About Pakhtuns: General

Pakhtuns: Land and People
By: Azam Afridi
Source: The Monthly Diploma

The history of the North West Frontier , particularly the Federally Administered Tribal Areas is full of romance and glorious adventures and numerous legends are woven around the character of its inhabitants. This land of patriotic, virile and hardy mountaineers stood witness to countless historic events. It saw the caravans of invaders passing through the mountains and celebrated passes on their way to the rich and fertile plains of the South Asian sub-continent. It witnessed the march of renowned conquerors and soldiers of fortune, viewed with interest the prodigies of valor and feats of bravery and above all scenes of spirited battles. This part had, perhaps, been involved in more foreign invasions than any country of the world. Its charming valleys were echoing with the cries of war and are still vibrating with the thuds of the horses of Alexander, Mahmud, the idol breaker and other famous captains who made this area their base of operations against the rulers of India.

The tribal area comprising the territories lying between the administered districts of NWFP and the `Durand Line' is spread over an area of 10510 square miles. In this mountainous tract live 25,07,000 sturdy, well built and self reliant Pathans who prefer to be called Pukhtoons.

Tribal area, partly a land of dry ravines and rocky hills and partly consisting of green plateaus, enchanting valleys and picturesque landscape is full of natural beauty. At places the rugged hills, gushing streams, green fields and clusters of fortified hamlets among the glens and dales present a fine and peculiarly attractive scenery. The lush green valleys of Kurram Agency; the smiling dales of Bajaur Agency; the picturesque valleys of North and South Waziristan Agencies and heart-captivating scenery, lofty pine trees, groves and patches of green fields of Tirah and Orakzai Agency present, happly, a scene unrivalled anywhere. Tirah, the queen of the Khyber Agency, described as "Garden of Eden" can be compared to Switzerland and the Kurram Agency can favorably compete with Kashmir in beauty and scenic grandeur. A romantic halo, in short, surrounds this much-talked but less understood area. These lovely hills and dales of tourist attraction have not yet been fully opened up for tourists.

The historic Khyber Pass and the craftsmanship of the un-educated tribesmen working in the arms manufacturing factories of Dara Adam Khel (Kohat Pass), Illam Godar (Khyber Agency) and Kaniguram (South Waziristan Agency) further add to the splendor of the tribal belt.

It is a tangle of difficult mountains intersected by long narrow valleys, innumerable gorges and torrent beds interspersed with patches of cultivable land. This huge mass of mountains varies in elevation from 5,000 to 15,000 feet. The highest is the Sika Ram peak in Sufaid Koh range which is 15,620 feet above the sea level.

The climatic conditions of the region vary from extreme cold in the snow-clad mountains to hot and sultry in the plains. The rain-fall is scanty, varying from 60 inches in the hills to 15 inches or less in the plains in a year.

Passes
The Khyber, the Nawa and the Gomal are the most important passes of this mountainous region which provided communication between the South Asian Sub-Continent and Central Asia, even in the distant past. These passes, particularly Khyber, stand testimony to countless events in the history of mankind and watched with great interest the march of the Aryans descending on the fertile plains of the Sub-Continent. Successive waves of Persians, Greeks, Bactrians, Scythians, White Huns, Kushans, Mongols, Turks and Mughals rode through these passes and changed the course of history in this part of the world.

The Persian explorers and adventurers under Darius and the Greek conquerors under Alexander the Great, passed through these passes with an ambition to conquer the land known as "Repository of gold" and thus assuage their thirst for gold and conquest. Free booters from Central Asia made use of these gate-ways, particularly the Khyber Pass, to satisfy their lust for fame, wealth and power. Muslim conquerors like the famous Mahmud of Ghazna, Shahabud Din Mohammad Ghori and Zaheerud Din Babar traversed the celebrated Khyber Pass several times which ultimately resulted in the setting up of a mighty Muslim Empire in India.

The historic Khyber Pass which holds some of the most checqered and fascinating romances of the past stands out prominently in recorded history. Around its name gleams a halo un-rivalled in the history of mankind. No other pass in the world has, perhaps, enjoyed such strategic importance and historic association.
There are three roads in the Khyber Pass, including the old caravan route for mules and camels, the fascinating zig-zag road with many bends and curves for vehicular traffic and the well engineered railway extension, completed in 1925. The Railway line, considered to be a feat of modern engineering, threads its circuitous way through 34 tunnels before terminating at Landi Khana, the last Railway Station near the Pak Afghan border at Torkham.

The ancient caravan route of the Khyber Pass has been a passage of destiny since times immemorial. Kings and conquerors troded this route through the centuries and trade between the South Asian Sub-Continent and Central Asia was carried on through it. Such, in short, is the splendour of this gate-way to South Asia which is inhabited by Afridis and Shinwaris, Wardens of the Marches of the North West Frontier of Pakistan.

