Pakhtunkhwa

Pakhtunkhwa is a term that refers to the land of the Pashtuns, a broad cultural and linguistic region spanning parts of Afghanistan and the northwestern part of Pakistan. The name Pakhtunkhwa literally means “land of the Pashtuns” in the Pashto language. In Pakistan, the term is often associated with the province officially named Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was formerly known as the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) until its renaming in 2010.

Geographically, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa lies along Pakistan’s western border, adjacent to Afghanistan and neighboring the provinces of Punjab and Balochistan. The terrain ranges from rugged mountains in the Hindu Kush to foothill plains, with major rivers and tributaries that feed agricultural areas. The province’s capital is Peshawar. The population is predominantly Pashtun, with Pashto as the main language; Hindko, as well as Urdu and other languages, are spoken in pockets of the province. Islam is the predominant faith, with Sunni and minority Shia communities.

Historically, the region constituted the North-West Frontier Province under British rule and continued as a provincial unit after the creation of Pakistan in 1947. In 2010, the NWFP was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as part of constitutional reforms. In 2018, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) were merged into the province, expanding its administrative framework. The area is noted for Pashtun cultural practices such as Pashtunwali, as well as a diverse landscape that supports agriculture, livestock, forestry, and growing hydroelectric and tourism sectors.

See also: Pashtun regions, Pashto language, Pashtun culture.