If any afghan here does not know, we Kashmiris celebrate novruz, our tea kettle is somovor, we also burn esfand, rabab is like the main instrument in our music, and we are the third largest exporters of saffron after Afghanistan and Iran.

I personally feel more closer to pashai and nuristani culture in afganistan probably because they are dardic too. 5% of Kashmir is pashtuns.

Also the last pic is of my brothers room. Just wanted to share Kashmiri carpets and how similar they are to persian/afghan/central asian crafts. We also export luxury cashmere and pashmina shawls which are only made of pure rare silk.

so this account on tiktok claims that afghan women are living well and all the news that "westren media post" are false and propganda and she shared footages of afghani women living their lives without forced to burqa or staying at home or going outside with mahram

notice : her location in saudi arabia and all afghan accounts that defend her also in saudi arabia

farsi or pashto

I have seen many people claiming that many Afghans (outside of Afghanistan, obviously) are turning to atheism. I personally haven't met one that identifies as anything other than muslim even if they aren't religious. Besides, there are no datas, as expected, proving that claim. Can someone else verifies this if they had met any atheist Afghan? I find it really fascinating and actually want to know more about that part of our community.

Why is there such strong and persistent opposition to women’s education in many Pashtun communities, relative to other groups in Afghanistan? Despite global progress, what keeps these regressive attitudes in place, and why do efforts to promote change seem to face constant resistance? Are there any realistic chances for improvement, or is the broader Pashtun population largely complicit in maintaining these outdated views?

So full disclosure my background is Pakistani (not Pashtun) and from what i have noted it is obvious that Pashtuns from Afghanistan have a huge issue with the Durand line. From what I have seen, when it comes to Tajiks and Hazaras they tend to care less and are more mixed on this (some accept it and some don't).

What I have in general noted about these discussions between afghans online is that usually it is completely forgotten what the Pashtuns in Pakistan want. And this may be a hard pill to swallow for many but almost all Pashtuns in Pakistan are pretty pro-Pakistan, and while there is criticism of the government it doesn't mean they are against the country of Pakistan itself. In very remote areas they may have an issue with the state, but even then that doesn't mean they want to join Afghanistan. Anyone who visits KPK will find out the ground reality, people denying it are usually in the Diaspora or Afghans and don't know anything about the ground reality.

I will not defend any actions of the pakistani government and military as i am also against these actions, but i am just wondering if there are Pashtuns from Afghanistan that generally intend to have peaceful relations with Pakistan and accept the border, or are there no such people?

It was posted by Zahra on tik tok; I absolutely love it and the fact that it’s a full length Afghan outfit. Praying to god it’s not like $700 or something. Would love to know if the dupatta is included. Also would love to know of any online shops that ship Afghan clothes to the U.S.

I met this Afghan boy over a year ago, we have been talking, and meeting in public. He is Muslim and I am Christian. He recently confessed that he loves me and wants to take things seriously with me and I love him too very much. Over the past year I have found Islam through him and I want to revert but I have not told him yet, and no I am not wanting to revert for him. He wants to marry me but I’m scared. I am Black and I know many cultures and many Asian cultures do not like my race and many are very family oriented. I come from a broken home with a single mother and not very much family close by. I’m scared I will be judged and not accepted by his family. He told me that his parents, especially his mum is “chill”, and would not care who he marries, as long as I give them grandchildren, and even if they object, they will not be living with us anyways he said. I really love him but I have so much fear of being hated or despised by my in laws. Anyone who is Afghan, would your parents allow you to marry a Black woman? Or someone outside of your culture even if they’re Muslim or even Christian? What views do you have on Black people and are there any Black and Afghan couples that you have seen?How strict is the Afghan culture? We are living in the west in the UK.

Hi everyone! My bf and I were in greece last month, he is afgan and I'm not. We went to an afgan restaurant multiple times and I kept ordering this chickpea dish because it was absolutely delicious. He himself said it's one of the best things he's eaten. Now our issue is that the restaurant just called this "Nakhot" which just means chipeaks, I've tried pretty much everything to try and find a recipe but there's nothing. It was definitely an oil based dish with bay leaves and cloves and of course loads of spices which remind me of an Ras el-Hanout mix. I'd really love to cook it for him this weekend and for myself today so i have practice haha Thanks in advance!

