South and the East. He massacred the leaders of the Ghiljay because Ghiljay was rebelling against him.
Amir Abdurrahman Khan was helped by the British because they feared the Ghiljay might retake control over key parts of Afghanistan and Pashtunkhwa providing strategic support for the rebelling Pashtun tribes of Waziristan and other tribal areas. Therefore, Amir Abdurrahman Khan was part of the British policy of occupation and suppression of Muslims.
When Abdurrahman Khan signed the Durand Treaty, he was actively persecuting Pashtuns in Afghanistan who opposed him and the British. The Ghiljay, which is by far one of the largest Pashtun tribes, was defeated and dispersed across Afghanistan so that they no longer pose any threat to the British empire. The reason why there are so many Ghiljay tribes all the way in the north, is because Abdurrahman Khan wanted to weaken the Ghiljay stronghold in Loy Paktia.
Later, during the reign of Amanullah Khan, the uprising against the British in Waziristan was instigated by him. However, the purpose of the uprising was not to liberate Muslims. It was merely a strategic decision to allow Amanullah Khan to negotiate for more autonomy. When he got what he wanted, he back-stabbed Pashtuns on both side of the Durand line. In Afghanistan he started a process of secularization where he specifically targeted conservative southern communities.
Amanullah Khan's father in law, Mahmood Tarzi who was a memebr of the Free Masons, instructed Amanullah Khan to strengthen his ties with the West and specifically, the anti-Muslim ruler of Turkey, Atta Turk. The whole purpose of the Amanullah regime was to weaken the Muslims, and Pashtuns in particular.
While you complain how the consecutive governments in Afghanistan back-stabbed and neglected the Pashtuns of Pashtunkhwa, have the decency to investigate what these governments have done to those on our side of the Durand line. In East Kabul, where I am from, our ancestors have opposed the British and the Durani tyrants. Abdurrahman Khan massacred our tribal chiefs and built a huge minaret from severed heads of Ghiljay chiefs. The Tokhi and the Hotak are dispersed all across Afghanistan. Their families were shattered, their possessions were looted and their men were murdered. The amount of cruelty and violence used against Pashtuns during the era of the Durani rulers is deliberately censored from official books.
The Durani rulers never spoke Pashto and preferred Farsi as the official language. The reason why Pashto obtained some prominence as a language over the course of the 20th century was because the Duranis used Pashtuns as a fighting force to remain in power. For that, they needed to fool people and make them believe they represent Pashtuns.
The reason why many minorities in Afghanistan resent Pashtuns, is not because Pashtuns as a whole deliberately oppressed minorities. Neither did we pursue a policy of forcing the minorities to give up their own identity and adapt an Afghan/Pashtun identity. So when you, the Pathans, accuse "Afghans" of selling you out and back-stabbing you, it is practically the same as when minorities in Afghanistan accuse "Afghans/Pashtuns" of denying them their freedoms.
We, as Pashtuns have every right to claim Pashtunkhwa is ours, because we are Muslims and we are Pashtuns. The people on our side of the Durand line never chose to abandon Pashtunkhwa. We didn't participate in any referendums regarding Durand line.
So, in future, if you want to defend your subservience to Punjab, don't make false claims.
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