Regional Languages of Pakistan

Outline
1 Introduction
2 Punjabi
3 Famous Punjabi Poets
4 Sindhi
5 Famous Sindhi Poets
6 Steps taken to grow Sindhi
7 Baluchi
8 Types of Baluchi
9 Famous Poets of Baluchi
10 Pushto
11 Steps taken to enhance Pushto
12 Famous Pushto Poets
13 Brahvi
14 Kashmiri
15 Kashmiri Literary Figures 16 Conclusion

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Introduction
Pakistan is a multi-lingual country. No less than 24 languages and dialects are spoken by the people of Pakistan. There are five regional languages. Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Baluchi, Brahvi and Kashmiri. These languages are rich in literature, poetry, folk songs, spiritual quotes of their respective saints and contribute greatly to the culture of Pakistan.
The regional languages, though distinct from each other in their forms, dialects and expressions of thoughts, have several common factors in them. They cultivate in them love, respect and a firm adherence to the Pakistan Ideology.
Punjabi
Punjabi is the language of the province 'Punjab'. It links back to the Aryan language Prakrit. However, with time, the vocabulary of Punjabi language became a mixture of Persian, Arabic and Turkish words. It has different dialects in different parts of Punjab like 'Saraiki' and 'Potohari'. But the basic language remains the same.
Panjabi is rich in mystical and romantic poetry. The highly imaginative and artistic exquisite literature, mostly in verses has two forms. One is "Lyric Poetry," which includes Bait, Kafi-si-harfi, Bara Mah and Satwara. The other one is "Narrative Poetry," which is composed of various rhythms and meters. Examples are Qissa Noor Namah, Gulzar, Jang Nama and Vaar.
Famous Punjabi Poets
Some of the famous poets of Punjabi language include:
Baba Farid Shakar Ganj Baksh
Shaikh Ibrahim Farid Sani
Madhu Lal Hussain
Sultan Bahu
Bhullay Shah
Ali Haider
Waris Shah
Sindhi
Sindhi is one of the important regional language of Pakistan. It appears that Sindhi was spoken in the Indus Delta from time immemorial. It is said that the language of the people of Moen-jo-Daro contained elements of present era Sindhi language.
The origin of this language is not exactly known. However, travelers like Al-Beruni have told us about the original script of the language. Chach Nama is an authentic document that proves that the dialect of Sindhi language was the same in the 12th century, as it is today. With the advent and influence of Arabs in the subcontinent, Sindhi changed its forms and adopted maximum words of Arabic as well as Persian and Turkish.
Famous Sindhi Poets
Some of famous Sindhi poets are following:
Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Sachal Sarmast
Makhdoom Noor
Shah Inayat
Bedil
Sabit Ali Shah
Kazi Kazah
Steps taken to grow Sindhi
Various steps have been taken to develop Sindhi. Organizations like 'Sindhi Literary Board' and Bazm-e-Talib-ul-Maula were set up. Several newspapers are being published in Sindhi. These include Kawish, Ibrat, Naw-e-Sindhi and Khadim-e-Watan besides a number of weeklies.
Baluchi
Baluchi is the regional language of Baluchistan. It is the least developed of all the regional languages. It was spread by Baluchi tribes that migrated from Iran.
The history of Baluchi literature may be divided into four periods:
Early Medieval Period - 1430 to 1600
Later Medieval Period - 1600 to 1850
Modern Period - 1850 to 1930
Contemporary Period - 1930 to date
Literature produced by earlier poets is not in records, as it was preserved traditionally in the memories of the people. No newspapers or books were published in Baluchi up till 1940. After partition, however Baluchi literature received a little boost. It was due to the efforts made by various organizations and due to establishment of TV stations. At present, Baluchi literature is on the road to development.
Types of Baluchi
There are two types of Baluchi namely:

Sulemani
Makrani
Famous Poets of Baluchi
Some of the most literary figures of Baluchi are:
Azad Jamaldini
Ulfat Naseem
Abdul Qadir Shahwani
Malik Mohammad Ramzan
Mir Aqil Maingal
Well known poets of Baluchi language are:
Jam Darag
Shah Mureed
Shahdab
Pushto
Pushto is the regional language of the N.W.F.P. and tribal areas. It belongs to the East Iranian group of languages and contains many Persian, Arabic, Greek and Pehlevi words.
Steps taken to enhance Pushto
Although Pushto is an old language but its literature is comparatively a new one. After independence education spread rapidly and Pushto literature received a great boost. The Pushto Academy Peshawar, some other literary societies and educational institutions such as Islamia College Peshawar helped develop Pushto literature.
Famous Pushto Poets
Some of the well known poets of Pushto language are:
Amir Karoro
Khushal Khan Khatak
Rehman Baba
Sher Shah Soori
Saif Ullah
Kazim Kazim
Brahvi
Brahvi is the next spoken language of Baluchistan. In fact, it is said to be spoken by a greater number of people than Baluchi. The Brahvi language is said to be one of Dravidian family of languages. It has borrowed heavily from Sindhi, Persian, Arabic and English. It remains in an unexplained isolation among the Indo-Iran dialects.
Brahvi literature has a vast treasure of folklores. It's script has been borrowed much from Pushto script. Malik Dad was a great poet and a learned personalty of Brahvi language.
Kashmiri
Kashmiri is the language of the people of the Indian-occupied Kashmir and Azad Kashmir. This language has been derived from Sanskrit. Kashmiri is generally spoken in Muslim families of the valley. It contains many Turkish, Arabic and Persian words. It is written in the Persian script.
Kashmiri, like all the regional languages of Pakistan, had its early literature in the form of poetry. It began with the composition of folk songs and ballads.
Kashmiri Literary Figures
Famous authors of Kashmiri language are:
Sh.Nooruddin
Khatoon Lillah Anifa
Baba Nasiruddin
Ghani
Conclusion
The regional languages of Pakistan, i.e., Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Brahvi and Baluchi are the most modern Pakistani languages. They have several common features and their literature bears the same eternal message for mankind. Government has been doing its best to develop the regional languages and introduction of regional TV channels is a positive step for promotion of regional languages.

