Baloch people in Punjab

The Baloch people in Punjab refers to Baloch residents of Punjab, more specifically assimilated Saraikis and Punjabis, of partial or full Baloch ancestry. The majority of which live in southwest of Punjab, including Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Taunsa, which adjoin the Balochistan. Most of them no longer speak Balochi and instead speak Saraiki, Punjabi, or Urdu.

History

Since 12th century Baloch chieftains ruled over most of Balochistan. Mir Jalal khan and Mir Chakar after the establishment of the Baloch Confederation, They extended their dominance on outside the borders of Balochistan, Mir Chakar seized control over Punjab and captured Multan. The great Baloch kingdom was based on tribal confederation, Punjab and Balochistan remained under his rule for a period of time.
According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Professor at University of Karachi, the Baloch migrated from 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.

Demographics

In his book Searchlights on Baloches and Balochistan, Justice Mir Khuda Bakhsh Marri estimated the Baloch population in Punjab to number 6 million, most of them not speaking Balochi as mother tongue anymore, but Punjabi and Saraiki; Marri concentrated on the statistics given by the British colonialists in British Punjab during their research, such as the Punjab Census Report of 1931, extrapolating the numbers by looking at the natural growth of Pakistan's overall population.