AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN BORDER

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CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6
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September 11, 2012
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Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11 Afghanistan-Pakistan Border Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 The Pushtuns of the Afghan-Pakistani Borderlands Confidential C~YI. 0 0 0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 National Foreign Assessment Center The Pushtuns of the Afghan-Pakistani Borderlands A Research Papet Research for this report was completed in June 1979. eography Division, Office of graphic and graphic Rc earch. mcnts and queries are per wasordinatedwith the Office of Confidential GC'79-10105 (A.Iubrr 1979 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 The Pushtuns of the Afghan-Pakistani Borderlands n 25X1 Overview Numbering about 15 million-8 million in Afghanistan and 7 million in Pakistan-Pushtuns constitute one of the largest remaining tribal societies in the world. They are an aggressive, martial group of tribes. Although loosely associated by a common language and an Islamic-based culture, they lack cohesiveness as an ethnic group. Pushtun cultural patterns reflect their primary allegiance to small, family-related units, and a tradition of blood feuds and intertribal warfare. The majority of the Pushtuns lives in primitive agricultural villages, although a minority still clings to nomadic lifestyles. Historically independent and militantly defensive of their tribal territories, the Pushtuns have maintained a semiautonomous status by pitting succeeding Afghan and Pakistani governments against each other in an effective form of political blackmail. They have been less successful in managing the few natural resources of their arid homeland, and herding and agriculture-the traditional Pushtun pursuits-no longer sustain the tribal economics. The high population growth rate of the tribes and the concomitant degradation of tribal lands are increasing Pushtun dependence on governrty nt subsidies and on remittances from outside employment for survival. Eventually, economic and demographic pressures may accomplish what Pakistani and Afghan, and earlier British, regiments could not-- pacification and control of the Pushtun tribes. The Pushtuns are numerically and politically the most important of the ethnic groups involved in the current insurgency in Afghanistan. The effectiveness of the tribes, however, is blunted by their preoccupation with parochial concerns, their internecine bickerings and feuds, and their reluctance to accept centralized leadership. The'tribes may form a coalition to defeat the Khalqi govern.nent-as they have in the past against perceived outside aggressors such as the British-but the union would most likely shatter after that objective had been achieved. Similarly, these consider- ations militate against the formation of a united Pushtunistan-the land of the Pushtuns-cither as an independent unit or as part of Afghanistan or Pakistan. Divided or united, the Pushtuns'of the Afghan-Pakistani. borderlands will*continue to be the dominant ethnic group in border politics for many years to come. Confidential Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 The Pushtuns of the Afghan-Pakistani Borderlands Pushtuns are an aggressive, martial group of tribes loosely associated by a common language and culture.' Numbering about 15 million-8 million in Afghani- stan and 7 million in Pakistan-Pushtuns constitute one of the largest remaining tribal societies in the world. They arc a dynamic group of people, forceful, energetic, and quick to take advantage of others for economic or political gain. Pushtuns dominate the political structure of Afghanistan, whether monarchy or Communist regime, and compose a majority of the officer corps in the Afghan Army. In Pakistan. Pushtuns are greatly outnumbered by the equally aggressive Punjabis and consequently have less politi- cal influence there. They are, however, a major ethnic component in the Pakistani armed forces. Pushtuns inhabit the southern and eastern slopes of the Hindu Kush. a strategic area that commands control of the Chaman-Quetta Corridor and the fabled Khyber Pass. Historically. Pushtun control of these routes, connecting Central Asia and the Middle East