People group profile · PG049305
The Waziri Pashtuns of Pakistan
The Waziri Pashtuns of Pakistan, numbering about 1,015,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Karlani Pashtun tribal population of Waziristan and the Afghanistan-Pakistan frontier. Traditionally organized through patrilineal clans and tribal councils, they combined pastoralism, mountain agriculture, and strong adherence to Pashtunwali.
They are an indigenous people in the Pashtun people cluster of the Persian-Median Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Central Pashto.
Fast facts
- Country
- Pakistan
- Population
- 1,015,000
- Affinity group
- Central Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Pashtun
- Primary language
- Central Pashto (pst)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Wazirs
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Balochistan province: north; Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: Bannu and Karak districts; Wazirstan agencies and Lakki Marwat and Tank regions; Punjab province: some border areas in Bhakkar district
Where they live
Gospel status
The Waziri Pashtuns are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Waziri Pashtuns
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
Primary language
Central Pashto · Indo-European family
100% speak Central Pashto
Gospel resources in Central Pashto
- Bible not available
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Waziri Pashtuns
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.