Tribalism in the Pashtun Society of Balochistan: A Threat to Social Cohesion and Peace

Abstract

The history of tribalism in Pashtun society is very old. This feature was dealt with as a source of social cohesion and peace promotion traditionally; however, with time, its mood altered and proved dysfunctional. Tribalism was once considered a source of loyalty toward tribes, but now it is going to create disharmony and hatred among different tribes, which ultimately draws a line between “ours” and “theirs.” Contextually, this paper assesses tribalism as a threat to social integration and constant peace. During the study, the data was collected from well-informed participants to get a deeper understanding of the problem. The study underscored that the tribal structure has sabotaged the inclusiveness and pluralism of society. It has created distances among the societal units. The people dislike and reject one another in the context of tribal backgrounds. The tribalism has spoiled political as well as educational system; and proving a serious threat to the smooth running of social progress.

Key words: Tribalism, Pashtuns, social cohesion, peace