with South Asia, permitted tolls for safe passage to be levied on the caravans passing through the area. Ito the 20th century, international transportation routes have largely bypassed the region and the primary economic importance of the passes today is for Afghan import and export of goods via South Asia. Pushtun country retains a limited, value in interna- tional politics as a buffer to Soviet expansion into South Asia. In regional politics, the location of the Pakistani-Afghan border through Pushtun tribal terri- tory periodically erupts as a divisive issue between the two countries. For the United States, Pushtun country is a strategic area of concern on'another front: the ? The phonetic spelling of the name of the ethnic group-depending on tribal dialect differences-is Pushtun or Pukhtun in Pakistan. and Pashtun or Pukhtun in Afghanistan. Pathan is the Hindu comption of the name. which was subsequently picked up by the British to refer to these hill tribes. Pathan is still common usage in international effort to control the production of opium and its derivatives-morphine and heroin. Opium - poppies are a cash crop in tribal territory that has few other sources of income. Tribal lands are arid, lackiatg in resources, and overpopulated. Herding and agricul- ture, the two traditi,nal Pushtun pursuits, no longer- sustain the tribal economies; remittances of tribesmen employed elsewhere and government subsidies make up the deficit. Althcugh economically vulnerable, the Pushtuns will continue to be the dominant ethnic group in border politic for many years to come. 25X1 Tribal Groupings Pushtun tribal structure is based on descent from common ancestors and is the source of most present tribal designations. The ethnic family tree, according: to Pushtun tribal history, contains five main groupings. each with numerous subdivisions (see appendix). In reality, three general divisions emerge: the eastern Pushtuns located in the lower Kabul River Valley; the southern Pushtuns who live in the region south of Kabul as far as Quctta and cast toward the Indus Valley; and the western tribes, the Durranis. who inhabit a broad arc of territory from the lower toward the Iranian border. ,)rlvi 25X1 The Pushtun pecking order reserves top status to the plains-dwelling eastern Pushtuns near Peshawar and the Durrani tribes in the vicinity of Kandahar. It is to these two cities, and Peshawar in particular, that Pushtuns look for cultural leadership. The former Afghan royal family arc Durranis-Barakzais of the Mohamadzai clan-with close ties to Peshawar. The plains Pushtuns in turn view the mountain tribes, including most of the southern Pushtuns, as less sophisticated cotrntry cousins. Pakistani Pushtuns art likely to make derisive comments about Afghan Pushtuns. especially the nomadic groups. Conrtdential Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 are not considered borderland tribes The territorial limits of Pushtun tribes are based on watersheds. Water rights are the measure for family and clan landholdings, the availability of water deter- mines the areal extent of a holding and its value. C The most important of the borderland Pushtun tribes by v;rtue of their location, numbers, or militancy are the Yusufzai. Mohmand, Shinivari, Afridi. and Orakzai in the vicinity of the Kabul River and Peshawar Basin and the Ghilzai (especially the subtribes of Ahmadzai and Suleiman Khel), Wazir, Mahsud, Mangal, and Jadran in the region of the upper Kurram and Gomal Rivers. The Durranis. although an influential tribal group in Afghanis'an. (Pashto in Afghanistan), is more common. and west of the valley, the softer version. Pukhtu The Pushtuns speak two dialects of the common language. The linguistic boundary generally follows the Kurram River Valley. To the north and east, a more guttcral. harsher version is used, phonetically spelled Pukhtu (Pakhto in Afghanistan). To the south Demographic Speculations Pushtun tribal populations can only be estimated. The latest Pakistani census (1972) does not tabulate ethnic background. The first Afghan census was begun on schedule on 15 June of this year, but is likely to be inconclusive due to widespread insurgency in the country. The overall population growth rate is close to 3 percent. The birth rate is high. estimated to be about 47 to 50 per 1,000. Death rates are also high, especially among the young. One infant out of every 10 dits before the age of 1 year. and