Citizendia

Demographics of Pakistan, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.
Demographics of Pakistan, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

It is estimated that the Pakistan's population will be over 180,000,000 by mid 2008. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Pakistan had an estimated population of 169,300,000 as of July 2007,[1]. During 1951-98, Pakistan's urban population expanded sevenfold. And by the next decade the population is expected to exceed 176 million. [2] In the past, the country's population had a relatively high growth rate that has, however, been moderated by declining fertility and birth rates. Dramatic social changes have led to rapid urbanization and the emergence of megacities. A megacity is generally defined as a Metropolitan area with a total Population in excess of 10 million people During 1990-2003, Pakistan sustained its historical lead as the most urbanized nation in South Asia, with city dwellers making up 34% of its population. [3]

Pakistan has a multicultural and multi ethical society and hosts one of the largest refugee populations in the world as well as a young population.

Pakistan's next national census will take place in 2008. [4]


Contents

Population data

Geographic distribution

The majority of southern Pakistan's population lives along the Indus River. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Indus River { Sanskrit: सिन्धु Sindhu; Urdu: urd {{Nastaliq سندھ}} Sindh; Sindhi: snd In the northern half, most of the population lives about an arc formed by the cities of Faisalabad, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan and Peshawar. ( is a city located in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. It was formerly known as Lyallpur. ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province |name = Islamabad|native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = Capital City |total_type Gujranwala ( is a city in Punjab, Pakistan with a population of 1132509 (1998 census Sialkot ( Urdu / Punjabi:) the capital of Sialkot District, is a city situated in the north-east of the Punjab province in Nowshera ( Pashto: نوښار) (نوشہرہ - known locally as "Now-khaar" or "Now-Shaar" is the chief city of Nowshera District in Swabi ( Urdu: صوابی) is the capital of Swabi District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Mardan ( Urdu: مردان) is a city and headquarters of Mardan District in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. ( پښور; Urdu: پشاور) is the capital of the North-West Frontier Province and the administrative centre for the Federally Administered

Population and growth

Historical populations
CensusPopulationUrban
195133,816,00017. 80%
196142,978,00022. 46%
197265,321,00025. 40%
198184,254,00028. 28%
1998130,580,00032. 51%

Pakistanis around the world

See Overseas Pakistani

Source: [6]

Structure

Age structure

Gender ratios

Human development

Mortality and life expectancy

Fertility

Literacy

Definition: over the age of 15 and can read and write.

Nationality and ethnicity

Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups in Pakistan
Major ethnic groups in Pakistan, 1973
Major ethnic groups in Pakistan, 1973

Pakistan's ethnic diversity is obvious and yet accurate numbers have been elusive. About 99% of languages spoken in Pakistan are Indo-Iranian (sub-branches 75% Indo-Aryan and 24% Iranian) a branch of Indo-European family of Most believe that the large majority of Pakistanis belong to the Indo-Aryan ancestral group. There are many ethnic groups: Pakistan's census and rough estimates vary, but the consensus is that the Punjabis are by far the largest group, and that the Sindhis followed by Pashtuns (or Pakhtuns) are the next two largest groups[8] The Punjabi population is estimated to comprise 44. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Sindhis ( Sindhi: سنڌي) are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating in Sindh in Pakistan. Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called 15% of the national total. The Pakhtuns are the second-largest group at roughly 15. 42%, followed by Sindhis at 14. 1%. Saraikis, a group seen as transitional between Punjabis and Sindhis, make up 10. The Seraiki people ( Perso-Arabic: سرائيکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ or Multani people ( Perso-Arabic: ملتانی Devanagari 53% of the population. The remaining groups that comprise large percentages include the Muhajirs (migrants from different parts of India) at 7. See Muhajir page for all Muhajir groups in the world Muhajir or Panahgir (مہاجر is a diverse term used to describe the 57% and the Baloch people at 3. The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting 57%. The other main ethnic groups include Hindkowans and the Brahui, and the various peoples of the Northern Areas, who all together total roughly 4. Hindkowans ( Perso-Arabic: ہِندکُون or Pathans (Perso-Arabic پنجاب پٹھان Devanagari: पंजाबी पठान Gurmukhi The Brahui people or Brohi people ( Brahui / Urdu: بروہی are a distinct ethnic group of about 2 The Northern Areas ( Urdu:,) is officially referred to by the government of Pakistan as the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA 66% of the total population. The Pakhtun and Baloch represent two of the major populations that are linguistically Iranic, while the Punjabis, Sindhis and Saraikis are the major linguistically Indic groups. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. Muhajir population is a multi-ethnical group, and include mixed blood lines of people from India who claim Afghan, Persian, Turk, Mongol, and Arab admixture.

