I think negotiations should be held between the parties directly involved in this, the hindkowans and the pustuns. clearly we cannot tolerate a dissatisfied majority merely because we're afraid of affronting a minority. A referendum would be an exercise in futility, merely showing what we already know.
Pushtun and hindko leaders should sit down together and have camp david like negotiations, figure out what sits fine with both groups, and settle the matter. Surely living together in the same land they would have some sense of shared identity, and they can come up with a name for that identity in a way that affronts neither.
Pushtoons were never a monolithic group. There are urban, civilized Pushtoons and then their are "qabailies" (tribals ). Urban Pushtoon are mostly in the NWFP. While qabailies fill the FATA and Southern Afghanistan. These two are totally different groups and that is why they have separate administrative regions (states or provinces).
Urban Pushtoons joined the British and became soldiers and civil servants. While tribals remained dirt poor with sprinkling of smugglers and kidnappers.
The current war in Frontier is essentially a war between civilized Pushtoons and the qabailies. Civilized Pushtoons have support from Pakistan and the US. While tribals and commies are in the Arab terrorist block.
Ever wonder why so many Pushtoons share their last name with Gangez and Halago? Because Gangez and Halago were the fathers of many modern day Afghans.
^^where did you ever come up with that. lol. There were mongol mixtures, but not to the extent of that. Khan is just a title, like a chief, pashtuns are not the only ones who share that. It probably came during the time of the mughals.
DASBZ,
When the thread's in English, use English. And if there's still some dire need to use any other language, do post translation with it.
And guys, the thread was about the renaming and the govt seriously considering it. Do all threads have to end up in racial/geographic discussions aboout the grandeur or misery of various races. We've got enough of that lately. Sticking to topic is a good thing. Really. :)
Well, I applaud you culture… With all the crap that filters through Afghanistan, its wonder you have survived. You must truly be descendants of Jews. Perhaps a fitting new name should be New Jerusalem..
pashtuns on pakistan has the right to rename their province. following 2 names came to my mind along with to traditional ones
1- Afghania
in historical and cultral point of view it is the most suitable one. Also "alif" in word pakistan stands for afghania given by chaudry rahamat ali, a non-pashtun.
2-Pakhtunistan or pashtunistan
it is also good one but are tarnished by pakhtunistan problem
3-pakhtunkhwa
same as pakhtunistan
4-Khyber
khyber is a famous region in sarhad but it can not be implied to whole provine
5-Abaseen
6-khanland
it can be given to the provine as all pashtuns are khans ( but not all khans are pashtuns)
7-Roh
a traditional name for Land of pashtuns ,N.W.F.P and northern balochistan
Well, if offend then I appologize… The lost tribe theory may still have some truth in it, but probably only a percentage of the truth…
I think the newest trend in defining Pashtun lineage is as a former Rajput tribe.
whats kabilastan. Oh yeh and the rajput theory I heard is not as clear cut, like they say it was greek tribes and the early rajputs that intermingled and gave birth to the pashtuns. I really don't support since a) they forget that pashtu is the principle eastern iranian language, and b) we were zoroastrians before islam (true some tribes to the east followed buddhism and some forms of hinduism). Anyways thats beside the point, I'll be waiting for your reply quas.
Name it Kentucky, Georgia, or Ukrain. The name change won't do a $hite until we change people in and around Frontier.
What we need is to civilize the tribals of FATA so that they won't hurt urban centers like Peshawar, Kohat, or Bannu.
Had the name been a guarantee for progress, Afghanistan would be a super power.
Heck Latin Americans still remark sarcastically that "United States of America" has no name for itself.
However Americans prove that you can have "no name" or "generic" name and still be super power.
In fact name only brings historical baggage along with it. That historical baggage and not the name that must be rooted out of Frontier.
I feel that name change controversy is the most anti-Pashtoon thing ever. It distracts Pashtoon-sympathizers and planners. It changes the tone in the politics.
Even if we change NWFP, to "little Afghanistan", or "new Afghanistan", would it make a difference? Heck no!
However if we stand in Islamabad, thump and shout to get 6 lanes highways to be developed throughout Frontier, we'd get somewhere literally and figuratively.
If we stand in Islamabad, and Peshawar, thump and shout to get at least 10 medical universities, modern hospitals, we'd get somewhere.
If we stand in Islamabad, and Peshawar, thump and shout and demand 10 IT centers loaded with computers and not hashish, filled with internet telephony, and not AK-47, we'd get somewhere.
Otherwise name NWFP as Afghanistan. Why? because the way things are going, Peshawar (god forbid) will look like bombed out Kabul, Kohat will have moon-crater roads just like jalalabad, and Bannu would be the jannat established by none-other than one-eyed Mullah. And yes! Frontier would have become truly Afghanistan.
no one says a name change has anything to do with success, its just about an identity that our areas deserve that is all. Antiobl your pathetic rhetoric has gotten you nowhere, just go along and defend george bush, maybe it will make you feel better, you are too arrogant to discuss anythign in a civilized manner.
What we need is to civilize the tribals of FATA so that they won't hurt urban centers like Peshawar, Kohat, or Bannu.
Had the name been a guarantee for progress, Afghanistan would be a super power.
Heck Latin Americans still remark sarcastically that "United States of America" has no name for itself.
However Americans prove that you can have "no name" or "generic" name and still be super power.
In fact name only brings historical baggage along with it. That historical baggage and not the name that must be rooted out of Frontier.
I feel that name change controversy is the most anti-Pashtoon thing ever. It distracts Pashtoon-sympathizers and planners. It changes the tone in the politics.
Even if we change NWFP, to "little Afghanistan", or "new Afghanistan", would it make a difference? Heck no!
However if we stand in Islamabad, thump and shout to get 6 lanes highways to be developed throughout Frontier, we'd get somewhere literally and figuratively.
If we stand in Islamabad, and Peshawar, thump and shout to get at least 10 medical universities, modern hospitals, we'd get somewhere.
If we stand in Islamabad, and Peshawar, thump and shout and demand 10 IT centers loaded with computers and not hashish, filled with internet telephony, and not AK-47, we'd get somewhere.
Otherwise name NWFP as Afghanistan. Why? because the way things are going, Peshawar (god forbid) will look like bombed out Kabul, Kohat will have moon-crater roads just like jalalabad, and Bannu would be the jannat established by none-other than one-eyed Mullah. And yes! Frontier would have become truly Afghanistan.
hahah mentioning the one eyed mollah kaana is like mentioning the dark lord's name (from harry pothead), alot of his secret admirers get all agitated...
Tribal identity = sloganeering and poverty
civilized identity = hard work and prosperity
Both are identities. You pick the one you want most. Poverty is identity of tribals in Africa and Middle East. Prosperity is the identity of forward looking people.
^did I ever support tribalism? Seriously it really wouln't kill for you to take your head out of your behind and actually talk civilized. It seems as if as long as the person is an uncle tom he is good in your books, and everything else is mullah this, kommie that, I actually enjoy laughing at your immature posts, it makes my day.
When did you support positive developments in Frontier? Afghanis hate to see bustling cities like Peshawar, Kohat, and Bannu. These Afghanis burn in hasad (envy) and in turn want to burn thse cities and turn them into the Afghan Jannat like in Kabul, Jalalabad, and Kandhar.
Too bad, we are not allowing you to send your death and destruction to our side of Durand line.