SWAT: The history of Pakhtuns was written by their enemies as some connected them to Jews while others tried to prove them Aryans, said renowned historian and researcher Saadullah Jan Barq.

He was addressing a study circle organised by the local chapter of Fikr-i-Jalib Foundation here on Sunday.

Scores of writers including Fazal Mahmood Rokhan, Fazal Rabi Rahi, Usman Ulasyar, youth and students attended the event.

Mr Barq said that unfortunately the two theories about the origin of Pakhtuns were not true and verified. He said that history based on theories was blindly followed by the writers and historians afterwards.

“The theory, which says that Pakhtuns are the descendants of the lost exiled tribe of Israel and that they are the children of Qais Abdur Rashid, is completely illogical and wrong because Pakhtuns lived long before the exile of the Israeli tribe on this land,” he said. He added that the recent researches in genetics also could not prove the theory.

Mr Barq said that another theory was devised in Afghanistan that Pakhtuns were Aryans but it was also not true because the forefathers of Pakhtuns did not come or migrate from somewhere else but they were born on that land and were the natives to the land of southern Afghanistan and north-western Pakistan for thousands of years.

“Pakhtun is an ancient nation, which evolved on this land since the origin of the world and proving them either the descendants of the lost tribe of Israel or Aryan is not justice. They introduced horses for the first time that’s why they were known as Aswak, Asak or Saka as in Pashto Ass means horse and the term Asak, Aswak or Saka means the people who use horses,” he said.

He urged Pakhtun youth to come forward and get education in a true sense as it was the only way towards success in the modern world.

Published in Dawn, September 21st, 2020