Over three million Afghan refugees were living in Pakistan during the Soviet war in Afghanistan, and about two million still remain in the country until December 2009. Afghan refugees (known as Muhajir Afghans in South Asia) are people who fled Afghanistan after the Soviet invasion in 1979 and during the The Soviet war in Afghanistan, also known as the Soviet-Afghan War or just the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan, was a nine-year conflict involving [9] They are not counted in the national census, even the ones born in Pakistan, because they are still considered citizens of Afghanistan. In addition, there are some colonies of other refugees/migrants settled in Pakistan particularly in Karachi, Lahore as well as in the twin cities of Islamabad/Rawalpindi. (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million ( lahor is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and is the second largest city in Pakistan after Karachi. |name = Islamabad|native_name = |nickname = |settlement_type = Capital City |total_type ( Urdu: Rāwalpindī) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistan 's capital city of Islamabad, in the province

Religions

Main article: Religion in Pakistan
See also: Islam in Pakistan, Christianity in Pakistan, History of the Jews in Pakistan, Hinduism in Pakistan, and Sikhism in Pakistan

Census data[10] indicates that over 97% of the population are Muslims. A census held by the Pakistan International Bureau indicates that over 96% of the population of Pakistan are Muslims There are small non-Muslim religious groups Christians Islam is the official religion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The adherents of Christianity are the largest religious minority community in Pakistan. Jews ( Urdu: یہودی pronounced "Yehudi") are a very small religious group of Pakistan. Following the creation of Pakistan, and the subsequent mass migrations Hindus are today are a much smaller numerical presence Sikhism is a very small minority religion in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan but has many cultural historical and political ties to the country and to the historical region Islam is the official religion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The Muslims have different schools which are called Madhahib (singular: Madhhab) i. A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion Madhhab or Mazhab ( Arabic مذهب mæðhæb pl مذاهب mæðæːhıb) is an Islamic school of thought, or e, schools of jurisprudence (also 'Maktab-e-Fikr' (School of Thought) in Urdu). Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised More than 77% of Pakistani Muslims are Sunni Muslims and there is sizeable minority 20% Shi'a Muslims. Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic Nearly all Pakistani Sunni Muslims belong to the Hanafi school with a small Hanbali school represented by Wahabis and Ahle Hadith. The Hanafi ( Arabic حنفي school is the oldest of the four schools of thought ( Madhhabs Hanbali ( حنبلى) is one of the four schools ( Madhhabs of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being Wahhabism ( Arabic: Al-Wahhābīyya الوهابية or Wahabism is a conservative reformist call of Sunni Islam attributed to Ahl Hadith ( Urdu: اہل حدیث ahl-e hadīs or ahl-i hadith) is an Islamic school found predominately in the Middle East and The Hanafi school includes the Barelvis and Deobandis schools. Barelwi or Barelvi ( Hindi: बरेलवी Urdu: بریلوی is a movement of Sunni Sufism in South Asia that was founded by The Deobandi ( Urdu: دیو بندی devbandī) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist movement which started in India and has more recently Although the majority of Pakistani Shia Muslims belong to Ithna 'ashariyah school, there are significant minorities: Nizari Khoja Ismailis (Aga Khanis) and the smaller Mustaali Dawoodi Bohra and Sulaimani Bohra branches. See also Shi'a Islam Twelver Shi'ism ( ar اثنا عشرية Ithnāˤashariyyah) is the largest branch of Shi'a branch of Islam See also Ismaili The Nizārī s (النزاريون an-Nizāriyyūn) are the largest branch of the Ismā‘īlī (اسماعیلیه and comprise Ismaili Khojas About six hundred years ago the Persian -born Pir Sadruddin arrived in Sindh. For the Egyptian city see Ismaïlia. The Ismāʿīlī ( Urdu: إسماعیلی Ismāʿīlī, Arabic: الإسماعيليون See also Imamah (Shi'a Ismaili doctrine The Musta‘lī (مستعلي Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept al-Musta‘lī Dawoodi Bohras ( Arabic: داؤدی بوہرہ Hindi: दवूदि बोह्रा are the main branch of the Bohras, a Musta‘lī subsect Sulaymanis are a Musta‘lī Ismaili community that predominantly reside in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Pakistan and India

The difference among Sunni schools (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafi, and Hanbali) are small in practice, and they may pray together in any Sunni Masjid (Mosque). Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Sunni Islam is also referred to as Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamā‘h (Arabic The Hanafi ( Arabic حنفي school is the oldest of the four schools of thought ( Madhhabs The Maliki Madhhab ( Arabic مالكي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam The Shāfi‘ī Madhab ( ar شافعي) is one of the four schools of Fiqh, or religious law within Hanbali ( حنبلى) is one of the four schools ( Madhhabs of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam (the other three being A "mosque" in English refers to all types of buildings dedicated for Islamic worship although there is a distinction in Arabic between the smaller privately owned mosque and the larger In Pakistan, adherents of the Barelvi and Deobandi schools also pray together in same Masjids. Barelwi or Barelvi ( Hindi: बरेलवी Urdu: بریلوی is a movement of Sunni Sufism in South Asia that was founded by The Deobandi ( Urdu: دیو بندی devbandī) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist movement which started in India and has more recently

