Our Restless Neighbours The Pathans

Postcards of Pathans who inhabited the North West Frontier Province (NWFP, now Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) bordering Afghanistan were often shown with their weapons, in poses that made them see dangerous. The way the seated leading member of this quartet looks away possibly enhances his menace. Unfortunately this stereotype of Pathans has continued through multiple invasions and conflicts in recent times, even though the non-violent movement started by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, the Frontier Gandhi, also had its origins here, in Charsadda district where Buddhism once flourished.