four children in 10 die before the age of 5, largely from gastrointestinal ailments associated with poor sanitary conditions. Those who survive to young adulthood have a better chance of survival-, however, females are prone to death in childbirth, and males to the hazards of blood feuds. Population of Major Pushtun Tribes (in thousands) Estimated Total Population ' Eastern Afridi Pukhta 330 chakmani Pukhiu 2!0 Khugiani Pakhto 72 Mohmand Pukhtu 240 Orakui Pukhtu 114 ,_ Sari Pukhtu 84 Shinwari Pakhto 66 Turi Pukhtu 48 ~_. Yusufrai Pukhtu 1.200 Zaimullht Pukhtu 120 _~-,- Ghilrai Jadran Pashto 72 Jail Pashto 35 Kakar Pushtu 138 Khattak Pushtu 240 Khostwal Pashto _ 84 Mahsud Pushtu 120 Mangal Pashto 96 Want Pushtu ?240 --- wester. - Durrani Pashto 1,800 ' These estimates are based op 1961 data, and although of Questionable accuracy are useful for judging comparative tribal Literacy among the Pushtuns averages about 1 I to 13 percent, but varies greatly by tribe. sex, rural-urban status, and country. Educational levels are nigher among settled communities, in Pakistan (compared to Afghanistan), in urban areas, and proportionately much higher among males. 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 25X1 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Pushtun Lifestyles: Nomadism Versus Sedentary Agriculture Pushtun society is primarily rural in character, clus- tered in primitive agricultural villages with few amenities. Only the larger villages and towns have bazaars where supplies and services can be obtained. More than 30 percent of the tribal population is directly dependent in some measure upon agriculture. Arabic land is limited to proportionately small parcels of irrigated land along streambeds, in the wider expanses of river basins, and in the vicinity of wells or springs. Whe,1t is the staple grain, with pulses, lentils, millet, and maize among the other crops raisear vegetables-potatoes, cucumbers, onions-are also grown for family use. There is sometimes a small surplus of fruit in the more fertile valleys fropt tree crops such as.the apricot, from vineyards (raisins), and from vines (melons). Tobacco has been introduced as a cash crop in some areas. Crop yields are erratic, however, even under irrigated conditions. Few villages are self-sufficient in food supplies and in bad years may produce on'y 50 percent of their needs. Variation in house structure provides a regional identification of sedentary Pushtun settlements in the tribal territory. The primary unifying characteristic is the defensive nature of the structure. Each family occupies its own walled rectangular-shaped compound with some provision for watchtov,.rs. Villages, which are usually inhabited by extended family or clan, arc sited for defensive purposes and are usually located on a knoll or rise of land adjacent to the village fields. Originally, the larger, older towns were walled, al though growth has now expanded beyond the town walls. The defensive aspect of Pushtun architecture is an outgrowth of the history of internecine warfare among the tribes. Intertribal, intercian. and even .interfamily squabbles are common, frequently ending in bloodshed. All quarters -maintained by either the Afghan or Pakistani Governments in tribaNerritory arc fortified. Pushtun nomads, called kuchis or powindaKs. arc easily identified by their characteristic black felt tents. Although fewer in number in comparison to the total Pushtun population, their mobility and colorful lifestyle command an aura of respect and admiration among their sedentary peers. Nomads cling to their way of life and resist the concept of permanent settlement. Tolerated in Pakistan where settlement effort is stronger, nomadism is more prevalent among the Afghan Pushtun tribes. particularly the Ghilzais and to a lesser extent the Durranis.0 25X1 Nomads migrate between winter quarters in the valleys and summer pasture grounds in the mountains. Their flocks of sheep, in particular, are susceptible to extremes of temperature. The summers in Pushtun country, though short, are excessively hot, with day time temperatures over 37?C. The flocks are moved from the valleys to higher elevations until the approach of winter forces them back to lower. warmer eleva- tions. Nomadic movement develops a seasonal rhythm with peaks of activity during the months of May and September-October. The timing of the spring and fall migrations is closely orchestrated