There are small non-Muslim religious groups: Christians, Hindus, Ahmadis, Sikhs, Parsis, Bahá'ís, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and others 3%. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical Ahmadiyya ( احمدیہ Ahmadiyya) is a movement that arose out of mainstream Islam towards the end of the 19th century Sikh (English or; ਸਿੱਖ sikkh, IPA) is the title and name given to an adherent of Sikhism. The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings

Religious Population In Pakistan

Sources: [11][12][13]

Languages of Pakistan

There are around about 77 known Pakistani languages on this list

Main article: Languages of Pakistan

Prevalence

According to the census, Pakistanis identified the following languages as their mother tongues [figures rounded to nearest percent]: Punjabi 44%, Pashto 15%, Sindhi 14%, Saraiki 11%, Urdu 8%, Balochi 4%, others 4%

The majority of Pakistanis can speak or understand two or more languages. For other meanings including people named 'Islam' see Islam (disambiguation. Hinduism is a religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Christianity ( Greek Χριστιανισμός from the word Xριστός ( Christ)is a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings Ahmadiyya ( احمدیہ Ahmadiyya) is a movement that arose out of mainstream Islam towards the end of the 19th century The Bahá'í Faith is a Religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in nineteenth-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind Sikhism ( IPA: or; ਸਿੱਖੀ sikkhī, IPA:) founded on the teachings of Nanak and nine successive gurus in fifteenth century Buddhism is a family of beliefs and practices Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Animism (from Latin anima ( Soul, Life) commonly refers to a religious belief that Souls or Spirits exist in Animals Atheism Jews ( Urdu: یہودی pronounced "Yehudi") are a very small religious group of Pakistan. English is the Official language of Pakistan while Urdu is the National language despite not being a native language or being the mother tongue A language is a dynamic set of visual auditory or tactile Symbols of Communication and the elements used to manipulate them English is the Official language of Pakistan while Urdu is the National language despite not being a native language or being the mother tongue Aer is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by approximately 200 people in Sindh, Pakistan. Badeshi is a northwestern Iranian language spoken by over 10000 people in upper reaches of Bishigram Valley (Chail east of Madyan, Swat, Bagri ( बागड़ी) is a Dialect of Rajasthani language of the Indo-Aryan family. Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Balti ( بلتی) is a Language spoken in Baltistan, in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and adjoining parts of Jammu and Kashmir The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in Burushaski (بروشسکی - burū́šaskī is a Language isolate not known to be related to any other language of the world Chitral or Chatrāl (چترال is basically translated into "field" in the native language Khowar. Dameli is a language spoken by approximately 5000 people in the Domel Valley in the Chitral District of the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan Not to be confused with the Dogrib language. Dogri (डोगरी or ڈوگرى is an Indo-Aryan Language spoken by Domaaki - also known as Dumaki or Doma - is a Language spoken in parts of northern Pakistan. Gawar-Bati is known in Chitral as Aranduyiwar because it is spoken in Village Arandu which is the last village in the bottom of Chitral and is across the Kunar River from Berkot in Goaria is a Marwari Rajasthani language spoken by some 25000 people in Sindh Province Pakistan. Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? Hazaragi is a variety of Persian, spoken by the Hazara people of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/ also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda, لَیہندا is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western Kachhi (also spelled Cutchi or Kachchhi) ( Urdu: کچھی) is a Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Kalami is a Dardic language spoken in northern Pakistan. The language is also known as Gawri or Garwi ( IPA: /ɡaːwriː/ but Kamviri is a Dialect of the Kamkata-viri language spoken by 5500 (or up to 10000 of the Kom people of Afghanistan and Kashmiri (कॉशुर کٲشُر Koshur) is a Dardic language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated in the Indian state Kata-vari is a Dialect of the Kamkata-viri language spoken by the Kata in parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Khowar,(کھوار)also known as Chitrali is a Dardic language spoken by 250000 people in Chitral in Northwest Pakistan, in Yasin Valley Kohistani is a Dardic language spoken in Kohistan District, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan. The Ladakhi language is the predominant language in the Ladakh region of the Jammu and Kashmir state of India. Makran ( Urdu / Persian: مکران) is a semi-desert coastal strip in the south of Balochistan, in Iran and Pakistan, along The Marwari language (mārwāṛī also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi) is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan, but is also found in Language Memons speak a non-written Dialect called Memoni, a mixture of Sindhi and Kutchi which belongs to the Indic (North-Western Pahari (or Pahaari) is a general terms for a range of dialects spoken across the Himalayan range not limited to a single country in the subcontinent The Potwari or Pahari-Potwari language (also known as Pothohari or Pothwari; Potwari پوتوری پوٹھوہاری) is an Indo-European language Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Palula (also spelled Phalura Palola Phalulo Ashreti or Dangarikwar (the name used by Khowar speakers is a language spoken by approximately 10000 people in the valleys of Ashret Sansiboli, Sansi or Bhilki is a highly endangered Indo-Aryan language of the Central group Shina (also known as Tshina is a Dardic language and is spoken by a plurality of people in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Shina (also known as Tshina is a Dardic language and is spoken by a plurality of people in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia The Torwali, or Turvali, language is spoken in Kohistan and Swat districts of the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Uyghur (/ ug-Latn Uyƣurqə/ug-Cyrl Уйғурчә, or / ug-Latn Uyƣur tili/ug-Cyrl Уйғур Wakhi is an Indo-Iranian language in the sub-branch of Southeastern Iranian languages (see Pamir languages) The Yidgha language is a Pamir language spoken in the Upper Lutkuh Valley of Chitral, west of Garam Chishma in Pakistan.