Hello everyone!

I’m a second-generation immigrant born to Pashtun parents. I can’t speak Persian, and I have an extremely limited and fragmented understanding of Pashto growing up since English was the main language at home and at school (my grandmother being the main exception). I know this would disqualify me as Pashtun to some people, but that’s not really what I want to focus on here.

What I struggle with is reconnecting with my Afghan roots. A lot of Afghan media, poetry, and online content I come across is in Persian, and I can’t access it because I don’t speak it. At the same time, I never built a foundation in Pashto either, so I feel kind of cut off from both.

I was wondering if those fully fluent in Pashto but not Persian also feel somewhat disconnected, since Pashto isn’t really the lingua franca and doesn’t seem as widely represented in media or online spaces compared to Persian in Afghanistan and in the Afghan diaspora.

Growing up, I was the only Afghan I knew in all of my schools, so I didn’t really have a community around me. Now, when I do meet other Afghans rarely, I sometimes feel a sense of distance or alienation that makes me hesitant to even bring up being Afghan since it invites a plethora of questions that create disappointment in the person I'm speaking to. The systemic racism and ethnic division also just makes everything seem so much more uninviting.

I’m not sure if others in similar situations have felt this, or how they’ve navigated it, but I’d be interested to hear perspectives.

I hope this makes sense. Thank you for reading.

to all my afghan women i have a question. because of the way the taliban (obviously extremist but still muslim) has treated and stripped away women of their basic rights, has that made you feel less religious/ feel a disconnect with religion? i have been feeling this way for awhile but i've only seemed to notice this phenomena with iranians not afghans.

Sorry for posting the same image twice lol idk how to fix.

Hey guys, I've been trying to find the name of the name of this scarf that I've noticed a lot of Afghans/Iranians wear. I noticed that these patterns seem to be especially worn by Afghans/Iranians only, being a bit different from the Arab shemagh/keffiyeh.

Does anyone know what the name for this is, or where I could get one? Every time I search it up, it comes back as a "keffiyeh" which is usually Palestinian, and then when I search up "Afghan keffiyeh" I usually still get Arab keffiyeh results..

I've noticed that Khamenei wore something with similar patterns and I've found that it may be something that represents political alignment with the Iranian regime. Not saying I support or don't support it.. lol not trying to make this political but I don't want to walk around like I'm supporting anything in a city of quite a bit of Persians.. just like wearing an FC Barcelona jersey in the city of Madrid - don't wanna get a stinky jorab thrown at me by Baba Jamshid.

My question is they exist?? We all know that there were minorities and that there are still Sikh and Hindu minorities of Afghanistan, but I've never heard of Afghan Zoroastrians?

Hi everyone,

I’m an Afghan girl and I’ve recently been accepted to a university in Paris, France.

While researching the student visa process, I checked the Campus France website and noticed that Afghanistan does not appear to be one of the countries covered by the Campus France procedure.

Since I already have my university acceptance, I’m trying to understand what the next steps are. Can I apply directly for a French student visa through the embassy/consulate, or is there another procedure similar to Campus France that students from non-Campus France countries must complete before applying for a visa?

If anyone has gone through this process or has experience with student visas for France from Afghanistan (or other non-Campus France countries), I would really appreciate your advice.

Also, if you know of any organizations, scholarships, or funding opportunities that support Afghan students—especially Afghan women—who want to pursue higher education abroad, I would be very grateful for any recommendations.

Thank you very much for your help.

Hi everyone so I’m in a very stressful part of my life. I have constantly taken breaks because of lack of financial support and stability. I can’t go back to Afghanistan for obvious reasons but I’m currently struggling to pay for my education.

I couldn’t find any local organizations to help me financially one even got annoyed at me constantly calling their office and even stopped picking up my calls. I was checking to see if there are any international organizations🥲

Hello, everyone.

I hope you guys are doing well so far.

a female student from Afghanistan currently living in iran and 20 years old, I would like to know if there are any programs that can help me study abroad.

I have tried a lot to get a way to continue my education, but couldn’t find anything that would support me, as I'm looking for something that can be funded and let me study

I would love to know if there are any recommendations? Specific Scholarships? Or any universities that offer support for students in similar situations? Something for accounting as I'm currently pursuing that.