with the activities of the communities along the route, with which the nomads develop a symbiotic relationship. Spring m - 25X1 gration precedes crop planting in each of the villages { along the way; the return journey in the fall ii timed for after the harvest.0 25X1 Nomads and villagers are interrelated in other ways- The villagers trade food, mainly wheat and vegetables, in exchange for the meat, milk, and other arional products of the nomads. The nomads are also purvey- ors of news and gossip. One of the important aspects of the relationship is the nomads' role as itinerant merchants and moneylenders supplying matches, kero- sene. cloth, and other small necessities as well as credit to villages. The economic status of the nomads varies; some are well off and others are abysmally poor. The more affluent nomads have gradually acquired land. infla- ence, and monetary control in many remote arras. For example, the moneylending Ghilzai nomads are gradu- ally pauperizing many of the Hazara. a non-Pushtun ethnic group in the Hindu Kush highlands of Afghani- stan. The Ghilzais, as practitioners of Islam, do not 25X1 i Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 charge interest on a loaned sum, but a sizable "gift"- the equivalent of 25 to 100 percent short-term inter- est-is mandatory with repayment of the principal. Repayment is made more difficult for the hapless Hazara borrower because the whole sum plus gift is due in full. Partial payment is unacceptable, and with the extension of the loan the Hazara and his family, who are also obligated, sink deeper into bondage to the Ghilzai. Similar aggrandizing relationships have de- veloped in areas of the western and northern Hindu Kush between local villagers of other ethnic groups and Pushtun nomads, primarily the Durranis. Tribal genealogy and kinship are important to the . Pushtuns. Knowledge of place on the ethnic family tree and of the relationship to others defines the obligations of an individual, a family, the extended family, the clan, and sometimes the tribe. The duties thus derived merge with Pushtunwali, a code of moral responsibil- ities that governs most aspects of tribal life. The code dictates that a Pushtun, his family, and his kinsmen must exact revenge (badal) for a perceived wrong. The counterbalancing theme is the obligation for hospital- ity (melmastia) and the protection of guests. To transgress the code risks disgrace, and the ostracism Pushtun society is male dominant and oriented, and has been characterized as patriarchal. patrilinear, and patrilocal. The universal Pushtun custom of cousin marriage-a boy weds the daughter of his fathers brother-perpetuates the inward-looking nature of the society. Because of the tribal social structure, however, male cousins almost automatically become rivals. They vie for inheritance from the common grandfather, for wives, and for influence within the family group. Cousin rivalry is the root cause of many Pushtun family feuds and is an impcrtant consideration in tribal politics. If there are two fac?.ions within a tribe, cousins will usually bee in opposite camps.-Cousin rivalry may figure prominently in the most common causes of breach of peace in the frontier: zar.:an. and :amin (money, women, and land). Devout adherents of Islam. Pushtuns are almost all Sunni Muslims of the I-lanai, sect. A few are Shiitm the best known of whom are the Turis and many of the Bangash in the upper Kurram River Valley in Paki- stan. Among the tenets of Islam, the concep! of jihad (holy war against unbelievers) blends easily with the natural Pushtun preoccupation with warfare. The insurgency in Afghanistan is fanned by the tribesmen's perception of the Khalqi government as Communist inspired, and thus atheistic and anti-Islam. The Soviet advisers and backers of the regime arc tarred with the same brush. Another aspect of the conservative Islamic society is that women are secluded, protected, and generally uneducated. Purdah as an institution among Pushtun women, however, is slowly fading. In rural villages, traditional conservative ways will linger, particularly with the current upsurge of Islamic fervor, but the longer term trend is toward more liberal standards. The lead in Afghanistan was taken over a decade ago among the women of the royal family and members of the ruling elite. Pushtun women in the settled areas of Pakistan and in the large cities of Kabul and Peshawar have more liberties