Major languages

The official language of Pakistan is Urdu (English is widely considered as one too). An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Urdu is the national language and lingua franca, although it is spoken as a first language by approximately 8% of the population. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised A lingua franca (from Italian, literally meaning Frankish language, see etymology under Sabir and Italian below is any Language widely ~44% speak Punjabi as a first language, 15% Pashto, and 31% other languages such as (Sindhi, Saraiki, Balochi, Hindko and Brahui. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/ also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda, لَیہندا is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in )

English (Official Language)

English is the official language, being widely used within the government, by the civil service and the officer ranks of the military. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States An official language is a Language that is given a special legal status in a particular Country, State, or other territory Pakistan's Constitution and laws are written in English. Many schools, and nearly all colleges and universities, use English as the medium of instruction. Medium of instruction is the Language that is used in teaching

Urdu (National Language)

Urdu is the national language of Pakistan, the lingua franca of the people. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised It is a standardised register of Hindustani and in its spoken form, is mutually intelligible with Hindi, the lingua franca of north India. It is widely used, both formally and informally, for personal letters as well as public literature, in the literary sphere and in the popular media. It is a required subject of study in all primary and secondary schools. It is the first language of most Muhajirs. As Pakistan's national language, Urdu has been promoted as a token of national unity. Although less than 8% of Pakistanis speak it as their first language, it is spoken as a second language by nearly all literate Pakistanis. It is written in a modified form of the Persian alphabet and its basically Indic vocabulary has been enriched by words from Arabic, Persian, and English. Urdu has drawn inspiration from Persian literature and has now an enormous stock of words from that language. In recent years, the Urdu spoken in Pakistan has gradually incorporated words from many of the native languages found there including Pushto, Punjabi and Sindhi to name a few. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Punjabi may refer to The Punjabi language of Pakistan and India Punjabi grammar List of Punjabi Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia As such the language is constantly developing and has acquired a particularly 'Pakistani' flavour to it distinguishing itself from that spoken in ancient times. The first poetry in Urdu was by the Persian poet Amir Khusro (1253-1325) and the first Urdu book "Woh Majlis" was written in 1728 and the first time the word "Urdu" was used by Saraj-ud-din Aarzoo in 1751. Ab'ul Hasan Yamīn al-Dīn Khusrow ( Hindi: hi अबुल हसन यमीनुद्दीन ख़ुसरो (1253-1325 CE better known as Amīr Khusrow An official language in British India since 1835 and in India since 1947, where it is spoken by Muslim population, Urdu is one of the 22 national languages recognized by the constitution of that country.

Sindhi (Provincial Language)

Sindhi is spoken as a first language by 14% of Pakistanis, mostly in Sindh. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. Sindhi has very rich literature and is used in schools. Sindhi language contains Arabic words and is affected by Arabic language to a great extent. The reason being Arab ruled Sindh for more than 150 years. Muhammad bin Qasim entered Sindh and conquered it in 712 AD. He remained here for three years and set up Arabic rule in the area. According to historians, the social fabric of Sindh comprises elements of Arabic society. Sindhi is spoken in Pakistan and is also one of the constitutional languages of India. It is spoken by about 20 million people in the southern Pakistani province of Sindh, Southern Pakistan, and by about 2½ million more across the border in India. In Pakistan it is written in the Arabic script with several additional letters to accommodate special sounds. The largest Sindhi-speaking city is Hyderabad, Pakistan. Sindhi literature is also spiritual in nature and Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai (1689-1752) is one of its Greatest poet who wrote Sassi Punnu, Umar Marwi (the great folk stories of the civilization) in his famous book "Shah jo Rasalo".

