Pakistan Journal of Social Research ISSN 2710-3129 (P) 2710-3137 (O) Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2021, pp. 55-65 www.pjsr.com.pk PASHTO POETRY AND MILITANCY IN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA AFTER 9/11: THEMATIC ANALYSIS OF PASHTO POETRY IN RESISTING MILITANCY Nadeem Ahmad PhD Scholar, Department of Anthropology, Quaid I Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan Nadeem.takkar4@gmail.com Ikram Badshah Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, Quaid I Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan ikram@qau.edu.pk Abdul Qayum Khan Lecturer, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. qayumkhan2006@hotmail.com ABSTRACT The present study sheds light on Pashto or Pakhto Poetry and Militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after 9/11. The fieldwork for this study was conducted in the Peshawar district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, from December 2020 to April 2021. Findings of this research are based on data collected in district Peshawar of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Data for this paper was collected through participant observations, in-depth interviews, Focused Group Discussions (FGDs), and informal discussions with poets, literary people, audience of poetry gatherings, and academicians. Furthermore, the collected data is analyzed through thematic analysis. The works on ‘culture alternatives’ of social movements of Guha and Laclau and ‘weapons of the weak’ by Scott have been consulted for the theoretical framework of the current research. Data collected from various sources reveals that Pashto poetry is influenced by different factors. These includes cross boarder interaction and interaction with neighboring languages, invasions by outsiders, resistances of Pakhtun/Pashtuns to invaders and socio-religious movements where different themes and genres were introduced to Pashto poetry. After 9/11, Pashto poetry played pivotal role in countering militancy, terrorism and so called ‘war on terrorism.’ Pashto poetry internalized themes of Peace, Condemnation of War, Nationalism, and Resilience along with others –in which few were borrowed from the 20 th century– into the social fabric of the Pakhtun society. These themes in Pashto poetry entail potentials to counter violence in Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa caused by militancy, terrorism and ‘war on terrorism’. Keywords: Pakhtuns, Pashto Poetry, Themes, Resistance, Militancy, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa INTRODUCTION For the past twenty years since 9/11, most of the region inhabited by the Pakhtuns in Pakistan— that includes the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Ex-FATA 1 and part of the Baluchistan province— has been engulfed by militancy, terrorism, and the so-called war on terrorism. This area borders Afghanistan, which was invaded by the USSR in 1979 and then by America in 2001. In the former case, Pakistan supported Mujahedeen/ Taliban and US against USSR. In the latter case, Pakistan supported America against Taliban after 9/11. Since Pakistan sided with the US in the war against terrorism, the militants as a retaliation started to attack any person associated with or collaborating with the government. They started attacking police stations, military installations, security forces’ convoys, courts and marketplaces, and political gatherings in the Pakhtun region. Bomb blasts, explosive devices’ denotation, suicide bombings, beheading and kidnaping in broad daylight became the norm of the day. They successfully challenged the state writ in Swat, Ex-FATA and in various other localities. They 1 The seven tribal agencies namely South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Kurram, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, and Orakzai and now the new districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. 55