How many of you guys feel comfortable being called a "Pathan"

[kakar]

So, I always wanted to see the popular opinion, I have hard it has negative meanings behind it. Ive noticed Non-Pashtuns like to call us "Pathan".


Do you get offended?
Do you not care?


What is the actual meaning behind it? I would get offended since I am a Pashtun, call me Pashtun I feel no reason that it should be substituted.

[Talal]

I think its racist to call someone that, even if they are a pathan

[Talal]

I just think it is wrong.

We Pashtuns do not have a "Special" name for Punjabis,Sindhis. Yet both of those ethnic groups cant stop calling us Pathan.

Like why? Is it necessary? I find it even more ignorant when a pashtun himself calls himself a Pathan.

i think they do so more out of ignorance than malice, but yes it is wrong

[IamDZJ]

i didn't know of the history behind it but now that i do, i find it offensive.

[IamDZJ]

indians and pakistanies used to refer to thieves and looters as "pathan".

[Talal]

i have no idea what the history is but its just wrong to refer to someone by their ehtnicity and a wrong one at that..its like calling on the africans or latinos and what not..but unfortunately all of that sense comes with education, something thats not in too much abundance among south-asian people

[IamDZJ]

^ i hope that was sarcasm.

[Talal]

There needs to be a legislature on racism, since essentially calling someone a pathan is being racist..i think the leaders need to bring this issue on board

[pir_Rokhan]

Political motives behind maligning Pakhtuns

Maligning of an ethnic group is a political issue. You see where ever there are freedom struggle going on the govt machinery maligns that ethnic group. In India, the Punjabi Sikhs are maligned due to their political motives. Their brethren in Pakistan, the Muslim Punjabis, who are the same people, on the other hand, are projected as some ethnic group which has come from heaven due to having political advantage. This proves that it is not the ethnic group but their geo-political status which matters.

The Pashtuns in Afghanistan are not called Pathans or maligned much or even those in FATA as they were used by Pakistan military as cannon fodders and as proxy warriors to safeguard the interests of Pakistani establishment by fighting against Russia. In case of Russia it was Pashtun Mujahedeen backed by Pakistani army, ISI and CIA ,who were used to defeat Russia and when that was done then ISI controlled all the Mujahidin groups and installed puppets govt of these mujahedeen to use Afghanistan for its strategic depth against India. In current case, it is Taliban who are being used by ISI to defeat US and then once that is done they will used to have a puppet govt in Afghanistan to be used against India on the pretext of Religion.

The Pakhtun who are associated with the Pakhtun nationalism, on the contrary, are maligned as much as possible in various forms. It is another fact that in this business Pakistan’s own existence has also been threatened and its chances of survival are getting decrease with each passing day. The reason is that there is a religious polarization and hence conflict in army on one side and on the other side the masses are suffering even in Punjab and this policy only serves military generals of Pakistan not her masses.

Similarly the Irish who are pro Britain are glorified while those who are against British hegemony are projected as some fanatics and the list goes on and on.

Despite the fact that according to one school of thought which advocates Jewish origin of Pashtuns or atleast some of its tribes like Yousafzais , Afridis etc the ancestor of of Pashtuns , Kais Neka ,later named Abdur Rashid ,After embracing Islam at the hands of the prophet Muhammad, should be considered by Muslims as Sahabi [companion of prophet, according to the definition of sahabi –any person who has seen and met Prophet is a Sahabi according to Sunni school of thought ] they are still maligned in Pakistan for example ,due to political vested interests. Even the word used by the Prophet [the one who is literally worshipped by, for example, Bralvees of Pakistani Punjab] was “Batan” and as there is no P in Arabic so it was perverted to Patan or Pathan.Later it was perverted to a derogatory meaning synonymous to the one who is a kidnapper.

This proves one thing. Religion is not the deciding factor in Politics otherwise why would Pakistani establishment and military be against Bengalis ,Baluch and Pashtuns as they are much better Muslims than the Punjabi Muslims. But when it comes to vested interest, all these abstract ideas of religion become less important and ethnicity and nationhood become more important. If you pinpoint this bitter fact, the establishment and those in the higher echelons of power will call you racist and give you sermons of worshipping their country which as a concept is not only a sin but equivalent to “Shirk”- the biggest sin in Islam - even by the national poet and the alleged conceiver of Pakistan

If you believe in the sanctity of a state and consider Pakistan as your country but try to seek help or shelter when you are in distress from your fellow countrymen then the state will get huge amounts of money from the world in your name but will not even let you take refuge in one or another of its provinces like Punjab or Sind forgetting that you are Pakistani and should have the right to take refuge in case your province or district or city is hit by a disaster ,catastrophe or terror.

If you fight the terrorists and sacrifice your lives in Pakhtunkhwa to safeguard Pakistan then it is oaky but if the terrorists change their strategy and attack Punjab then the CM Punjab Shahbaz Sharif literally asks the terrorist to spare Punjab [implying to focus on the Pakhtun areas to use them as guinea pigs].What a country to live in??

[kakar]

^wow. Good you summarized everything pretty much.

[Master Khan]

People call me Pathan or Khan, I don't really mind...althought Pashtun sounds better.

[Khanisking]

People call me Pathan or Khan, I don't really mind...althought Pashtun sounds better.

Ok looter.

[Master Khan]

Ok looter.

Come on now, they are my Friends, and they call me Khan sab

[Master Khan]

^do you not care about your respect? Do you also not mind being called a *******?

Well I never been called *******.

[Talal]

Well I never been called *******.

LOL that was funny