Pashtuns: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Revision as of 13:19, 9 March 2003

The term Pashtun, or Pushtun or Pakhtun, describes a group of people living in Pakistan and along the eastern border of Afghanistan. It is also the name of their language. Pashtuns form about 30% of Pakistan's population and 45% of Afghanistan's.

During the British Raj the Pashtuns were called "Pathans" by the British. The word Afghan also originally meant Pashtun, this use of the word remaining in many parts of Afghanistan. The 19th century partition of Pashtunistan by the British between India (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan remains a sore point to this day.

The Pashtun people are predominantly Sunni Muslim and formed the backbone of the Taliban government in Afghanistan.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 The term '''Pashtun''', or '''Pushtun''' or '''Pakhtun''', describes a group of people living in [[Pakistan]] and along the eastern border of [[Afghanistan]]. It is also the name of [[Pushtu|their language]]. Pashtuns form about 30% of [[Pakistan]]'s population and 45% of [[Afghanistan]]'s.
-During the [[British Raj]] the Pashtuns were called "Pathans" by the British. The word '''Afghan''' also originally means Pashtun, this use of the word remains in many parts of [[Afghanistan]]. The 19th century partition of [[Pashtunistan]] by the British between [[India]] (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan remains a sore point to this day.
+During the [[British Raj]] the Pashtuns were called "Pathans" by the British. The word '''Afghan''' also originally meant Pashtun, this use of the word remaining in many parts of [[Afghanistan]]. The 19th century partition of [[Pashtunistan]] by the British between [[India]] (now Pakistan) and Afghanistan remains a sore point to this day.
 The Pashtun people are predominantly [[Sunni]] [[Muslim]] and formed the backbone of the [[Taliban]] government in [[Afghanistan]].