Punjabi (Provincial Language)

Punjabi is spoken as a first language by more than 44% of Pakistanis, mostly in Punjab as well as by a large number of people in Karachi. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of (ڪراچي) is the largest city in Pakistan. It is the world's second largest city proper behind Mumbai in terms of population which exceeds 10 million It is an important language since Punjabi is spoken by about half of Pakistanis. However, Punjabi does not have any official status in Pakistan. The exact numbers of Punjabi speakers in Pakistan is hard to find since there are many dialects/languages, such as Saraiki, which some regard as part of Punjabi and others regard as separate language. Punjabi is spoken by almost 60% of the population in Pakistan. The standard Punjabi dialects is from Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala and Sheikupura districts of the Pakistani Punjab which was used by Waris Shah (1722-1798) in his famous book "Heer" and is also now days langueage of Punjabi literature, film and music; such as Lollywood. Other dialects are Multani or Saraiki in West and South, Pothowari in North, Dogri in the mountain areas and Shahpuri in Sargodha area.

Punjabi is a very old language and it has been related to Sanskrit in Vedic-period (ca 1700 B. C. ), Pali, Prakart and Upbharnash in Ashok-period (273-32 B. C. ) and Hindvi, Lahori and Multani under Muslim period (711-1857). Punjabi literature was principally spiritual in nature and has had a very rich oral tradition. The Great Sufi/Saint poetry has been the folklore of the Punjab and still sung with great love in any part of Punjab.

Pashto (Provincial Language)

Pashto is spoken as a first language by 15% of Pakistanis, mostly in the North-West Frontier Province and in Balochistan as well as by immigrants to the eastern provinces who are often not counted due to census irregularities. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Pashto has rich written literary traditions as well as oral tradition. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as There are two major dialect patterns within which the various individual dialects may be classified; these are Pakhto, which is the northern (Peshawar) variety, and the softer Pashto spoken in southern areas. Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو‎ pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Khushal Khan Khattak (1613-1689) and Rahman Baba (1633-1708) were most famous poets in Pashto language. Khushal Khan Khattak (1613 - 1689 (Pashto خوشحال خان خټک was a Pashtun warrior Poet and tribal chief of the Khattak tribe Abdul Rahman Mohmand ( Pashto: عبدالرحمان مومند) popularly known as ( Pashto: رحمان بابا) was called the Nightingale of Pakhtoonkhwa Year 1708 ( MDCCVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a In the last part of 20th century, Pukhto/pashto has produced some great poets like Ghani Khan, Khatir Afridi and Amir Hamza Shinwari.

Saraiki (Regional Language)

Saraiki is related to Punjabi (See Classification, below) It is spoken as a first language by 11% of Pakistanis, mostly in the southern districts of Punjab, Pakistan (see Saraikis). Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of The Seraiki people ( Perso-Arabic: سرائيکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ or Multani people ( Perso-Arabic: ملتانی Devanagari Almost 10% of the population of Pakistan speak the Saraiki language. Dialects tend to blend into each other, with Punjabi to the east, and Sindhi to the south. Until recently it was considered to be a dialect of Punajbi. The Saraiki language has an 85% lexical similarity with Sindhi and 68% similarity with Odki and Sansi. Dialects are Derawali, Khatki, Jangli or Jatki and Riasti or Bahawalpuri. Saraiki or Multani (also Lehndi by some) differs from Punjabi more than any other dialect. Sarāikī ( Perso-Arabic: سراییکی Gurmukhi: ਸਰਾਇਕੀ Devanagari: सराइकी commonly spelled Seraiki also Siraiki is Multani becomes more and more different as you move down south, as the influence of Sindhi increases, it is also known as Saraiki there. Saraiki itself is Sindhi word and means northern.

Hindko (Regional Language)

Hindko is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken by Hindkowans (Punjabi Pathans) in Pakistan. Hindko (هندکو /Hindkoŭ/ also Hindku, Hinko, or Lahnda, لَیہندا is an ancient Indo-Aryan language spoken in North Western The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family Hindkowans ( Perso-Arabic: ہِندکُون or Pathans (Perso-Arabic پنجاب پٹھان Devanagari: पंजाबी पठान Gurmukhi Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The language is spoken in the areas of the North West Frontier Province (including Hazara), Punjab and Kashmir by an estimated 2. The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP ( Urdu: śimāl maġribī sarhadī sūba) is the smallest of the four main provinces of Pakistan. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of This article is about the geographical region of greater Kashmir 2 to 4 million people. During the pre-Buddhist era in present day Pakistan, the language of the masses was refined by the ancient grammarian Pāṇini, who set the rules of a structurally rigorous language called Sanskrit which was used principally for scriptures (analogous to Latin in the Western world). Meanwhile, the vernacular language of the masses, Prakrit developed into many tongues and dialects which spread over the northern parts of South Asia. Hindko is believed to be closely related to Prakrit. Due to the geographic isolation of the regions, it has undergone very little grammatical corruption, but has borrowed considerable vocabulary from its neighbours, in particular Pashto. It shows close affinity to Punjabi and the Lahnda sub-group of Indo-Aryan tongues and can be sub-divided into a northern and southern dialects.

