Nationalism can simply be defined as an idea that tends to promote interests of a particular nation, especially with the aim of gaining and maintaining the nation's sovereign control over its resources within a nation-state as well as a multi-national state.
It is an ideology that emphasizes loyalty, devotion and allegiance to a nation, its interests and resources.
In the context of Pakistan and its parliamentary politics, Pakhtun nationalism seeks to preserve Pakhtun culture and identity and control its resources in the federation through an elected parliament. Pakhtun nationalist political parties, consisting of Awami National Party (ANP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), National Democratic Movement (NDM) and Quomi Watan Party (QWP) collectively have good influence in provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
Another emerging Pakhtun Nationalist group -- Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) -- led by Manzoor Pashteen, popular within the young Pakhtun circles, has raised Pakhtun national issues effectively. However, it has not been formed for the purpose of parliamentary politics.
The Pakhtun nationalist political parties demand provincial autonomy and control over economic resources. They have struggled for the achievement of their objectives since 1947. With strong secular leanings, they are against fundamentalism in any form. Advocating devolution of power from the centre to the provinces, these parties have often been victimised, seen with suspicion and their leaders branded as traitors and foreign agents by the establishment.
Among these parties, the ANP has shown the largest parliamentary strength in the National Assembly, Senate and KP and Balochistan provincial assemblies. The ANP’s predecessor, National Awami Party (NAP), formed governments in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (then NWFP) in 1971, in an alliance with Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI), and with Pakistan People Party (PPP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2008. Taliban targeted the ANP-led government of KP in 2008 and killed thousands of its workers and leaders.
The parliamentary strength of Pakhtun nationalist parties suffered a huge setback in the 2013 and 2018 elections, as well as when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) swept the elections that were allegedly engineered and manipulated by the establishment.
The Pakhtun nationalists parties are facing challenges since the emergence of Talibanisation/fundamentalism and the emergence of the PTI as a popular party among youth in the Pakhtun majority areas of the country. These parties are unable to compete with other parties like Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam in terms of financial and other resources. The electronic and social media has played an important role in enhancing the outreach of political parties, particularly among the youth.
The Pakhtun parties are unable to develop a rapport with the Pakhtun population. Poor and unemployed Pakhtuns are more attracted to slogans of economic betterment than the nationalist rhetoric. Due to the centralist structure of governments and incomplete implementation of the 18th amendment to the constitution, it is a popular perception that peoples’ problems, like unemployment, inflation, high prices of petrol, electricity, gas and other commodities cannot be solved on the provincial level. Therefore they favour parties expected to form governments in the centre than provinces.
The objectives of Pakhtun political parties is to preserve the Pakhtun identity and culture, provincial autonomy and control over resources, which may be achieved through constitutional amendments by a majority in the parliament. However it is impossible for a small regional party to win a majority of provincial assembly seats. The dominance of hereditary leadership and absence of a strong consultation process within Pakhtun political parties further prevents them from gaining power in parliamentary politics.
The Pakhtun leadership must adopt innovative strategies and prioritize people’s interests over personal benefits. They need to enhance their political strength at provincial as well as federal level. If they are unable to win a significant majority in the next elections, the nationalist parties may get wiped out of the country’s parliamentary politics. They may improve their electoral performance by forming a single party, and overcoming personality differences among party leaders. A long-term alliance with a single election symbol may be possible by adopting a give and take policy.
A much better way forward would be a single nationalist party of not only Pakhtuns but all the oppressed nationalities of the country. The National Awami Party formed in 1950s included Pakhtuns, Sindhis, Bengalis, Baloch as well as Punjabi nationalists and democrats. The ANP formed in 1986 also comprised non-Pakhtuns. As a result of coalition governments at provincial as well as federal level, the ANP was able to get the North West Frontier Province renamed as Khyber Pakhtukhwa, a long-standing demand of its supporters. The party also played an important role in passage of the 18th constitutional amendment to ensure devolution of power to the provinces.
A single nationalist party or an alliance with a big political party may enable Pakhtun nationalists to get better coverage on the national media and spread their message to a large population. They need to realize that nationalism is not just about language and culture but it is also about control of economic resources, creation of jobs and business opportunities.
The Pakhtun nationalist parties need to nurture a democratic culture based on merit than nominations by party leaders for party positions from lower to top level.
The Pakhtun parties must give due importance to the nationalist intelligentsia by forming think tanks, comprising likeminded intellectuals, to make recommendations for better formulation of policies and strategies. The decision making process in the parties also needs to be broadened by encouraging discussions on crucial issues at all levels.
