Pashtun, Northern in Canada

Introduction / History

The Pashtun have been called the largest Muslim tribal society in the world. There are at least 30 major tribes, and countless sub-tribes and clans. Spread over a vast geographical area and driven by socio-economic, political, tribal and linguistic (dialectical) differences, Pashtuns nevertheless share a unique sense of common identity. Pashtun identity is based on four elements: Heritage (descent from a common ancestor); Islam (99.9% Muslim); the Pashtunwali Code of Honor ("The Way of the Pashtun"); and to some extent, Language (Pakhtu or Pashto). They live primarily in Afghanistan and Pakistan, though there is a significant Pashtun diaspora in the Arab Gulf, especially the UAE, and many Western countries such as Canada.

The Pashtuns were the traditional rulers of Afghanistan for over 250 years. Since the overthrow of the Afghan king, communist coup and Soviet invasion in the 1970s, Afghanistan has been in a state of constant conflict. In the 1970s and 1980s, the Pakistan-Afghanistan borderlands were the launchpad for mujahideen ("freedom fighters") who, with Western, Saudi, and global support, resisted and overthrew the communist regime. The cost was high; over 3.5 million refugees settled into hundreds of refugee camps in border provinces of Iran and Pakistan and one-third of the Pashtun population was displaced.

During the 1990s, Pashtun tribal areas and thousands of Arab-funded madrassas (religious schools) throughout Pakistan, became the seedbed for the rise of the Taliban movement. Driven by a combination of religious zeal and Pashtun nationalism, and fueled by Arab money, the "Taliban" (a term for "religious students") imposed a harsh, hyper-conservative (Wahabi) version of Islam on the country. Unfortunately, attempts toward a peace accord and durable central government have, to date, been unsuccessful. Armed opposition continues. As a result, there is a steady stream of Pashtuns leaving their homeland for safer countries such as Canada.

The majority of Pashtun live in Pakistan, but there are Pashtuns in many other countries as well. You can find them in other Central Asian countries like Iran, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. They live in many industrialized nations such as Canada. In Canada, they are likely to be found in Toronto.

Most Pashtuns arrived in Canada as refugees. Most of them began to arrive after 1978 when a communist regime was established in Afghanistan and refugees began to leave the country.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Many of the Northern Pashtuns are in the food industry where they own restaurants in Canada’s larger cities. Both Afghans and Canadians enjoy their traditional cuisine. Many others have family-owned shops where they sell imported good, car parts or wedding accessories. Among them are photographers, musicians, skilled laborers, landscapers and mechanics. Those who can send their kids to college to improve the economic lot of the next generation.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Whether they are new in Western countries or they have never been to the original Pashtun homeland, Pashtuns almost always identify themselves as Muslims. They will be married in a mosque, and to be associated with another religious system would be unacceptable in their community. Those who want to take Christ to the Pashtuns will need to do just that; take Christ to them, not a religious system.

The Pashtunwali Code of Honor erodes among Pashtuns who live in urban settings in Canada like Toronto. Some of them have only a weak identity as Muslims or as Pashtuns. They need to find their identity in the Savior who loves them and wants them to be transformed into his likeness.

What Are Their Needs?

No one knows how many Pashtuns are following Jesus. Seeds of the gospel have been sown widely. The greatest barriers to faith are social and cultural, leaving us with the challenge of allowing Pashtuns to embrace Christ while keeping their culture and traditions. Those who are in Western nations have a tremendous opportunity to embrace the Savior, but, like other immigrants, they are most open only soon after they arrive. If the job is postponed for more than a year or two, the opportunity is lost. Unfortunately, churches in the West would much rather go to a far-off place and work with other Christians than reach unreached peoples in their midst, so most mission fields in North America remain unmanned. Only 1/31 of our missionaries go to the unreached people groups (ethne) described in the Great Commission.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Church in Canada to extend their efforts to reach unreached peoples in their midst.
Pray for a movement to Christ among the Pashtuns Diaspora that will spread far and wide.
Pray for the production and distribution of all forms of media in the Pashto language for the Pashtun Diaspora.
Pray for more workers to live among the Pashtuns and work beside them, giving them the opportunity to tell them about Jesus Christ, the savior of all nations.
Pray for God's Spirit to strengthen and protect new believers and to empower them to take Christ to other Pashtun communities.

Text Source:   Joshua Project