Balochi (Provincial Language)

Balochi is spoken as a first language by over 5% of Pakistanis, mostly in Balochistan. Balochi (بلوچی also Baluchi, Baloci or Baluci) is a Northwestern Iranian language. Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Sindh and southern Punjab. Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. The Punjab ( Urdu:) province of Balochi language is very close to the Persian itself. The name Balochi or Baluchi is not found before the 10th Century. It is believed that the language was brought to its present location in a series of migrations from northern Iran region of Caspian Sea. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged Sea. Rakshani is the major dialect group in terms of numbers. Sarhaddi, is a sub dialect of Rakshani. Other sub - dialects are Qalati, Chagai Kharani, and Makrani. The Eastern Hill Balochi or Northern Balochi are distinct dialects.

Persian (Cultural language)

Persian is considered to be a cultural language of Pakistan. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Although Persian has neither official status, it had for long been the lingua franca of the South Asia and was the official and cultural language of the Mughal Empire and various Muslim states. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most Persian was officially abolished from the region with the arrival of the British to the province of Sindh in 1843 and Punjab in 1849 to minimize the influence of Persia and Afghanistan on the subcontinent. Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. Punjab ( ਪੰਜਾਬ پنجاب, पंजाब پنجاب also Panjab (پنجاب meaning "Land of the Five Rivers") (c The Persian Empire was a series of Iranian empires that ruled over the Iranian plateau, the original Persian homeland and beyond in Western Asia Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Nevertheless, Persian has influenced Urdu immensely, and is still appreciated as a literary and prestigious language among the educated elite, especially in fields of music (Qawwali) and art. Qawwali ( Urdu / Persian: قوٌالی; Punjabi / Multani: ਖ਼ਵ੍ਵਾਲੀ قوٌالی Brajbhasha / Hindi Persian is mainly spoken by the inhabitants of Chitral in Pakistan. Chitral or Chatrāl (چترال is basically translated into "field" in the native language Khowar. Dari (a variant of Persian) is also the native tongue of many Afghan refugees currently residing in Pakistan.

Arabic (Religious language)

Arabic is considered to be religious language of Pakistan. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Quran, Sunnah, Hadith and Muslim theology is taught in Arabic with Urdu translation. The Qur’an ( القرآن, literally "the recitation" also sometimes transliterated as Qur’ān, Koran, Alcoran Sunnah ar (سنة plural سنن Sunan literally means “trodden path” and therefore the sunnah of the prophet means “the way and the manners of the prophet” Hadith ( ar الحديث, pl aḥadīth; lit. "narrative" are oral Traditions relating to the words and deeds of the Islamic A Muslim (مسلم pronounced Muslim, not Muzlim) is an adherent of the Religion The large numbers of Pakistani's living in the Gulf region and in other Middle Eastern Countries has further increased the number of people who can speak Arabic within Pakistan.

Turkish

Turkish was the mother tongue of Mughals and earlierSultans of South Asia. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. The Delhi Sultanate ( Urdu: دلی سلطنت, दिल्ली सलतनत or Sultanat e Hind ( سلطنتِ هند; सलतनत ए The autobiography of Mughal emperor Babur, Tuzk Babari was also written in Turkish. The Mughal Empire ( Persian and self-designation گورکانی; مغلیہ سلطنت) was an Islamic imperial power which ruled most Babur ( February 14 1483 - December 26 1530) was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who following a series of setbacks Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. The Turkish directly influenced Urdu. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised The word Urdu is of Turkish origin, as Urdu was originaly called Zaban-e-Ordu or language of the Army, Ordu means army' in Turkish.

Minor Pakistani Languages

Aer: Population: 100 to 200 (1998). Women are monolingual. Region Lower Sindh, Jikrio Goth near Kunri around Deh 333, Hyderabad, and at Jamesabad. ( Urdu, Sindhi:; Haidarābād is located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Others are reported to have migrated to India at Partition in 1947, living in the Kutch Bhuj area in Gujarat. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Kachchh (also spelled as Kutch) is a District of Gujarat state in western India. WikipediaWikiProject Indian cities for details --> Bhuj (gu ભુજ is a city and a Municipality in Kachchh district in the state of Gujarat Gujarat (ગુજરાત Gujǎrāt, pronounced) is a state in western India. Dialects Jikrio Goth Aer, Jamesabad Aer. Lexical similarity 78% with Katai Meghwar and Kutchi Bhil, 75% to 77% with Rabari, 76% with Kutchi Koli. Kachhi (also spelled Cutchi or Kachchhi) ( Urdu: کچھی) is a Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Kachhi (also spelled Cutchi or Kachchhi) ( Urdu: کچھی) is a Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the Classification Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Language use All ages. They also speak Sindhi (adult men only for common topics), Panjabi (adult men of Jikrio Goth only for common topics), and Gujarati. Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? 100% of boys and 25% of girls attend Sindhi medium schools. Language development Literacy rate in second language: 15% in Sindhi. Sindhi-based script.