It is an ideology that emphasizes loyalty, devotion and allegiance to a nation, its interests and resources.
In the context of Pakistan and its parliamentary politics, Pakhtun nationalism seeks to preserve Pakhtun culture and identity and control its resources in the federation through an elected parliament. Pakhtun nationalist political parties, consisting of Awami National Party (ANP), Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP), National Democratic Movement (NDM) and Quomi Watan Party (QWP) collectively have good influence in provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Balochistan.
Another emerging Pakhtun Nationalist group -- Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) -- led by Manzoor Pashteen, popular within the young Pakhtun circles, has raised Pakhtun national issues effectively. However, it has not been formed for the purpose of parliamentary politics.
The Pakhtun nationalist political parties demand provincial autonomy and control over economic resources. They have struggled for the achievement of their objectives since 1947. With strong secular leanings, they are against fundamentalism in any form. Advocating devolution of power from the centre to the provinces, these parties have often been victimised, seen with suspicion and their leaders branded as traitors and foreign agents by the establishment.
Among these parties, the ANP has shown the largest parliamentary strength in the National Assembly, Senate and KP and Balochistan provincial assemblies. The ANP’s predecessor, National Awami Party (NAP), formed governments in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (then NWFP) in 1971, in an alliance with Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam (JUI), and with Pakistan People Party (PPP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2008. Taliban targeted the ANP-led government of KP in 2008 and killed thousands of its workers and leaders.
The parliamentary strength of Pakhtun nationalist parties suffered a huge setback in the 2013 and 2018 elections, as well as when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) swept the elections that were allegedly engineered and manipulated by the establishment.
The Pakhtun nationalists parties are facing challenges since the emergence of Talibanisation/fundamentalism and the emergence of the PTI as a popular party among youth in the Pakhtun majority areas of the country. These parties are unable to compete with other parties like Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League, Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam in terms of financial and other resources. The electronic and social media has played an important role in enhancing the outreach of political parties, particularly among the youth.
The Pakhtun parties are unable to develop a rapport with the Pakhtun population. Poor and unemployed Pakhtuns are more attracted to slogans of economic betterment than the nationalist rhetoric. Due to the centralist structure of governments and incomplete implementation of the 18th amendment to the constitution, it is a popular perception that peoples’ problems, like unemployment, inflation, high prices of petrol, electricity, gas and other commodities cannot be solved on the provincial level. Therefore they favour parties expected to form governments in the centre than provinces.
The objectives of Pakhtun political parties is to preserve the Pakhtun identity and culture, provincial autonomy and control over resources, which may be achieved through constitutional amendments by a majority in the parliament. However it is impossible for a small regional party to win a majority of provincial assembly seats. The dominance of hereditary leadership and absence of a strong consultation process within Pakhtun political parties further prevents them from gaining power in parliamentary politics.
Another emerging Pakhtun Nationalist group -- Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) -- led by Manzoor Pashteen, popular within the young Pakhtun circles, has raised Pakhtun national issues effectively. However, it has not been formed for the purpose of parliamentary politics.
The Pakhtun leadership must adopt innovative strategies and prioritize people’s interests over personal benefits. They need to enhance their political strength at provincial as well as federal level. If they are unable to win a significant majority in the next elections, the nationalist parties may get wiped out of the country’s parliamentary politics. They may improve their electoral performance by forming a single party, and overcoming personality differences among party leaders. A long-term alliance with a single election symbol may be possible by adopting a give and take policy.
A much better way forward would be a single nationalist party of not only Pakhtuns but all the oppressed nationalities of the country. The National Awami Party formed in 1950s included Pakhtuns, Sindhis, Bengalis, Baloch as well as Punjabi nationalists and democrats. The ANP formed in 1986 also comprised non-Pakhtuns. As a result of coalition governments at provincial as well as federal level, the ANP was able to get the North West Frontier Province renamed as Khyber Pakhtukhwa, a long-standing demand of its supporters. The party also played an important role in passage of the 18th constitutional amendment to ensure devolution of power to the provinces.
A single nationalist party or an alliance with a big political party may enable Pakhtun nationalists to get better coverage on the national media and spread their message to a large population. They need to realize that nationalism is not just about language and culture but it is also about control of economic resources, creation of jobs and business opportunities.
The Pakhtun nationalist parties need to nurture a democratic culture based on merit than nominations by party leaders for party positions from lower to top level.
The Pakhtun parties must give due importance to the nationalist intelligentsia by forming think tanks, comprising likeminded intellectuals, to make recommendations for better formulation of policies and strategies. The decision making process in the parties also needs to be broadened by encouraging discussions on crucial issues at all levels.