due to access to educational opportunities and acceptance in certain areas of the work force. Purdah restrictions are relaxed among nomadic families and in rural villages where the chadry or burqa, the traditional enveloping shroud, would interfere with work in the fields. Purdah traditions are strongest in small towns and provincial cities. The Pushtun reputation for democratic action-the equivalent of one-man-one-vote-is embodied in the institution of the jirga. the governing council in each tribal group. A jirga is called to establish a course of action when dealing with a particular problem. Every adult male can have a voice in the council. A leader-a malik or a khan-is only one among equals, who derives his leadership through adjudicating opposing views and commanding the respect and allegiance of the group. The title of khan can also be an honorific for a large landholder, herder, or anyone with.high tribal standing. Mullahs and maulanas (more highly edu- cated Islamic scholars), the interpreters of Islam, are - influential but lack the institutional support of an Islamic hierarchy such as exists in Iran. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Lacking a written literary tradition, much of the Pushtuns' cultural heritage is transmitted through folktales and storytelling. Pushtu is an expressive language, and among Pushtun classics is the poetry of the 18th century bard, Khushal Khan Khattak. Music. predictably martial in tone, is widely popular, as is male group dancing. window on the outside world. Contacts with the world beyond Pushtun country are irevitably introducing new ideas, growth, and changes into tribal life. The isolation and inaccessibility of many villages ~.;: ending with the construction of roads and the introduction of trucks and buses. The nomadic way of life is slowly but-inexorably dissolving under government prescrr- ?: establish permanent settle- ments, rarticul P. kistan. Population pressures and inc cconr : i.--s , -f vival contribute to out- migration, . anization and the lessening of tribal tics. numbers of males are either working ir, alien lands, serving in the armed forces in both Afghanistan and Pakistan or attending colleges and universities. generally in Kabul and Peshawar. Fur those who remain behind in tribal territory, the transistor radio has become a status symbol as well as a income in tribal territory.. Economic survival in Pushtun country is becoming more difficult. Population pressures have forced greater numbers of males to migrate outside tribal territory to seek work. At any given time, as many as one in six adult males are working outside tribal territory. Pushtuns work as agricultural laborers on the Indus Plains, as construction workers in the Persian Gulf oil countries, or anywhere else opportunity beckons. They may be absent for a season or for several years at a time. Remittances are a major source of Some Pushtun tribal groups have adopted new occupa- tions. Notable examples are the Afr'i and Shinwari tribesmen from the region of the Khyber Pass who, like the Sikhs in India. have an affinity for motors. They are now truckers in Afghanistan and Pakistan. particu- larly on the strategic Kabul-Peshawar Road through the Pass. Some tribes have developed specialities. The Andar Ghilzais are renowned for digging and mair- taining karez, the underground channels constructed to tap a downslope subsurface flow of water. Mahsud tribesmen, once feared for their treachery in combat. have taken over a number of former Hindu businesses. and are now known for their treacherous commercial practices. 25X1 The Pushtuns.ha:'e been quick tpo.exploit any demand for the area's few natural resources. The higher slopes in the border area that receive more rainfall were originally covered by forests. The scarcity and the demand in the villages for charcoal, and in Pakistan for period of several decades in large areas of cleared slopes to the detriment of the environment. Close cropping and overgrazing by sheep and.goats decimate the root structure of the remaining grasses and shrubs, and sheet erosion and gully washers then remove much of the fragile soil cover, leaving more and more areas rocky and sterile. Once devastated, these slopes do not respond well to reforestation efforts. The incentive commodities in the cross-border smuggling trade. Trading in opium is a special problem in tribal territory. In Pushtun country cast and north