Comments: Unusual interrogative word suggests possible historical connection with Western Rajasthani group. Speakers in Pakistan are running out of marriage possibilities and may have to move to India. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The group in India is the most influential. Other Aer people in Nawabshah, Sindh are reported to speak a different language, dress differently, and do not intermarry with this Hindu group. is a skyscraper in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. Rising 31 stories to a height of 145 Nawabshah ( Urdu: نوابشاہ city (established in 1912 is located in the centre of Sindh, 4 hours drive from Karachi along the left bank of River Indus A Hindu ( Devanagari: हिन्दू is an adherent of the philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, a set of religious, Philosophical

Other Languages

Numerous other languages are spoken by relatively small numbers of people, especially in some of the more remote and isolated places in, for example, the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The Northern Areas ( Urdu:,) is officially referred to by the government of Pakistan as the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA [14] Other Indo-European languages spoken in Pakistan include Pothohari, Shina, Wakhi, Kashmiri, Marwari, Khowar, Dari Persian, Brahui, a Dravidian language, and Burushaski, a language isolate. Potwari or Pothohari can refer to An inhabitant of Potwar (Pothohar a plateau in northern Pakistan The Potwari language (Pothohari Shina (also known as Tshina is a Dardic language and is spoken by a plurality of people in Northern Areas of Pakistan. Wakhi is an Indo-Iranian language in the sub-branch of Southeastern Iranian languages (see Pamir languages) Kashmiri (कॉशुर کٲشُر Koshur) is a Dardic language spoken primarily in the valley of Kashmir, a region situated in the Indian state The Marwari language (mārwāṛī also variously Marvari, Marwadi, Marvadi) is spoken in the Indian state of Rajasthan, but is also found in Khowar,(کھوار)also known as Chitrali is a Dardic language spoken by 250000 people in Chitral in Northwest Pakistan, in Yasin Valley The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 73 languages (including the four literary languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Burushaski (بروشسکی - burū́šaskī is a Language isolate not known to be related to any other language of the world

Arabic and Persian are also taught in schools and religious institutions. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language

Classification

Indo-European

Nearly all of Pakistan's languages are Indo-European languages and within the smaller Indo-Iranian sub-branch.

Indo-Aryan languages

Around 4/5 of Pakistan's population speak one or more of the various Indo-Aryan languages. The Indo-Aryan languages (within the context of Indo-European studies also Indic) are a branch of the Indo-European language family Usually concentrated in the heavily populated areas east of the Indus river, the Indo-Aryan languages and their cultures form the predominate cultural group in the country. They derive their roots from the Sanskrit language that was once the pre-eminent tongue of learning and high culture in South Asia but are heavily influenced by the languages of the later Muslim invaders (i. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical e. , Turkish, Persian, and Arabic), and are all written in a variant of either the Arabic or Nastaliq script. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language Arabic (ar الْعَرَبيّة (informally ar عَرَبيْ) in terms of the number of speakers is the largest living member of the Semitic language (also anglicized as Nastaleeq;) is one of the main genres of Islamic calligraphy. Urdu, the country's national language, is an Indo-Aryan tongue, closely related to the Hindi of neighboring India. Urdu ( ur '''{{Nastaliq اردو}}''' trans Urdū, historically spelled Ordu) is a Central Indo-Aryan language Urdu is a standardised Hindi ( Devanāgarī: hi [[wiktहिन्दी हिन्दी]] or hi [[wiktहिंदी हिंदी]] IAST:, IPA:) is India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Punjabi, Hindko and Saraiki, all mutually intelligible, are classified by linguists as dialects of an Indo-Aryan speech called Lahnda,[15] also spelled as Lehnda. In Linguistics, mutual intelligibility is recognized as a relationship between Languages in which speakers of different but related languages can readily understand Lahnda languages or West Panjabi dialects is a group of Northwestern Indo-Aryan languages These are also, to a lesser extent, mutually intelligible with Urdu. Added together, speakers of these mutually-intelligible languages make up nearly two-thirds of Pakistan's population. Sindhi is the common language of the people of Sindh in southern Pakistan and has a rich literary history of its own, traced back to the era of the early Arab invasions. Sindhi ( Arabic script: سنڌي Devanagari script: सिन्धी Sindhī) is the language of the Sindh region of South Asia Sindh ( Sindhī: سنڌ Urdu: سندھ is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhis. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and The Dardic languages of the Northern Areas, Azad Kashmir and the northwestern mountains are sometimes classified by many linguists as belonging to the Indo-Aryan family. The Dards are an ethnic group predominantly found in Afghanistan, Kashmir Valley, Kargil, and Northern Areas of Pakistan Controlled Kashmir The Northern Areas ( Urdu:,) is officially referred to by the government of Pakistan as the Federally Administered Northern Areas (FANA The Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir, usually shortened to Azad Jammu and Kashmir ( AJK) or simply Azad Kashmir (literally "free Other Indo-Aryan languages include those spoken by Pakistan's Muhajirs, including Bengali (formerly the dominant language of the erstwhile East Pakistan and consequently the largest-spoken language in the nation at the time), Gujarati, Kutchi, and other north Indian dialects. East Pakistan ( Bengali: পূর্ব পাকিস্তান Purbo Pakistan, Urdu: مشرقی پاکستان Mashriqi Pakistan) was Gujarati (ગુજરાતી Gujǎrātī ? Kachhi (also spelled Cutchi or Kachchhi) ( Urdu: کچھی) is a Indo-Aryan Language spoken in the Kutch region of the

