Afghan افغان is used, since the foundation of the Afghan state in 1747, to indicate a citizen of Afghanistan. Though, mistakenly used for Pashtuns, it is no longer the reality. The fourth article of the Constitution of Afghanistan states that citizens of Afghanistan include Pashtuns, Tajiks, Hazara, Uzbek, Turkmen, Aymaq, Arab, Baluch, Pashayi, Nuristani, Qezelbash, Brahui and Gurjar who are native inhabitants of the country and that all citizens of Afghanistan be called Afghans.

According to encyclopaedia Iranica, AFGHAN (afḡān) in current political usage means any citizen of Afghanistan, whatever his ethnic, tribal, or religious affiliation is. According to the 1977 constitution of the Republic of Afghanistan (1973–78), all Afghans are equal in rights and obligations before the law. In an attempt to alleviate the inevitable tensions and conflicts of an ethnically diverse state, the republic discouraged reference to ethnic or tribal origin and prohibited the use of personal names that evoke an ethnic group (such as Tajik, Hazara, Hindu, Sikh, Afrīdī, Aḥmadzay, Ōrmuṛ, Nūrzay, Pōpalzay, Wardak, etc.).