Pashtuns, also known as Pakhtuns and Afghans are an ethnic group that inhabit Afghanistan and Pakistan . They are one of the most populous ethnic groups in both countries. There is a significant Pashtuns diaspora in neighbouring countries such as India and Iran.
Pashtuns are traditionally organised into tribal divisions, and their society is defined by the Pashtunwali, the traditional code by which they live. It is extremely important in the social structure and interactions of the Pashtun tribes.
There are more than 350–400 Pashtun tribes making Pashtuns the world's largest segmentary lineage society.
Rulers and generals Sultan Pakhal Swati - Founder of the Gibari Empire, also known as the Sultanate of Swat. Sultan Jehangir Khan Swati - Sultan of the Sultanate of Swat, ruling from Swat. Grandson of Sultan Pakhal. Jalal-ud-din Khilji (1290–1296) – Founder of the Khilji dynasty. Alauddin Khilji (1296–1316) – Famous for military campaigns and market reforms. Qutb-ud-din Mubarak Shah (1316–1320) – Last ruler of the Khilji dynasty. Bahlul Lodi – founder of Lodi Dynasty (reigned 1451–1489), most powerful of the Pashtun chiefs, who replaced the last king of the Sayyid dynasty in 1451 Sikandar Lodi – Sultan of Delhi Ibrahim Lodi – Sultan of Delhi Lodi Dynasty Reign 1517 – 21 April 1526 Amir Kror Suri Sher Shah Suri – Sultan of the Sur Empire Reign 17 May 1540 – 22 May 1545 Adil Shah Suri – Last ruler of the Sur Dynasty Islam Shah Suri – Sultan of the Sur Empire Reign 27 May 1545 – 22 November 1554 Firuz Shah Suri – Firuz Shah Suri Muhammad Adil Shah, Sultan of Hindustan Ibrahim Shah Suri – Sultan of the Sur Empire Sikandar Shah Suri – Sultan of the Sur Empire Abdur Rahman Khan – monarch of Afghanistan in the late 19th century Ahmad Shah Durrani – founding father of Afghanistan Shah Mahmud Hotaki, also known as the Conqueror, third Ruler of Hotak dynasty Abdul Aziz Hotak – second ruler of the Afghan Hotaki dynasty Malak Ahmad Khan Yusufzai – First ruler and founder of Modern-day Pashtunkhwa Gaju Khan Yousafzai – Pashtun revolutionary leader, ruled from Kunar to Taxila Wazir Akbar Khan – Emir of Afghanistan Jahan Khan – Commander-in-Chief of the Durrani Empire Amanullah Khan – Ghazi of the Third Anglo-Afghan War and King of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929 Amir Khan – Nawab of Tonk Ashraf Hotaki – Shah of Persia from 1725 to 1729 and fourth ruler of the Hotaki dynasty Ayub Shah – Afghan king Azim Khan – Barakzai noble and governor of Kashmir Azad Khan Afghan – Pashtun who was a major contender for supremacy in ruling Persia Daud Khan Panni – Mughal general Daud Khan Rohilla – a founder of Rohilkhand Daulat Khan Lodi – Governor of Lahore under the Lodi dynasty Dilir Khan Daudzai – 17th century Mughal general Dost Mohammad of Bhopal – Nawab of Bhopal Dost Mohammad Khan – monarch of Afghanistan in the 19th century Habibullah Khan – King/Emir of Afghanistan Haibat Khan Niazi – Commander of Niazi contingent of Sher Shah Suri's army and Governor of Punjab Hafiz Rahmat Khan Barech – Rohilla Chieftain Hamid Khan Lodi – founder of Lodi dynasty of Multan after the end of Arab rule in 961 A.D Hamidullah Khan – last Nawab of former Bhopal state in India Hussain Hotak – last ruler of the Hotaki dynasty at Kandahār Inayatullah Khan – Afghan king Isa Khan Niazi – Masnad-e-Aali in reign of Sher Shah Suri shafqat zaman Khawas Khan Marwat – general of Sher Shah Suri Khushal Khan Khattak – Warrior-Poet and Chief of the Khattak tribe of Pashtuns Malik Akora Khattak - Great grandfather of Khushal