Afghanistan

People, Culture and Tribes

Topic:

1.Past  History
2.Who  are  the  Afghans
3.History  of  Jirgas  and  Tribes
4.Tribes  of  Pashtons
5.Soviet  and  Tribes/Taliban  and  Tribes
6.The  State
 Afghanistan  Land  and  People  
n Area:  647,500  sq.  km.  (Texas)

n Population:  27-­32  mil

n Crossroad  of  civilizations

n 5000  years  of  history

n Mosaic  of  cultures

n Strategic  location

n Natural  resources:  Natural  gas,  

petroleum,  coal,  copper,  chromites,  
lead,  zinc,  iron  ore,  precious    stones
•1  Middle  Ages  (565–1504  )
•.1.1Islamic  conquest
•1.2  Ghaznavids
•1.3  Ghorids
•1.4  Mongol  invasion
•1.5  Timurids

•2  Modern  era  (1504–1973)4.1Mughals,  Uzbeks  and  

Safavids
•2.1  Hotaki  dynasty
•2.2  Durrani  Empire
•2  .3  Barakzai  dynasty  and  British  influence
•2  .4  Reforms  of  Amanullah  Khan  and  civil  war
•2  .5  Reigns  of  Nadir  Khan  and  Zahir  Khan
Afghanistan  in  18th and 19th century
THE  PERSIAN  
SAFAVED  EAR THE  KINGS  AND  WARS
• 1809 Durrani sign  a  treaty  
n 1709 Mirwais Hotak-­ with  the  UK
Revolts  against  the   • 1826  Dost Mohammad  
safavid Persian  king Khan took  the  throne  
in Kabul,  where  he  
n 1747  Ahmad  Shah   proclaimed  himself Airm
Durrani declared   (Barakzai  Dynasty)
independence  with   • 1837  Persian  forces  siege  of  
capital  in  Kandahar Herat  
• 1839 First  Afghan-­Anglo  war  
n
n The  country  was  finally  unified  in  1747  under  Pashtun  tribal                                            
leader  Ahmad  Shah  Durrani.  The  country’s  modern  borders                                                  
were  shaped  largely  by  competition  between  British  and  Russian  
during  the  19th  century.
n Afghanistan  remained  an  absolute  monarchy  until  1922.                                                                
The  more  western  ideas  of  Amanullah Khan  and  his  successor  Zahir
Shah  threatened  the  power  of  religious  leaders,  giving  rise  to  armed  
resistance.  
n In  1973  the  monarchy  was  overthrown  and  a  pro-­communist  
administration  set  up  under  Mohammed  Daoud.  This  was  followed  in  
1979  by  a  Russian  invasion  in  support  of  the  government.  
n Factional  fighting  continued  after  the  Russian  withdrawal  in  1989  until  
the  pro  Russian  Government  was  collapsed  in  1992  and  Mujahedeen  
took  the  control.
n In  1996  a  group  of  Islamic  ethnic  Pashtun  fighters  known  as  the  
Taliban seized  control  of  Kabul,  implementing  their  own  harsh  
interpretation  of  Islamic  law  and  conduct.
Calendar  and  Benchmarks  

1878-­
1989-­
1880-­
1992-­
1919-­
1996-­
1933-­
2001-­
1973  
2002
1978

1979    
Who  are  the  Afghans:
1.Pashtoons
2.Tajiks
3.Hazaras
4.Uzbeks
5.Others  
 Languages
Dari
50%
Pashtu
35%

Other Uzbek  &  

4% Turkmen
11%
Afghanistan Ethnic Group
Others
13%
Uzbek
Pashton
9%
42%
Hazara
9%
Tajik
27%
Religions  and  Sects Suni
Muslim  or  Musselman 80%

The  word  Islam  literally  means  

submission  or  surrender (a  Muslim  is  one  
who  surrenders  his  will  to  the  will  of  God)  
Other Shi'a
1% 19%

Sunni Muslims Shi’a Muslims

• 80% of People • 19% of People

• Schools: Hanafi, Maleki, • Schools: Imami (twelve
Sahfehi, Hanbali (Khalifas) Imams) and Ismailia
• No personal interpretation (seveners)
of Islamic law • Personal interpretation of
Islamic Law (Ijtehad)
Both groups follow:
Shari’a Law
&
Five Pillars of Islam
Who  lives  where
Tribe:  Qawm

Qawm  is  a  term  used  in  Afghanistan  to  refer  

to  any  form  of  solidarity.  It  is  the  basic  unit  
of  social  community  &  may  be  based  for  
kinship  or  residence,  and  it  is  referred  to  as  
one’s  “tribe.”  Most  simply,  it  defines  an  
individual's  identity.

