Pashtun in Pakistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

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Introduction / History

The Pashtun of Afghanistan and Pakistan have been called the largest Muslim tribal society in the world. There are at least 30 major tribes, and countless sub-tribes and clans. Spread over a vast geographical area and riven by socio-economic, political, tribal and linguistic (dialectical) differences, Pashtuns nevertheless share a unique sense of common identity. Pashtun identity is based on four elements: Heritage (descent from a common ancestor); Islam (99.9% Muslim); the Pashtunwali Code of Honor ("The Way of the Pashtun"); and to some extent, Language (Pakhtu or Pashto). They live primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, though there is a significant Pashtun diaspora in the Arab Gulf and many Western countries.
There have been efforts to reach the Pashtun since 1818, when William Carey translated parts of the Old Testament into Pakhto, based on interaction with Pashtun traders who caravanned (and settled) across north India and beyond. (In South Asia, the name "Pashtun/Pakhtun" was anglicized to "Pathan"—a name immortalized in Rudyard Kipling's novels and British colonial history; today, the Pashtun in India, Bangladesh, and throughout South Asia are known as "Pathan".) The first intentional mission to the Pashtun was launched by the Church Missionary Society in Peshawar, Pakistan (then Northwest India) in 1853. This was followed by over 150 years of faithful witness, through mission hospitals, schools, colleges, literature, friendship evangelism, and other forms of witness by national Pakistani (Punjabi) Christians and expatriate missionaries. Despite this record, and the slow but growing number of scattered Pashtun believers, a vibrant, indigenous, disciple-making movement has yet to take root and spread.
The majority of Pashtun live in Pakistan. They are concentrated mainly in the northern and western provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Baluchistan. The Durand Line (the border established under British colonial rule) divides traditional Pashtun homelands in Afghanistan and present-day Pakistan. However, due to tribal, linguistic, social and economic ties, the border is porous, and volatile—fertile ground for the drug trade, smuggling, and cross-border militancy.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Pashtun are the largest people group among Afghanistan's peoples. More significant than dialectical differences, a Pashtun's primary loyalty is to his particular social group (tribe or sub-tribe). The Pashtun were the traditional rulers of Afghanistan for over 250 years. Since the overthrow of the Afghan king, communist coup and Soviet invasion in the 1970s, Afghanistan has been in a state of constant conflict. In the 1970's and 1980 's, the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderlands were the launchpad for mujahideen ("freedom fighters") who, with Western, Saudi, and global support, resisted and overthrew the communist regime. The cost was high: Over 3.5 million refugees settled into hundreds of refugee camps in border provinces of Iran and Pakistan; one-third of the population was displaced. During the 1990s, Pashtun tribal areas and thousands of Arab-funded madrassas (religious schools) throughout Pakistan, became the seedbed for the rise of the Taliban movement. Driven by a combination of religious zeal and Pashtun nationalism, and fueled by Arab money, the "Taliban" (a term for "religious students") imposed a harsh, hyper-conservative (Wahabi) version of Islam on the country. Unfortunately, attempts toward a peace accord and durable central government have, to date, been unsuccessful. Armed opposition continues. Instability, endemic corruption, and on-going violence have led to widespread disillusionment—and the migration of tens of thousands of Afghans (mainly young men) seeking jobs and opportunity in Europe and the West.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Although most Pakistani Christians are from a former low-caste background and speak Punjabi, some have overcome social, language and prejudice barriers to reach out in love to their Muslim neighbors. Despite growing anti-Western and anti-American sentiment over the last 20 years, Pakistan still offers opportunities for investment, learning, business and service. Many expatriates have enjoyed the renowned hospitality and friendship of Pashtuns and other Pakistani peoples.


What Are Their Needs?

It will be very difficult to get people into the Pashtun homeland to present the gospel and disciple new believers.


Prayer Points

Media. Pray for the production and distribution of all forms of media in the Pashto language, including literature, videos, music, movies, radio, websites, and social media. The demand and response have increased!
Scripture. Pray for Bible translations in progress!
Laborers. Pray for more workers to serve among the Pashtun people—in education, business, healthcare, development, and other professional areas!
Believers. No one knows how many Pashtuns are following Jesus. Seeds of the Gospel have been sown widely. The greatest barriers to faith are social and cultural. Pray for God's Spirit to strengthen and protect new believers and to empower their lives and witness!


Scripture Prayers for the Pashtun in Pakistan.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  
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The Waiting World - The Pushtun

Source:  The Waiting World      Download

People Name General Pashtun, Northern
People Name in Country Pashtun
Pronunciation pahsh-TOON
Alternate Names Afghan; Eastern Pashto; Eastern Pathan; Khan Saheb; Khans; Musalman; Paktoons; Pashtun, Western; Pathan; Pushtun; Pushtun Afghan; Safi; Shafi; Western Pathan; पश्तून, नॉर्दर्न
Population this Country 32,704,000
Population all Countries 38,023,000
Total Countries 18
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 654
PeopleID3 14256
ROP3 Code 107909
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 7
Largest States
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
23,334,000
Balochistan
3,511,000
Punjab
2,910,000
Sindh
2,556,000
Azad Kashmir
176,000
Islamabad
173,000
Gilgit-Baltistan
45,000
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 7
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 23,334,000
  Balochistan 3,511,000
  Punjab 2,910,000
  Sindh 2,556,000
  Azad Kashmir 176,000
  Islamabad 173,000
  Gilgit-Baltistan 45,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Pashto, Central
Language Code pst   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 36
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Pashto, Northern
27,492,000
Hindko, Northern
1,037,000
Saraiki
1,013,000
Urdu
711,000
Sindhi
270,000
Khowar
201,000
Kohistani, Indus
185,000
Waneci
165,000
Balochi, Eastern
110,000
Pahari-Potwari
92,000
Hindko, Southern
85,000
Gawri
32,000
Shina, Kohistani
31,000
Torwali
16,000
Palula
15,000
Primary Language Pashto, Central
Language Code pst   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 36
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Pashto, Northern 27,492,000
  Hindko, Northern 1,037,000
  Saraiki 1,013,000
  Urdu 711,000
  Sindhi 270,000
  Khowar 201,000
  Kohistani, Indus 185,000
  Waneci 165,000
  Balochi, Eastern 110,000
  Pahari-Potwari 92,000
  Hindko, Southern 85,000
  Gawri 32,000
  Shina, Kohistani 31,000
  Torwali 16,000
  Palula 15,000
People Groups Speaking Pashto, Central

Primary Language:  Pashto, Central

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Film / Video God's Love Story General / Other
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General General Ministry Resources General / Other
Photo Source Don LaVange - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Video Source The Waiting World
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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