Baloch people in Punjab
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| ~ 6 million (1974 estimation) |
The Balochs of Punjab (
Saraikis" or "Saraiki Balochs" and natively speak Saraiki, while a minority still speaks Balochi.[1][2] However, in central and northern Punjab, the people of Baloch descent identify as "Punjabis" or "Punjabi Balochs" and natively speak Punjabi.[3]
History
According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Professor at
Balochistan during the Little Ice Age and settled in Sindh and Punjab. According to Professor Baloch, the climate of Balochistan was very cold during this epoch and the region was inhabitable during the winter so the Baloch people migrated in waves and settled in Sindh and Punjab. Baloch people form majority in Dera Ghazi Khan or Rajanpur districts and found significant numbers in Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan districts, and Multan district.[4]
Demographics
In his book Searchlights on Baloches and Balochistan, first published in 1974, Mir Khuda Bakhsh Marri, who served as Chief Justice, Governor and Chief Minister of Balochistan, estimated the Baloch population in Punjab to number around 6 million, constituting around one-fifth of Pakistan's Punjab province which at the time stood at roughly 30 million.[5]
See also
Mirani dynasty
References
- ISBN 9789004201453.
- ISBN 978-0-14-196929-9.
- ISBN 978-1-84331-149-2.
- ^ From Zardaris to Makranis: How the Baloch came to Sindh
- ISBN 9789690013736.