"I tell my story not because it is unique but because it is not. It is the story of many girls." These words by the youngest Nobel Prize laureate, Malala Yousafzai, described the feelings of thousands of Pashtun girls without a chance to get an education. The deprivation of education of girls, especially Pashtun girls, lies in the terrible fate of the Pashtun lands that have been conflict-ridden for as long as one can remember. These girls are silenced and subjugated. Much of the interplay is observable in these lands where oppression, injustice, and state-sown seeds of conflict combine in rather interesting ways. Addressing education for Pashtun women is a multifaceted issue tied directly to Pakistan's politics. It is not only a question of literacy but a planned marginalization that has ensured that the children, especially the women of the community, remain out of school.
The presence of the Taliban has long eroded the Pashtun belt. Who created the Taliban? Where did they come from? As simple as they might seem, these questions lead to answers that are, to this day, very difficult for some to digest. Because of their strict imposed Islamic principles, influenced by their fundamentalist view, the Taliban put severe restrictions on women in many aspects of their lives, including education. These limitations saw a mixture of tyranny and violence against women in many different forms. For example, in the Swat Valley, the Taliban were reported to have closed over 400 schools, most of which were girls' schools. Female teachers also faced severe danger and persecution during the Taliban's administration. The people in favor of women's education were often targeted and threatened, verbally or even physically. This intimidation played a part in keeping a culture of fear and oppression as women stopped pursuing employment.
It is significant to know here that these beliefs were never those of Pashtun leaders of the past or even the general Pashtun population. Education for women has been highly emphasized by many Pashtun scholars, including Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (famously known as Bacha Khan). Bacha Khan's famous quote, "Education is both for men and women. Depriving women of Education is the height of stupidity," exemplifies his belief. Before the partition, Bacha Khan formed the Khudai Khidmatgar movement to fight non-violently against the British presence in India. The movement was to transform the Pashtun society internally. Had it been successful, the rest of the country would not have been familiar with many ethnic stereotypes surrounding the Pashtun population.
One can not sideline the role of the Pakistani state in keeping the belt uneducated. The state's neglect of the education sector in Pashtun areas is one of the main ways it is responsible for the lack of education among Pashtun women. In many Pashtun communities, particularly for girls, there are not enough schools, and those that do exist are frequently in poor shape and have little funding. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the literacy rate for females is only 36.6%, compared to the national average of 47%, according to the Pakistan Social and Living Standards Measurement (PSLM) survey (PSLM 2018-19). In the previously Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), where the female literacy rate is just 7.8%, this gap is even more pronounced (UNESCO 2017). Furthermore, The absence of educational facilities clearly indicates the state's neglect of the education sector in Pashtun communities.
Pashtun girls' struggles to attend school are not simply about literacy rates or access to education; they are a result of extensive state planning that has worked until now. Bacha Khan is just one example of the Pashtun community's fortitude and tenacity in facing hardships. There is a reason why we don't see a single paragraph on the life of this great leader in any state-circulated curriculum, who, if not higher, stands shoulder to shoulder in history with Jinnah. The struggle for women's education in Pashtun society is about much more than it seems; it is a struggle against structural inequality and the freedom to develop intellectually and socially.
Your blog effectively highlights the systemic barriers to education faced by Pashtun women in Pakistan. The contrast between historical advocacy for women’s education by leaders like Bacha Khan and the current state of neglect is striking. The role of the Pakistani state in perpetuating this inequality, through both neglect and direct action, is clear, and the shocking literacy rates in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA further emphasize this issue.
It raises critical questions: Why is the public silent? Why have we continued to reinforce incorrect stereotypes and failed to collectively raise awareness for the education of Pashtun girls? How can we address these structural inequalities now? What would motivate the Pakistani government to invest more in education in Pashtun regions and…
This article highlights the systemic barriers faced by Pashtun girls in accessing education, situating their struggle within a broader historical, cultural, and political framework. The narrative powerfully shows that this issue transcends literacy rates—it is about addressing structural inequalities and reclaiming intellectual and social freedom.
A key takeaway is the reminder of how the Taliban's actions, though often linked to Pashtun culture, fundamentally contradict the teachings of progressive Pashtun leaders like Bacha Khan. His advocacy for education as a right for both men and women offers a stark contrast to the Taliban’s restrictive policies. This distinction reinforces the idea that the deprivation of education is not a reflection of Pashtun values but rather the result of external forces and systemic…
As individuals involved, to some extent, in the social environment of Pakistan, it is illuminating to see your discussion of the intersection of cultural, political, and religious factors in the Pashtun context - and how it has made the marginalization of girls' education a systematic issue, where both the Taliban and the Pakistani state's neglect have perpetuated these barriers. Despite the history of progressive leaders like Bacha Khan, the region remains plagued by violence and institutional neglect, leaving many girls without the opportunity to learn.
However, when we attribute the lack of educational opportunities for Pashtun girls to political and religious forces, what possible ways - if any - exist to dismantle such deep-rooted structures? Is there truly any war…
This piece powerfully exposes the layers of systemic oppression keeping Pashtun women uneducated, from the state’s deliberate neglect to the suffocating grip of extremist ideologies. The way you highlight the erasure of Bacha Khan’s progressive ideals and his absence from state curricula feels especially significant—it’s like watching history itself being weaponized to suppress an entire community’s potential. It’s enraging, really, how this deliberate mix of neglect, fear, and misinformation is used to ensure that Pashtun women remain silenced and forgotten.
What sticks with me is the overwhelming sense of intentionality in all of this. The barriers are not just about resources or infrastructure; they’re about control, about ensuring that education—something as basic as learning—is denied to keep the status quo…
You offer a powerful perspective on the intersection of education, politics, and gender in the Pashtun region. The historical context, especially the contributions of Bacha Khan, serves as a stark contrast to the oppressive policies that emerged with the Taliban’s rise to power. The Taliban’s actions—restricting female education and creating a climate of fear—demonstrate how deeply education is politicized in the region. The blog also emphasizes the Pakistani state's role in perpetuating the education crisis by neglecting infrastructure in Pashtun areas. The startling statistics on female literacy rates highlight the systemic inequalities that continue to disadvantage Pashtun women and girls. The comparison between the progressive ideals of Pashtun leaders and the state’s failure to prioritize education underscores a critical point:…