Balochistan has a population of around 10 million inhabitants. Overall, province wise, the Baloch tribes are the largest ethnic group in the province. Baloch are living in north-west, west, east, and south , Brohi living in centre of provence and while the Pashtuns are the majority in the north. Quetta, the capital of the province, has a Pashtun majority with Baloch, Hazara, and Punjabi minorities. Near the Kalat region and other parts of the province there are significant numbers of Brahui speakers. Along the coast various Makrani Balochis predominate. Persian-speaking Dehwars also live in the Kalat region and further west towards the border with Iran. In addition, 769,000 Afghan refugees can be found in the province including Pashtuns, Tajiks, and Hazaras. Many Sindhi farmers have also moved to the more arable lands in the east. There are also a growing number of other(s) ethnic groups consisting of Hazara, Kurdish, Panjabi, Mohajir and Iranians who have made Balochistan their home in recent decades.
The national language of the Baloch is Balochi. In Balochistan, their second-most commonly spoken language is Brahui whose origin is uncertain, early British linguists labelled it as being a possible proto- Dravidian language but more recent research has thrown this theory into disarray. Some misunderstanding exists in the West that Brahui speakers are different from Balochi speakers. In fact the Baloch is a single race with many languages. Those who speak Brahui are known as Brahuis (or Brahui Baloch).
The Baloch do not only live in Balochistan (Pakistan) but also are in majority in Sindh, South Punjab, Bahawalpur, Southern Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, Gulf States and Mari region of Turkmenistan. There are also Baloch who migrated and still live on the East African coast in towns such as Mombasa and Dar es-Salaam. The Baloch (Talpur/Leghari) ruled Sindh before the British annexation of Sindh to the British Raj. The Baloch in Sindh, South Punjab and Bahawalpur speak Sindhi and Seraiki.
Baloch society is divided in tens of tribes, some tribes speak Brahui and some speak Balochi, and there are many tribes who speak both. The Marri tribe and the Bugti tribe speak Balochi. Mengal tribe speak Brahui and they live in Chagai, Khuzdar, Kharan and in souther parts of Afghanistan, The Lango tribe, who live in central Balochistan in the Mangochar area, speak Balochi as their first language and Brahui as their second. The Bizenjo tribe that live in the Khuzdar, Nal and parts of Makkura, along with the Muhammadsanis, (one of the largest Baloch tribes) speak both languages. The Bangulzai tribe is a Brahui-speaking tribe but a sub-tribe of the Bangulzai, the Garanis, speak Balochi and are known as Balochi speaking Bangulzais.
The Mazari in Rajanpur speak Balochi while the Leghari the largest Baloch tribe in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan speak Seraiki. The Leghari in Sindh speak Sindhi.Kolachi baloch living in the Punjab and Sindh province of Pakistan speak Saraiki while those living in sibi district of Balochistan speak Balochi. The Talpur, Jatoi, Gabol, Lashari, Chandio, Bozdar,Samma and other Baloch tribes settled in Sindh speak both Sindhi and Balochi. Qaisrani baloch living near Taunsa Sharif speak Saraiki while their clansmen living the Dera Ghazi Khan tribal areas speak Balochi.
Languages
The national language of the Baloch is Balochi. In Balochistan, their second-most commonly spoken language is Brahui whose origin is uncertain, early British linguists labelled it as being a possible proto- Dravidian language but more recent research has thrown this theory into disarray. Some misunderstanding exists in the West that Brahui speakers are different from Balochi speakers. In fact the Baloch is a single race with many languages. Those who speak Brahui are known as Brahuis (or Brahui Baloch).
The Baloch do not only live in Balochistan (Pakistan) but also are in majority in Sindh, South Punjab, Bahawalpur, Southern Afghanistan, Eastern Iran, Gulf States and Mari region of Turkmenistan. There are also Baloch who migrated and still live on the East African coast in towns such as Mombasa and Dar es-Salaam. The Baloch (Talpur/Leghari) ruled Sindh before the British annexation of Sindh to the British Raj. The Baloch in Sindh, South Punjab and Bahawalpur speak Sindhi and Seraiki.
Baloch society is divided in tens of tribes, some tribes speak Brahui and some speak Balochi, and there are many tribes who speak both. The Marri tribe and the Bugti tribe speak Balochi. Mengal tribe speak Brahui and they live in Chagai, Khuzdar, Kharan and in souther parts of Afghanistan, The Lango tribe, who live in central Balochistan in the Mangochar area, speak Balochi as their first language and Brahui as their second. The Bizenjo tribe that live in the Khuzdar, Nal and parts of Makkura, along with the Muhammadsanis, (one of the largest Baloch tribes) speak both languages. The Bangulzai tribe is a Brahui-speaking tribe but a sub-tribe of the Bangulzai, the Garanis, speak Balochi and are known as Balochi speaking Bangulzais.
The Mazari in Rajanpur speak Balochi while the Leghari the largest Baloch tribe in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rahim Yar Khan speak Seraiki. The Leghari in Sindh speak Sindhi.Kolachi baloch living in the Punjab and Sindh province of Pakistan speak Saraiki while those living in sibi district of Balochistan speak Balochi. The Talpur, Jatoi, Gabol, Lashari, Chandio, Bozdar,Samma and other Baloch tribes settled in Sindh speak both Sindhi and Balochi. Qaisrani baloch living near Taunsa Sharif speak Saraiki while their clansmen living the Dera Ghazi Khan tribal areas speak Balochi.