Houses
The Pukhtoons live in fortified villages and hamlets. Their houses, in a village, lie close together in a compact block, only streets separating them into Mahlats (Muhallahs). Usually made of clay, wood and stone, the houses consist of two or three rooms with no windows or ventilators (for security reasons), a courtyard called "Gholay" and a Veranda. A Tanoor (Oven) for baking loaves, a matting corn bin for storage of grains, a cattle pen or an enclosure made of bushes called `Shpol' for cattle and a hand mill called `Maichan' can also be seen in most of the houses. Every house is thus built to shelter the family, cattle and poultry alike. The outer sides of the walls of the houses are generally used for plastering cow dung cakes for drying, which are used as fuel. The charpaee (bedstead) is the most familiar piece of furniture in a house for sleeping and for sitting.

Houses are decorated in oriental fashion and a clay shelf about three feet high and two feet wide is constructed inside a residential room for keeping crockery etc. Tables and chairs are also used in the houses of well-to-do families.

The tribal life has undergone a change since Independence. Blood feuds and tribal hostilities have largely ceased to exist and tranquil conditions prevail which have greatly benefited the tribesmen. The comparatively peaceful conditions have ushered in an era of peace, progress and prosperity and changed the face of the hills and valleys. The old mud houses are now being replaced by pucca houses with proper ventilation and other hygienic requirements.

Food
The food of an average Pukhtoon is simple. He has two principal meals a day, taking lunch between 11 and 12 O' clock and supper at sun-set. It consists of whole-meal bread called `Dodai' or `Teekala', vegetables and meat. Bread is usually made of wheat or maize flour. It is baked in an oven called `Tanoor' or made into a loaf on a flat iron pan called `Tabakhay' or `Taighna'.

Wheat is the staple food grain and it is in common use but maize is also consumed, mostly by the poor in winter. The use of forks and knives is alien to their nature and they partake of their meal with the right hand.

Pukhtoons are fond of Chapli Kabab and Pullao is considered essential on festive occasions. Supping Qahwa after delicious meal is also common.

The diet and other habits of the Pukhtoons are changing due to the spread of education, rise in living standards and constant contacts with the people of urban areas. Now dinner and tea sets, chairs and tables have found their way into the houses of the well-off tribesmen.

Agriculture
Agriculture is the main occupation of the tribesmen and they support themselves by extensive cultivation of their lands in the plains, river beds and mountain. It is supplemented by cattle breeding. Incidentally Waziristan is famous for Sheep breeding. Wheat and maize are the two principal crops but paddy, barley, mustard and even poppies are grown as alternative crops. Cultivation is done by conventional methods. Oxen are generally used for agricultural purposes in the plough, thrashing ground and sometimes used as beasts of burden.

Fruits are found in abundance and vegetables are also grown. The Golden Delicious variety of apples of the Kurram Agency are well known for their flavour and sweetness. Malakand Agency is famous for its highly prized Malta and North and South Waziristan are known for the good quality of plums and pine nuts (Chalghozas). Apricots, pears, peaches, pomegranates and walnut trees are also grown in Kurram, Tirah and other fertile tracts of the tribal areas.

The tribal area is rich in forest wealth. Timber is available in abundance as Ilex, pine, deodar and the edible blue pines grow on the mountains with altitude above 6,000 feet. The inner hills are thickly wooded with olive, sloe gurgura and wild bushes like mazri which is used for making bedsteads, mats, chaplis and baskets.

Since Independence there has been a steady increase in the cultivated area. A great deal has been done to bring more and more land under cultivation and a lot more is in the process of accomplishment to make the tribal area self sufficient in food.

Administration
The Federally Administered Tribal Areas are divided into the following units:-

• Bajaur Agency

• Mohmand Agency

• Khyber Agency

• Kurram Agency

• Orakzai Agency

• North Waziristan Agency

• South Waziristan Agency

• Malakand Agency

• Special areas (Frontier Regions) attached to the districts of Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, Tank & Dera Ismail Khan.

The administration in the Agencies is run by the Political Agents and in the special areas attached to the districts by the respective Deputy Commissioners. The Political Agent is the `Kingpin' around which revolves the entire Agency administration. He is accountable to the provincial governor who also acts as an Agent to the President for tribal areas. The Political Agent coordinates the functions of nation building departments in the Agency and controls the tribesmen through a system of tribal and territorial responsibility, which, of course, is the key stone of the arch of political administration. The Political Agent usually does not interfere in the affairs of the tribesmen and intervenes only when a grave situation arises. He exercises his benign influence in case of the outbreak of tribal hostilities. The success of a Political Agent largely depends upon his personal influence and ability to tackle a difficult situation. He is assisted in his work by a small band of officers, including Assistant Political Officers, Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars.

The Agencies were set up by the British when the closed-door and Forward Policy did not achieve the desired objectives. The Khyber was created as a special Political Agency in 1878, Kurram in 1892 and Malakand, North and South Waziristan Agencies came into existence in 1895-96. Mohmand Agency was added to the existing strength of the Agencies in 1951 and two new Agencies, namely Bajaur and Orakzai were created in December 1973 with headquarters at Khar and Hangu respectively. The peculiar feature of the Agency administration is that tribesmen have been left to be governed by their customs and traditions. The British control too, was only confined to roads, military installations and places of strategic importance.