of Peshawar opium poppies are cultivated legally under the aegis of the Pakistani Government. Production from illicit cultivation in. uncontrolled tribal territory in the borderlands is openly available on the black market in the bazaars of the Khyber Pass. Total tonnage of illicit opium produced in tribal territory increases annually. The estimate for 1979 is 600 to 1,000 tons, up from an estimated 200 to 300 tons in 1970. Attempts to introduce substitute crops have had mixed success. No other crops have comparable monetary returns for the grower`and especially for the tribal middleman. Afghanistan has no allotment for ium uch of the o h ti lth d i l l p uc on, a oug m um pro ega op 25X1 entering the illegal market originates there. With declining revenues from other sources, the Afghan Government would undoubtedly. like to exploit tribal expertise and share in the income from the legal sales generated in Pakistan and India. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 likely to be low until the summer of 1980. The British established military posts such as Wana and Fort Sandaman in these frontier regions and constructed a road between Quetta and Peshawar to connect these outposts. The road, which traverses the tribal-dominated hill lands between the river valleys, was built with subsidies to the tribes for construction. and subsequently for mainten, nce and protection (periodically, sections of the road deteriorate over- night-with tribal help). The construction of roads in tribal territory is always a contentious issue. The tribes view a road as facilitating political as well as military control. As recently as several years ago, tribal objections halted construction of a road into Mohmand territory north of Peshawar. Nearby, the Afridis and the Shinwaris have never permitted roads to penetrate their mountain homelands in the Safed Koh where the 25X1 25X1 food supplies in the border areas of Afghanistan are the world. The insurgency in Afghanistan is having widespread natural lines of communication follow the generally repercussions among the Pushtuns of the borderlands. east-west oriented tributaries of the Indus. The Whole villages in dissident frontier areas have fled into middle-to-lower reaches of these rivers typically flow Pakistan. There are now more than 200,000 tribesmen through hill-surrounded basins, which are centers for in refugee camps, most of whom are Pushtuns, and an sedentary agriculturalists, and in which a fair-sized on number who art taking shelter with local tribal town is located. Peshawar. Kohat, and Bunnu kinsmen. The summer crops in their deserted villages are examples of Pushtun centers in "settled districts." have not been planted; moreover, crop yields in the Beyond these basins, toward the border. adjacent fields of those villages still inhabited are expected to be slopes steepen and valleys narrow to become defiles- lower because of reduced runoff from last winter's excellent country for guerrilla operations. Well deficient snow cover in the mountains. Even if the adapted to their land, the Pushtuns are adept at the art insurgency abates within the next couple of months, of ambush and are among the best guerrilla fighters in subsidies to tribal leaders. The Borderlands The boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan was established in a treaty between Great Britain and Afghanistan in 1893. Called the Durand Line, it represented the furthest penetration-but not con- trol-of the British Empire. The British used various means to monitor the frontier, including periodic forays of shows of force into tribal territory, the establishment of outposts and forts, the building of roads to connect and supply the military garrisons, and The methods used by the successor Pakistani govern- ment to control the Pushtun tribes have differed little from those initiated by the British. The tribal groups in the more settled agricultural regions in the valleys of the Indus River tributaries have gradually been incorporated into the administrative structure of the North-West Frontier Province, but the groups along the border itself remain semiautonomous. Effective administrative control of the Pakistani Government extends to the border only beyond Quetta. in the Khyber Pass, and in the upper Kurram River Valley. Although he border frequently follows high ridge lines,. it is not impenetrable. Numerous passes provide ease'of movement along the border, which has been termed a "sieve." Because of the terrain, however, the border is difficult to police. On the Pakistani side, border follows the highest ridge lines. On the Afghan side of the border the transport grid reverses. The easier natural communications corridor follows the Logar Valley. traversing a low divide to the broad Arghandab-Helmand River Plain-the route of the Kabul-Kandahar-Herat Highway. Connecting roads that serve the borderlands to the cast traverse more difficult terrain. The present insurgency in Paktia Province and the siege of the Afghan Army strongpoint at Khost are based on insurgent control of the latter easily interdicted routes. 