Khan Khattak and Chief of Khattak tribe Mahmud Hotak – Shah of Persia from 1722 to 1725 and third ruler of the Hotak Dynasty Mahmud Shah Durrani – monarch of Afghanistan in the 18th century Mirwais Hotak – founder of the Afghan Hotak dynasty in Kandahār Mohammad Akbar Khan – Afghan prince and warrior Mohammad Ayub Khan – Afghan Royal Prince and Emir of Afghanistan, fondly remembered as the Victor of Maiwand Muhammad Habib Khan Tarin – Nawab, chieftain and cavalry officer Muhammad Khan Bangash – founder of Farrukhabad state in the early 18th century Mohammad Nadir Shah – King of Afghanistan from 1929 to 1933 Mohammad Yaqub Khan – monarch of Afghanistan in the late 19th century Mohammed Zahir Shah – last king of Afghanistan, reigned for 40 years Muhammad Mahabat Khan III – last Nawab of Junagarh (defunct title) Najabat Khan – Pashtun Nawab and renowned warrior Najib Khan Yousafzai – Afghan Rohilla Nawab instrumental in the Afghan victory at Panipat III, inflicting the largest ever number of fatalities in a classic formation between two armies Nasrullah Khan – Shahzada Crown Prince of Afghanistan Nawab Muzaffar Khan – Durrani Nawab of Multan Shah Shujah Durrani (Sadozai) – former king of Afghanistan Sher Shah Suri – Afghan king of India and founder of the Sur Empire Timur Shah Durrani – monarch of Afghanistan, second ruler of the Durrani Empire Zabita Khan – Rohilla chieftain Zain Khan Sirhindi – Durrani general Zaman Shah Durrani – monarch of Afghanistan Khwaja Usman – Pashtun Chieftain warrior of Bengal Hakim Khan Sur – Army General of Maharana Pratap in Battle of Haldighati Kalu Khan Yousafzai – Afghan warrior and military leader in 16th Century who inflicted one of the greatest defeats of the Mughal Empire in the Battle of the Malandari Pass (1586) Sartor Faqir – Pashtun tribal Yusufzai leader and freedom fighter; declared a jihad against the British Empire in 1897 Mullah Omar - Founder of Taliban
Artists
Afghanistan Farhad Darya (Afghanistan) – Afghan singer and composer, known for his contributions to Afghan music. Ahmad Zahir (Afghanistan) – Pashtun singer and composer, known for his brilliant musical talent.
Pakistan
Abdul Ghani Khan (Pakistan/Afghanistan) – Pashto poet, writer, philosopher, and artist Ameer Hamza Shinwari (Pakistan/Afghanistan) - Pashto Poet, Writer, philosopher etc Sardar Ali Takkar (Pakistan/Afghanistan) – popular sufist Pashto singer. Rahim Shah (Pakistan) – popular Pashto and Urdu singer Khyal Muhammad (Pakistan) – prominent Pashto folk singer Gulzar Alam (Afghanistan/Pakistan) – Pashto singer and music composer Gul Panra (Pakistan) – Urdu-Pashto female singer Zeb Bangash (Pakistan) – Urdu-Pashto folk singer Zeek Afridi (Pakistan) – Urdu-Pashto folk singer Badar Munir (Pakistan) – Pashto Film former actor Kushhal Khan (Pakistan) – Pashto model and actor
United Kingdom M Huncho (Afghan-British) – Afghan-British rapper and singer from London. Imran Ahmed - political strategist and CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate
Canada
Authors
Afghanistan Kabir Stori, Pashtun nationalist writer and poet who founded and served as chairman of the Pashtuns Social Democratic Party (PSDP) Khushal Khattak, Pashtun poet, tribal chief, warrior and the national poet of Afghanistan Abdul Hai Habibi, prominent Afghan historian and a member of the National Assembly of Afghanistan Abdul Rauf Benawa, writer, poet, journalist, historian, and social activist of Afghanistan. Abdul Shakoor Rashad, prominent researcher, professor of Pashto language, and author of several books.