10 comments:

Parvez Qadir said...


پاکستان 5 قوماں دا مُلک ھے۔ پاکستان وچ ساریاں قوماں کوں براپر حقوق ملݨے چاھیدے ھِن۔ پاکستان وچ اردو، پشتو، سرائیکی تے سندھی زباناں کوں سرکاری دفتری تعلیمی تے قومی زباناں بݨاوَݨ ٻہوں ضروری ھے۔
پاکستان دے ہر سرکاری تے نجی ٹی وی چینل تے سرائیکی، سندھی، پشتو ، پنجابی،بلوچی تے اردو کوں ہر روز چار چار گھنٹے ݙتے ونڄن۔
پہلی توں بی اے تائیں سکولاں کالجاں تے مدرسیاں وچ سرائیکی یا سندھی یا پشتو لازمی مضمون دے طور تے شروع کرو

Anonymous said...

it was so hard to find this information on other sites you gave me exactly the answer i wanted.....thank you...!!

Parvez Qadir said...

Languages of Pakistan
Punjabi, Saraiki, Pashtu, Sindhi,Hindko, Balochi and Brahui are important languages of Pakistan.
In Pakistan Saraiki is the language of 40%, Punjabi 18%, Pashtu 15%, Sindhi 12%, Urdu 7%, Balochi 3% and other languages 5%.

Punjabi: Majhi spoken in Lahore, Gujranwala and Sialkot is called Punjabi. In India Amritsar, Tarn Taran Sahib, and Gurdaspur Districts of the State of Punjab Majhi is also spoken. Doabi, Pwadhi and Malwi dialects of Punjabi are spoken in India . Only half area of Majhi speaking is related to Pakistan,

Saraiki: Standard Saraiki , Ubhechari Saraiki ( Jhang, cheniot, Sahiwal, Kamalia. Pindi Bhattian, Mandi Bahaudin, Okara, Bahawalnagar), Chakwali (Jand, Pindi Gheb) and Sindhi Saraiki (Jaffarabad, Naseerabad, Jhalmagsi, Ghotki, Kashmore, Jackabad) are the four common dialects of Saraiki. Standard Saraiki is 80%, Ubhechari is 10%, Chakwali is 5% and Sindhi saraiki is 5%. Saraiki has 44 alphabets with five Special Saraiki alphabets namely, ٻ، ڄ ،ݙ، ڳ & ݨ

Pashtu: Pashtu of Peshawer, Bannuchi and Quetta pashtu are Pashtu languages.

Sindhi: Sindhi is spoken in Sindh.


Balochi: Eastern Balochi [bgp] in Northeast Balochistan Province, northwest Sindh, southwest Punjab, Southern Balochi [bcc] in South Balochistan, south Sindh, Karachi, Western Balochi [bgn] in Northwest Baluchistan Province. are Balochi language.





Hindko: Northern Hindko [hno] Hazara division, Mansehra and Abbotabad districts, Indus and Kaghan valleys and Indus valley tributaries, Southern Hindko [hnd] Punjab Province, Attock district, to south Hazara division, NWFP; Kohat and Peshawar districts and Pothohari [phr] Pahari: Rawalpindi, Murree Hills, and east in Azad Kashmir (Poonchi (Punchhi) and Chibhali); north in the lower half of the Neelum Valley. Potwari: Pothwar Plateau, from Rawalpindi to Gujar Khan and south to Jhelum. Mirpuri: southern Azad Kashmir.

Brahui: [brh] South central, Quetta and Kalat region, east Baluchistan and Sind provinces. Also in 4,000,000 in Pakistan (2011). Population total all countries: 4,220,000 Alternate Names: Birahui, Brahuidi, Brahuigi, Kur Galli Dialects: Jharawan, Kalat, Sarawan. Kalat is standard dialect, Jharawan is lowland.



Shina, Khowar, Gojri, Kashmiri , Bagri, Balti, Dari, Dhatki, Hazargi, Jadgali, Indus kohistani, Koli Kachi, Parkrai koli, Marwari are Pakistani languages having papulation ranging 100,000 to 500,000.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

Your knowledge about Pashtu language is extremely low.Amir Kror was the first Pashtu poet 12 hundred years back. In Afghanistan Pashtu is the language at Medical and Engineering colleges. Pashtu is one amongst a few space languages. Pakistan's affairs were never good with the nations living in this country. Your post reflect the same

Unknown said...

Thanks really helpful

Unknown said...

بہت اعلی تحقیقی مضمون اے۔ڈاکٹر محمد ریاض شاہد لاہور ریٹائرڈ پروفیسر پنجابی

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