In a bold and unprecedented statement, Aimal Wali Khan, the leader of the Awami National Party (ANP) in Pakistan, declared that if India attacks Pakistan, Pashtuns will not participate in the war. He emphasized that “war is the responsibility of the national army, not of the Pashtuns.”
He continued by saying that for years, Pashtuns have been used as frontline soldiers, sacrificing their lives in wars they did not start, and yet they have seen no peace, no development, and no justice in return. “Why should we continue to die while others enjoy power and privilege?” he asked. “It is time for Pashtuns to make a new decision.”
A representative from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also echoed this sentiment, saying:
“Pashtuns will no longer fight. This is not our war. If anyone wants to be a hero, let the Punjabis be heroes and go fight.”
Both leaders rejected the decades-old notion that Pashtuns should be the ones to sacrifice in every military conflict. Instead, they called for a reevaluation of the national narrative that glorifies war at the cost of one community’s blood and suffering.
They added:
“Everyone calls Pashtuns strong and brave. Let the Punjabis also be strong and brave now. Let them go to war.”
This statement represents a turning point in the political consciousness of Pashtuns in Pakistan. They are no longer willing to be tools in conflicts that bring them nothing but loss. They are demanding justice, equality, and development in all aspects of national life — politics, economy, and culture.
Pashtuns are proud of their identity, but they now refuse to be reduced to soldiers and martyrs. Their leaders are raising their voices not out of fear, but out of a deep awareness that their community deserves better — that dignity, peace, and progress are also their rights