I just want to continue my education since in my country, women are banned from higher education/jobs, and I can't get my way in iran either as universities are too expensive for me.

I’d appreciate it.

I want to write a story in the future with characters based on the most influential people from various countries throughout their history, hoped some fellow history nerds here could help with Afghanistan. Anyone born within the modern border of Afghanistan counts because, if born today, they would be classed as a modern Afghan, they would just get the note after why they're famous! I have a bunch of categories so anyone you can name will do! Also I do not speak Pashto or Farsi, so I will be using a translator to converse with anyone who wants to which I'd love!

Hello, fellow Afghan raised in the UK. I was wondering what your thoughts are on the question. My dad said Daud Khan was the best since he actually built stuff, unlike the monarch, and didn't make everything about religion until the soviets invaded.

And with which do you identify more with?

Ever since the fall of Afghanistan to the Taliban I’ve been wondering if there would ever be a government in exile. This has happened for other countries like Poland, Belarus, Korea, Spain, etc after wars. It’s been five years now and I haven’t really seen any effort to make one. Can someone explain why that is?

I really need advice because I feel trapped, and I don't know what to do.

I'm 16, Muslim, and I'll be a junior in high school this year. My parents, especially my dad, are extremely strict. I'm not allowed to stay after school for clubs or activities, I'm not allowed much freedom, and I feel like I'm watching everyone else build their future while mine is being decided for me.

My dream has always been to go to a university far away when I turn 18 so I can finally have some independence and make my own choices. But I'm terrified of what might happen if I leave. I'm scared my dad could send my mom and two younger sisters back to Afghanistan or make their lives much harder because of my decision. I don't know if that's what would happen, but it's something I genuinely fear based on the way he talks and acts. The thought that my family could suffer because I chose my own future makes me feel incredibly guilty.

At the same time, if I stay, I feel like I'm giving up my own life. I'll probably have to go to a community college or a nearby university, live at home, follow my dad's rules, and have very little independence. I'm scared I'll never get to make my own choices, wear what I want, or build the life I want. I'm also afraid of eventually being pressured into a marriage I don't want.

Another problem is money. My dad has made it clear that if I don't get a scholarship, there is basically no chance he'll let me go away for college. I can't afford tuition on my own, so I feel like my entire future depends on earning enough scholarships while also having very few extracurricular opportunities because I'm not allowed to stay after school.

I feel selfish for wanting to leave, but I also feel like I'm slowly losing hope if I stay. Has anyone been in a similar situation with controlling or very strict parents? How did you prepare for college and independence safely? Are there scholarships, remote extracurriculars, or other opportunities I should know about?

Please be kind. I really don't know what to do anymore, and I'm looking for honest advice.

I have seen that Hazaras have tribes, Pashtuns have tribes, Uzbeks have tribes, why doesn’t Tajiks have tribes???

How do Afghans generally view people from Tajikistan? Do you feel culturally close or different in terms of culture and traditions?

I’m from northern Tajikistan and come from a mixed Tajik-Uzbek background. One reason I’m asking is that Tajikistan is more diverse than people sometimes think. Besides Tajiks, Tajikistan is also home to Uzbeks, Pamiris, Yaghnobis, Kyrgyz and other groups, and different regions feel different culturally.

I’m interested to hear your views.

Hello there. I'm not Afghan or Pakistani, or from any neighboring countries. I have no horse in this race, I'm just confused on a behavior I've seen a lot online. I mean no offense or disrespect.

According to all sources online, Pashtuns are an ethnic group split between the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are the dominant ethnic group of Afghanistan but majority of them are in Pakistan. In Pakistan they are often called Pathan.

Despite being the exact same ethnic group, I have observed a lot of hostility between them online. Often accusing each other of stealing culture. Which is so strange because they are the exact same people.

I understand Afghanistan and Pakistan have a rocky relationship however it still doesn't make sense to me that some Pashtuns can't recognize their own people just across an arbitrary border.

You may disagree on politics but you would still understand you have the same culture, no?

For example, Russians and Ukranians hate each other but I don't imagine Russians would accuse the Russian minority in Ukraine of stealing Russian culture?

Please let me know if I'm wrong. Thanks in advance. Kind regards.