25X1 I 25X1 25X1 LJ/~ I Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 The Ic..ation of the border cutting across natural routes of movement up and down the valleys of the Indus River tributaries has had a special meaning for the Ghilzais--one of the largest and most nomadic of the Pushtun tribes. Their territory lies to the west of the border in Afghanistan, and the placement bisected their traditional annual migration routes. Eeginning in the early 1970s, the border passes have been closet; periodically by the Pakistani Government, shutting off great numbers of the Ghilzai from. their customary winter pastures near the warmer Indus Valley plains, where many of the men worked as seasonal laborers. The dislocations caused by the border closings and the general Pakistani policy of discouraging the annual migration of the nomads have had wide reverberations in the Ghilzai economy and lifestyle. Some have established new winter quarters in the valleys on the Afghan side of the border, others have continued their cross-border migrations more surreptitiously, expand- ing their roles as nomad-merchants (smugglers).[ The location of the border in tribal territory has been an important factor in Afghan politics. The Pushtuns are numerically the largest, and politically the domi- nant, ethnic group in the country. For them, the concept of a united Pushtunistan-the land of the Pushtuns-has been a periodic political battle cry. They call for self-determination for the Pushtuns- that is for those in Pakistan-and presumably relocation of the border from its present location eastward to the Indus escarpment. The irredentist approach of succeeding Afghan governments has had progressively less appeal for Pushtun tribal leaders in Pakistan, who seem to prefer greater autonomy for their areas within Pakistan to political union with their Afghan brothers. The lack of a united front on this-or any=subject underscores the individualistic nature of the Pushtuns. In practical terms, the location of the border in tribal territory has proved to have both political and eco- nomic advantages for the Pushtuns. By pitting the Afghan and Pakistani Governments against each other in an effective form of political blackmail, the tribes on both sides of the border have managed to retain a greater degree of autonomy through the years than would probably have been possible had they been under the sole authority of either government. Eco- nomically, differences in the price structures in the Afghan and Pakistani economies have permitted a thriving cross-border flow of trade-regarded by nonlocals as smuggling. Traditionally, Pushtuns have exploited the location of their tribal territory as a source of revenue and as a means of preserving their semiautonomous starts. They h, ve been less successful in managing the few natural resources of their arid homeland that sustain agriculture and herding. The Pushtuns' high popula- tion growth rate will intensify pressures ott tribal lands and will increase their dependency on government subsidies and outside employment. Thus, economics and demographic pressures are eventually likely to 25X1 accomplish what British, and later Pakistani and Afghan. regiments could not-pacification and cortrol of the Pushtuns. 25X1 Pushtun institutions stress independent action of srrir;;, family-related units. The reluctance of the Pushtun tribes to accept centralized leadership is limiting the effectiveness of the Afghan Pushtuns' resistance to the present Khalqi regime in Afghanistan. The tribes may form a coalition to defeat the Khalqi government, as they have in the past united against perceived outside aggressors such as the British, but that union is likely to shatter when that objective has been achieved. Similarly, the historical record of the Pushtuns' concentration on parochial concerns, with internecine bickerings and feuds, militates against the formation of a united Pushtunistan either as an independent unit or as part of either Afghanistan or Pakistan. The Afghan Pushtuns' preoccupation with the Pushtunis,an cause, however, is likely to keep that issue an important factor in border politics for many years to come. Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 . 3h~Mr.911 .3311 \ ~~ ! Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 i l E 'LEN'S` B e As _` .?~_ c?5 L87 I11rA Mergh?D fq'"~~, f ZAI hisAt 0 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Pushtun Territory: Groups, Tribes, Population [ ' -?~ N.a.ti?? h tnq^3? -1^ft^Un t sat. ~, Balkh . t l ~ ~S~uia?rM Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Z.f ?L '~ .~SN LW an-ad t'KhOlm - `'~ - - - .` ~. \ Oo?+E;~ '0. 1. ~'a?_'~ r^-' V Eakkkhon i ?-?i~hl~iCid ' ' ' ~?~. i 1 TBkhA r 4P n . \ `' / 0Y?ng7 -V e.f -.~, b^:, Khan ...,z ,r.t--./ .~ r r shot as % O U.rl ,~ v a nK F\# 1 t+^oo M?Im d?, E ; 19 ~ Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 ?r ~r'V~'~, -;. q,~ iay:l ?.w ~~`. r~4: ,1,. a r`~,'_~x 9rr~.~~r 1~.A ..~' }.~1. '1'~.i :~!t:~'r~i Pushtun Territory: Groups, Tribes, Population Der t:nrir N.th. V ~~ H.,: s...n i,.a?, t, uyrothn ~ndtb c. Kn3w / F iO~d 1 ~..,. ond0z Baaal PKholm i ~It~t~pi0 ` ! + ~ r 'I IM3 B a!I k h I T a k hi r r fr ~Shulgw-h l \~ I )rota? ~~? ~, Albok MAN N. A" tc I e;r;TSt+ Declassified in' ~~,rt ~' t?l~xt4~ k,;3.+A,7~r' i :.d"C.-R,,~?':'iR~.+a~,. ,l~ac ,,,;.,"4 i `..~;Part . tt. c r:+.., rnitized-r...ui.. `.e -.~y .r'd.?r.L:r - Sanitized Copy Approve for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08CO1297R000100140002-6 , :'4 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 s, Tribes, Population Density, and Migration Routes / . 'q FtWiAd ~I P ada An f ~~~ E~Mbn~T Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 E HI, S F I D -Y E 4.r ARkAT har Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 alt C Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 'IKbUi z,~ .o..e f N 8 1 ! .-J. 11 Kn.na~t M a v' _? ~f r .ila?,~~4 owgo1 , hill .h ,,MUSA Pink I na^on r \: kac/ak Pass 3 a I u c Fed. Admin. Tribal Areas New** and boundary mpnnenWon am not necessantr auWKontatme Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 ' Fed. Admin. Tribal Areas Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 NOl^, haver:... 41 r Islamabad \` Capital Ter. Fed. Admin. Tribal Areas Major Groups Tribes Eastern NONE SAFI Southern JAM Western TOKHI Approximate limit of Pushtun tribal territory ? Area of greater population density in Pushtun territory Migration and Dispersal Routes *-1Sprinp .---*Fan Summer pasture ground plow a bo.nd.ry 4b&d ho,MC. C.DNN Sro.d-Owy. a1M0.d l6'ML,SSN.. S6"in i.Mbt.n) Harrow-eauo.INMood Ro.d - - - - Track of tv,W t A1,119 s_ .ovations M /..f $c.l. 1:2.SgO.000 o !. 90 is 100 we . is is is Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 1. THE' WESTERN AFGHANS THE. PUSHTUN TRIBES MAJOR GENEALOGICAL GROUPINGS SHERANIS (Sulaiman Mountains) SPIN TARINS (Chatiala area south of Loralai; some in Baluchistan) ZIRAK !_ TOR TARINS (Pishin Valley) ACHAKZAIS ALIKOZAIS BARAKZAIS (Branches have ruled Afghanistan since 1826) SADDOZAIS (One branch ruled Afghanistan 1747-1818) I .MOHAMMEOZA)S (Current Afghan Royal Family styles. itself Yahya Mohammedzais; Family also called .Musahibans*) (Kaniguram, Logal, Peshawar) DURRANIS or ABDALIS (Afghanistan) URZAIS AUZAIS Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 GHORYAKHELS KHAKHAY M)SIS SHINWARIS KHETRANS or KHELS (Quetta) (Niitgrahar (3alu; h Border) GHORAM and Khyber) YUSUFZAIS (Dir. Swat. Buner; extend east of Indus Into Black Mountain area) KHAULS DAUDZAIS MO#MANDS CHAKMANIS / (Kar and P h wa?) r m a Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11 : CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 I GHILZAIS orGHAUI (Afghanistan; largest Pushtu-speaking tribe; generally nomadic) BILUTS SUR3 LOHANIS (Paniala) MARWATS. BARBAKS DAULAT KHEL, etc. (Bannu, Tank, and vicinity; many are Powindahs) Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 BHJTTANIS (Bannu and Tank, on east flank-of WeLir and Mahsud areas) NIAZIS SIANIS DOTANIS (Ise Khel and Mimwalis; (South Waziristan; many arePowindahs) many are Powindahs) Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/09/11: CIA-RDP08C01297R000100140002-6 KAKARS