Pashtun Is Not Weak, but Dispersed

The tragedy is not that the Pashtun is weak. the tragedy is that he is scattered. Weakness is temporary, but when dispersion stretches across generations, it breaks the backbone of a nation. The Pashtun is a people who, throughout history, have fought against great global powers and forces. The stories of their bravery, honor, and resistance still shine on the pages of history. But the question is, why does that same nation appear weak and fragmented today? Why is it forced into retreat in every field? Why does it face failure in every arena? The answer is simple, yet very bitter: because it is not united.

Pashtuns often say that foreigners have oppressed them greatly. That may be true, but today, more than any external enemy, it is internal fragmentation that has harmed and continues to harm the Pashtun. The Pashtun is politically divided, tribally fragmented, intellectually confused, and socially directionless. Everyone walks their own path, but there is no common path or collective goal for the nation. Some raise slogans of nationalism, some use religion as a card and a name, and some only feel Pashtun on election day. It is as if the limbs of one body are each speaking a different language.

Those people and forces who do not want the Pashtun to stand in an organized way for their rights, their resources, and their identity take advantage of this situation. Because a conscious and united Pashtun nation could become a force of change not only for itself but for the entire region. Such unity becomes a threat to those who rely on power, deception, and control.

Another great tragedy is that much of the Pashtun leadership has kept the nation occupied with emotional and passionate slogans, but never seriously provided a comprehensive, long-term vision, plan, or thought. The pain of the nation and its narrative have remained limited to temporary slogans, protests, rallies, and expressions of victimhood. That is why there were no educational reforms, no political training, no unity of voice, no strong institutions, and no shared national narrative. As a result, every new generation repeats the same questions that previous generations asked: How long will we keep fighting? How long will we keep dying? How long will we keep carrying funerals? And when will we finally become a living and united nation?

The Pashtun does not first need to recognize an external enemy, but to recognize himself. Because he has not yet fully understood himself. Pashtuns must rise above tribal, regional, and personal interests and give priority to national interests. A nation is formed when its thinking is united, its pain is shared, and its direction is clear. Nations are not built by rallies, social media anger, or emotional slogans. Nations are built when youth consider education their strongest weapon, elders value unity, leadership is honest and trustworthy, a shared national goal is created, and every individual accepts that if we do not unite, we will lose everything.

If the Pashtun unites even today, he can change his destiny and his circumstances. He can claim his rights over his resources, define his identity on his own terms, and show the world that he is not only a warrior but also a builder, a peace-lover, not only a victim but also a guide. But if he remains scattered, then he will be left only with stories of the past, while the present will belong to others, and the future will remain a vague dream.

Times are changing, the world is changing, and nations are awakening. If the Pashtun does not awaken now, he will remain lost in the dark corners of history. And if his name is ever mentioned, it will only be as a helpless and scattered nation. That is the greatest tragedy and perhaps it will remain so.

Unity is not just the need of the time; it is the condition for survival. If we do not learn this lesson, do not unite, and do not adopt a shared national goal, then we will write our own ending and may remain in this state forever.

The Pashtun’s tragedy is not weakness, but division

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