Quote:
|
Why wouldn't it be? Pashtun tribes had always been united, as the Kingdom of Kabul did not include their territories.
|
I made an observation when I first joined this forum, that the Pashtun in Pakistan do not necessarily have any love lost for the Afghan refugees, and pointed out that in this case at least, ethnic homogeneity does not automatically indicate irredentism (had a tough exchange with that one..).
An article that illustrates the sentiment of the most popular Pashtun nationalist party in Pakistan, the ANP, which just got elected into power in the NWFP.
Quote:
|
Repatriation at all costs, ANP tells Afghan refugees Wednesday, April 09, 2008
By our correspondent
NOWSHERA: The Awami National Party (ANP) on Tuesday told Afghan refugees that the accord of tripartite commission on their repatriation would be implemented at all costs.
Addressing a meeting of the Grand Council of Jalozai Camp's Afghan commanders as chief guest, ANP provincial Chief Afrasyab Khattak said refugees should go back to their country according to the agreement already inked by governments of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the UNHCR.
Afghan Commissioner Waqar Ayub, Additional Commissioner Faridullah Khan and a number of commanders attended the meeting organised by the Afghan Commissionerate from Jalozai camp. Under the agreement, all the three million registered and hundred of thousands of unregistered Afghan refugees would have to leave Pakistan till 2009.
The authorities had asked the refugees in Jalozai camp to vacate the camp by April 15. The repatriation process was started in March but only 500 families comprising 5,000 individuals left for Afghanistan. The repatriation process slowed down due to victory of ANP in February 18 election and with its subsequent coming into power in NWFP.
There was impression that nationalist party would help in extending refugees stay in Pakistan, but its central and provincial leaderships Tuesday favoured their repatriation according to the tripartite commission accord.
Khattak told Afghan commanders that peace had returned to their country and they should go back to participate in the reconstruction and rehabilitation of their country. Referring to Dubai Declaration and Islamabad Accord, he said there was no reason for refugees to demand extension in their stay in Pakistan. He pledged that NWFP government would extend all possible help in the repatriation process.
|
The flags raised in Swat were those of the Taliban, not Afghanistan or Pashtunistan.