Highland Pashtun People
Highland Pashtuns (millions inhabit mountainous regions) live in the Hindu Kush and Sulaiman Mountains at 1,500-3,500 meters across Afghanistan and Pakistan. They endure harsh winters (-20°C), rugged terrain, seismic activity, and isolation. Tribal codes (Pashtunwali), mountain warfare traditions, terrace agriculture, and fierce independence characterize their adaptation to one of Central Asia's most challenging and strategically significant mountain regions.