Pakistan Khan Abdul Ghani Khan – Pashto poet, philosopher, and writer Hamza Shinwari – Pashto poet and writer known for his romantic poetry Ajmal Khattak – Pashto poet, writer, and politician Rahman Baba – Pashto poet and Sufi saint Abaseen Yousafzai – Pashto poet known for his modernist poetry Hafiz Alpuri – Pashto Poet Khatir Afridi – Pashto poet and writer Malala Yousafzai – Pashto writer, activist, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
India Sri M, born Mumtaz Ali Khan, Author, Educationist, Spiritual Guide, Yogi of Nath tradition, founder of Sathsang Foundation and Bharat Yoga Vidya Kendra, Padma Bhushan awardee
Aviators
Afghanistan Abdul Ahad Momand (Afghanistan) – 4th Muslim astronaut who visited Space and first Muslim in the entire world who bring Quran to the moon. Due to Abdul Ahad Momand, Islam is now the 4th religion practiced in space. He spoke Pashto in space so Pashto is the 4th language spoken in the space.
Pakistan
Air Marshal Asghar Khan – First native Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Air Force and first pilot from the Indian subcontinent to fly a fighter jet, the Gloster Meteor III. Air Vice Marshal Khyber Khan – former Deputy Chief of Air Staff of the PAF and diplomat Jahangir Khan (Pakistan) – Pakistani tourist who became the first Pashtun and the second Pakistani to fly around the world in commercial aircraft. Hakeemullah Khan Durrani (Pakistan) – Former Pakistani Air Marshal and Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force.
Architects
Sharif Fayez – Afghan architect and urban planner who has contributed to the rebuilding efforts in Afghanistan. Hayatullah Khan Durrani – Afghan architect and urban planner who has played a vital role in the development and reconstruction of Afghanistan.
Businesspeople
Afghanistan Mirwais Azizi (born 1962) is a Dubai-based Afghan businessman. He is the chairman of Azizi Group of companies, which he founded in 1989 with a presence in realty, banking, investment, and hospitality. Mahmud Karzai is Afghan Businessman Net Worth: $900 Million Industry: Real Estate and Energy. Hashmat Karzai was an Afghan-American businessman and political advisor. Pakistan Javed Afridi – Pakistani business tycoon, Owner of Peshawar Zalmi. Begum Kulsum Saifullah Khan (Pakistan) – Pakistani businesswoman. Nasrullah Khan Durrani Founder and Chairman of Durrani Group, a prominent business conglomerate in Pakistan. Faisal Dawood CEO of Dawood Hercules Corporation, one of the largest industrial groups in Pakistan. Sirajuddin Aziz CEO of Habib Metropolitan Bank, one of the leading banks in Pakistan. Anwar Saifullah Khan is owner of Saif Group Net worth (USD) $5.0 billion (2025) Noor Alam Khan Source(s) of wealth Properties, gold mines, real estate and agricultural land. Net worth it (USD) $4.4 billion (2025) Malik Riaz is Pakistani Businessman owner of Bahria Town belong to Pashtun Kakazai tribe
Bureaucrats
Afghanistan Habibullah Khan Tarzi, Afghan diplomat and scion of the country's leading political family
Pakistan Jamshed Burki – Interior Secretary of Pakistan Ghulam Ishaq Khan - Former President of Pakistan Safwat Ghayur – Commandant Frontier Constabulary who embraced martyrdom on Pakistan's War on Terrorism Nasir Durrani – Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police. Masood Sharif Khan Khattak – Director-General Intelligence Bureau (Pakistan) Salahuddin Khan Mehsud – Chief of Counter Terrorism Department Moazzam Jah Ansari – Commandment Frontier Constabulary, IG KPK Police, and IG Balochistan Police Muhammad Naeem Khan (inspector general) – Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Akbar Khan Hoti – Director-General Federal Investigation Agency Syed Akhtar Ali Shah – Commandant National Police Academy of Pakistan and Inspector General of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police Azam Khan – Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shehzad Khan Bangash – Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federal Secretary of Pakistan Shehzad Arbab – Establishment Secretary of Pakistan Saeed Wazir – Inspector-General of Gilgit-Baltistan Police Aftab Durrani – Interior Secretary of Pakistan Dil Jan Khan Marwat – Commandant Frontier Constabulary Roedad Khan – Chief Secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and diplomat played a key role during Cold war Rustam Shah Mohmand, Chief Secretary of N.W.F.P, Diplomat, commissioner for Afghan refugees and ambassador of Pakistan to Afghanistan Sartaj Aziz – National Security Advisor Mahmud Ali Durrani – National Security Advisor Amanullah Khan Jadoon, Federal Minister and twice elected MPA of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Asif Durrani – Pakistani diplomat of Foreign Service of Pakistan served as envoy to Iran and Afghanistan Shahryar Khan – Foreign Secretary of Pakistan and Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board