Continuity and Change in Pashtun Culture after 9/11: A Case Study of South Waziristan

Abstract

Mahsud tribe residing in South Waziristan is one of major tribes of Pashtuns. Like any other Pashtun tribe living in a specific geography and having limited interaction with the outside world, Mahsud tribe too adheres to the broader tenants of Pashtunwali though its socio-cultural system also possess some norms peculiar to it. Being in a specific territory and with very limited intersection with the outside world, the tribe successfully resisted the entry of foreign influences into its culture values. The 9/11 incident, however proved a major catalyst as far as transformation of its socio-cultural system is concerned. The emergence of militancy and the subsequent military operations forced almost the whole tribe to migrate to other parts of the country. Thus, members of this tribe settled in the four provinces of Pakistan though heir major centers were Tank, D. I Khan, and Karachi. This migration led to extensive and intensive interaction with other cultures. This prolong interaction naturally creates the impression that Mahsud culture will have been influenced by other cultures and vice versa. It was in this context that this researcher conducted her research to empirically investigate whether the Mahsud culture underwent any changes. Therefore, the most important question which this researcher tried to answer was as what are the impacts of the 9/11 incident and the subsequent developments on the Pashtun culture with focus on the Mahsud tribe of South Waziristan. The researcher used qualitative method for collecting data and the main tools for data collection were interviews, focus group discussions, and informal interactions with members of the tribe during her long fieldwork. Historical Particularism and Diffusionism were employed as theoretical framework for the study. The data revealed that Mahsud culture has undergone many changes during the last more than ten years. Mahsud dress, food, marriage and death rituals, architecture, economy, language, gender roles, politics, role of religion all have witnessed changes. Thus, though the Mahsud tribe is follows and retains its culture but at the same time it is also going through rapid transformation.