• A  Qawm  or  Tribe is  governed  by  jirga  or  

shura  (a      council  or  assembly  of  elder  
males).

• Pashton  tribal  system  varies  from  region  to  

region  and  from  tribe  to  tribe,  but  they  all  
follow  the  same  code  of  honor  -­ Pashtonwali.
Land  of  Jirgas
Jirga
Jirga  is  an  original  Pashto  word,  which  means  a  
gathering  of  a  few,  or  a  large  number  of  people

It  also  means  consultation  and  negotiation  process  

sitting  in  a  large  circle  to  resolve  conflicts  or  consult  
on  an  important  issue.    

Loya  Jirga  (grand  assembly)  is  a  special  kind  used  

to  address  crucial  national  issues,  mostly  called  for  
by  head  of  state  (see  examples  in  the  next  slide)
 History  of  Girgas  in  Afghanistan
Ahmad  Shah  BaBa  was  elected  as  the  king  by  a  Loya  Jirga  in  1747.

King  Amanullah  (1919-­1929)’s  constitution  discussed  &  approved.  

The  decision  to  stay  away  from  the  Second  World  War  made  in  1941.

Prime  Minister  Daud  to  address  military  threats  from  Pakistan  in  1953  .

President  Daud  to  revise  constitution  and  appoint  a  President  1976.

President  Najibullah  to  modify  constitution  in  1991.

President  Rabani  (Jirga  of  Ulema  instead  of  Loya  Jirga)  to  extend  his  
term  as  the  President  1992).

President  Karzai  to  get  himself  approved  as  the  Head  of  the  
Transitional  Government  (2002)  and  approve  constitution  (2004).
BSA/SOFA  2013
 The  Pashtuns
DURRANI  

ZIRAK PANPAI

POPALZAI ACHEKZAI ALIZAI NOORZAI

ALOKOZAI BARAKZAI ISHAKZAI

MOHAMMADZAI
The  Pashtuns
GHILZAI

AHMADZAI ALI  KHEL

ANDAR DOTANNI

NIAZI HOTAK

KHAROTI KHUGIANI

TOKHI NASSERI

SULAIMAN  KHEL TARAKI

NATO  UNCLASSIFIED
Communist  regime  and  the  Tribal  
Leaders
-­Imprisoned  popular  tribal  leaders
-­ Killed  popular  tribal  leaders
-­Killed  and  Imprisoned  the  religious  
scholars
-­Anyone  with  local  influence  was  
considered  a  threat  to  the  
communist  regime.
-­Adopted  policies  of  anti  tribal  
traditions  and  cultural  values,
Taliban  regime  and  Tribal  
Leaders
-­Killed  the  2nd generation  of  the  tribal  
leaders
-­ Forced  them  to  leave  the  country
-­Humiliated  them
-­Took  their  influence/power  away  by  
introducing  the  Madrasa  culture
-­ Extreme  sectarian  and  ethnic  tensions  
The  Executive  Branch

President

1st Vice   2nd Vice  

President President

Cabinet    
(Members  25)
The  Legislative  Branch
Legislative-­ The  upper  house
Judiciary  Branch
Appointed  by  the   The  High  court  has  
president  for  a   9  members.  
period  of  10   President  decides  
years  and  
Supreme  court one  from  among  
approved  by  the   (  Stera Mahkama) them  as  the  Chief  
parliament Justice  

High  Courts Appeal  Courts

The  current  Supreme  court  is  made  up  of  

the  following  9  justices:  
Chief  Justice  Sayed  Yousuf  Halim.
Deputy  Chief  Justice  Bahauddin  Baha.
Justice  Abdul  Aziz  Aziz.
Justice  Mohammad  Alim  Nasimi.
Justice  Gholam  Nabi  Nawai.
Justice  Abdul  Rasheed  Rashid.
Justice  Zamen  Ali  Behsudi.
Justice  Mohammad  Omar  Barakzai.
Books
The  Ghost  War-­Steve  Coll

The  kite  Runner-­ Khalid  Hussaini

In  the  Graveyard  of  Empires-­ Seth  Jones

 Questions?

Syed  Muzaffar
smuzaffar2@gmail.com
Tel.  0093  700211066