Iranian family of languages

Pashto and Balochi are classified as members of the Iranian family of languages. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. [16] If combined, Iranian peoples who speak Pashto, Balochi, Dari-Persian (Afghan refugees speak both Pashto and Dari-Persian) and Wakhi comprise over 1/5 of the population of Pakistan. The Iranian people are a collection of Ethnic groups defined along linguistic lines as speaking Iranian languages.

Dardic Languages

Dardic languages are spoken in the northern Pakistan. They include Shina (spoken in Gilgit, chilas and diamar) , Khowar (spoken in chitral), kalasha (spoken by kalash tribe) , kohistani (spoken in upper swat and kohistan) and kashmiri (spoken primarily in the valley of kashmir, muzaffarabad and by kashmiri refugees in Pakistan controlled Kashmir). Gilgit ( Urdu: گلگت) is the capital city of the Northern Areas, Pakistan and a Tehsil (headquarters of Gilgit District The Kalash ( Nuristani: Kasivo) or Kalasha, are an ethnic group of the Hindu Kush mountain range residing in the Chitral district Muzaffarabad is the capital of the Azad State of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kashmiri spoken in kashmir valley (not confuse with pahari language spoken in azad kashmir) is the only dardic language that has literary tradition that goes well back into the history where as other dardic languages spoken in northern Pakistan, unfortunately, do not have literatur like kashmiri. This is because the people in the northern areas of Pakistan have remained isolated from the others for centuries (if not for thousands of years) in the course of their history.

Non-Indo-European languages

Dravidian

Brahui language belongs to the Dravidian language family. The Brahui (Urdu spelling بروہی or Bravi (براوِ Language, spoken by the Brahui, is a Dravidian language mainly spoken in The Dravidian family of languages includes approximately 73 languages (including the four literary languages of Tamil, Telugu, Kannada Brahui is a minority language of Balochistan. [17] Brahui is heavily influenced by Balochi, Persian and Sindhi, languages in which many Brahui speakers are necessarily bilingual. Although its Dravidian descent is still obvious, Brahui now has rather few inherited Dravidian words in its lexicon.

References

  1. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named popestimate
  2. ^ Urban Research Centre, Population table (1901-98)
  3. ^ World Bank Group, Urbanization (urban population table)
  4. ^ Plan to hold census in 2008 By Ahmed Hassan
  5. ^ American FactFinder
  6. ^ YEAR BOOK 2004 - 2005 Government of Pakistan - Ministry of Labour, Manpower & Overseas Pakistanis - (Overseas Pakistanis Division) (From page 29 to 34)
  7. ^ Feeney and Alam, 2003)
  8. ^ Population by mother tongue and Pakistan Statistics
  9. ^ Government of Pakistan - National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA), NADRA Has Registered 2.15 Million Afghan Refugees, February 15, 2007. The Government of Pakistan ( Urdu: حکومتِ پاکستان uses a federal parliamentary system with a President as the Head of State and an indirectly-elected
  10. ^ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named CIAFactBook
  11. ^ CIA Factbook - Pakistan
  12. ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2007 - Pakistan
  13. ^ International Religious Freedom Report 2006 - Pakistan
  14. ^ Ethnologue report for Pakistan: Languages of Pakistan
  15. ^ Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Northwestern zone, Lahnda: Language Tree
  16. ^ Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Iranian: Language Tree
  17. ^ Dravidian Language Tree

External links


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