ABSTRACT
The first chapter aims to lay a foundation for the book by providing a brief introduction to ethnic Pashtuns residing both in Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, due to the nature, scope and focus of the book, a majority of the chapter is devoted to the Pashtuns based in Pakistan’s tribal region. In its first section, the chapter discusses a brief history of the Pashtuns in South Asia. In its second section, the chapter discusses the Pashtun cultural code of Pashtunwali, translated as the ‘way of the Pashtuns’, and its various tenets. Through this section, the emphasis is laid on why Pashtunwali (the Pashtun culture) and its tenets are important for the Pashtuns, especially in the tribal region, hence also making Jirga and Lashkars important components of the Pashtun way of life. In its third section, the chapter briefly takes inspiration from political anthropology by discussing the prevalence of segmentation among the tribal Pashtuns and why such segmentation plays an important role towards conflict resolution in the Pashtun society. In its final section, the chapter discusses the violent representation of Pashtuns both in colonial and contemporary literature. Discussing this representation also aids in understanding how Pashtuns have been treated by the Pakistani state in recent years.
