Number of Balochi-speaking people in Balochistan falls

[Firdousi]

Number of Balochi-speaking people in Balochistan falls
Mubarak Zeb KhanUpdated September 11, 2017
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ISLAMABAD: The Balochi-spea*king population appears to have shrunk marginally in 21 districts of Balochistan over a period of 19 years, whereas no growth in population has been recorded in the nine Pashtun-majority districts.

According to the census data, the overall average growth in Balochistan was recorded at a much higher rate of 3.37 per cent compared to the national average of 2.4pc. The highest growth in population — 4.91pc — was recorded in the federal capital.

The government of Balochistan is yet to release an official reaction to the census results announced on Aug 25. There has been no word from the nationalists either.

Infographic by Ramsha Jahangir
Infographic by Ramsha Jahangir
According to the census results, the Baloch population has shrunk from 61pc to 55.6pc in the province over a period of 19 years in 21 districts where the Baloch form a majority. However, the total number of Baloch people has increased from 4 million in 1998 to 6.86m in 2017. The count does not include the population of two districts — Quetta and Sibi — where people of various ethnicities, including Baloch and Pashtun also reside.

Provincial government yet to issue an official reaction to census figures

According to the data gathered, Quetta now houses 2.275m people, or 18.4pc of the total population of Balochistan. The figure has risen dramatically since the last census in 1998, according to which Quetta had a population of 773,936 people, or 11.78pc of the total population of the province. This is a clear indicator that the growth is far more visible in the capital district compared to other districts of the province.

Sadique Balooch, chief editor of Quetta-based Balochistan Express, told Dawn that part of the reason for a decrease in the Baloch population of various districts was migration to other provinces and Afghanistan because of ongoing conflict in certain areas. He added that most of the Baloch residing in conflict-ridden areas had migrated to Punjab, Sindh and Quetta.

Mr Balooch said among the factors of growth of Quetta district’s population was the influx of Afghans as well as Baloch people from conflict areas. The editor said he was not aware of why there had been no growth in the Pashtun population of Pashtun-majority districts. He added that perhaps it was because they lived in a few areas.

The population of the nine districts, where the Pashtu-speaking population is in majority, accounts for 26pc of the total Balochistan population. This is a slight fall from 26.6pc over a period of 19 years.

The Pashtun-majority districts are Killa Abdullah, Pishin, Harnai, Ziarat, Killa Saifullah, Loralai, Musakhel, Sherani and Zhob. The total number of people living in these districts was reported to be 3.2m in 2017, which had gone up from 1.74m reported in 1998.

Sibi district also houses people from various ethnicities and accounts for 1.09pc of the total population of Balochistan in 2017, compared to 1.5pc in 1998.

The total population of Balochistan has increased from 6.565m to 12.35m over 19 years.

A senior officer of the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics told Dawn that the impact of Afghan refugees was more visible in three districts — Quetta, Killa Abdullah and Pishin. He said internal migration from Dera Bugti, Sui, etc to Quetta was another reason.

However, he said that the Afghans and others would not be included in the total count once the data was finalised. “We will be in a position to show the exact data on ethnicities once it was finalised,” the officer said.

In the Pashtun districts, the highest growth rate in population was recorded at Killa Abdullah (3.97pc), while the lowest population growth rate was recorded at Musakhel district (1.16pc).

The growth pattern of other districts was: 3.58pc in Pishin, 1.24pc in Harnai, 3.67pc in Ziarat, 3.05pc in Killa Saifullah, 2.46pc in Loralai, 3.35pc in Sherani and 2.52pc in Zhob.

The average population growth in Quetta district was recorded at 5.83pc, whereas it was 1.41pc in Sibi district.

Among the Baloch-majority districts, the highest growth in population was recorded at 4.23pc in Kech district (Turbat), followed by 4.13pc in Chagai and 4.09pc in Kohlu. The lowest growth in population was recorded in Awaran district at 0.15pc and Kachhi district at 0.91pc.

The average growth rates of population in other Baloch districts are as follows: 2.93pc in Kalat, 2.54pc in Kharan, 3.49pc in Khuzdar, 3.24pc in Lasbela, 3.04pc in Mastung, 2.50pc in Washuk, 1.86pc in Gwadar, 1.60pc in Panjgur, 3.02pc in Jaffarabad, 1.62pc in Jhal Magsi, 3.69pc in Nasirabad, 1.85pc in Sohbatpur, 3.21pc in Nushki, 1.52pc in Lehri and 2.69pc in Barkhan.

Number of Balochi-speaking people in Balochistan falls - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

[kanishka]

i was afraid that this was because urdu is replacing balochi


but when it comes to pashto, then congratulations Pashtuns, you are close to getting your wish for a Pashtunistan that is not land-locked anymore.

[toughpashtun]

It says here that that Pashtun constitute 26% of Balochistan's total population.
Another member posted a link the other day which said 39%.Why the discrepancy?

[Samandri]

i was afraid that this was because urdu is replacing balochi


but when it comes to pashto, then congratulations Pashtuns, you are close to getting your wish for a Pashtunistan that is not land-locked anymore.

Actually there is fall in growth rate in nine Pashtun districts of Baluchistan excluding Quetta over a period of 19 years.

Chief Census Commissioner says Afghans were counted alongside Pakistanis in census, they will be removed from total population figure in final report Afghans were counted alongside Pakistanis in census: chief census commissioner - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

[Samandri]

It says here that that Pashtun constitute 26% of Balochistan's total population.
Another member posted a link the other day which said 39%.Why the discrepancy?

The nine districts make 26% of the population of province..... they are not counting Quetta and Sibi as Pashtun districts. According to 1998 census Pashto speakers in Baluchistan were 30% of the population.

Quetta houses now 18.4% of population of the province and majority of them will be Pashtuns. The majority of the "Pashtuns" of Sibi speak Sindhi with exception of few clans like Khajjaks who speak a basturd version of Pashto (its mixed with Sindhi). They will be not counted as Pashtuns i.e Pashto speakers. There are also areas in Loralai and Musa Khel where people have lost Pashto.

[Traveller]

The nine districts make 26% of the population of province..... they are not counting Quetta and Sibi as Pashtun districts. According to 1998 census Pashto speakers in Baluchistan were 30% of the population.

Quetta houses now 18.4% of population of the province and majority of them will be Pashtuns. The majority of the "Pashtuns" of Sibi speak Sindhi with exception of few clans like Khajjaks who speak a basturd version of Pashto (its mixed with Sindhi). They will be not counted as Pashtuns i.e Pashto speakers. There are also areas in Loralai and Musa Khel where people have lost Pashto.

Don't the Jafars of Musakhel speak their own language(Jafarki)

[toughpashtun]

Don't the Jafars of Musakhel speak their own language(Jafarki)

Apart from Jafars , there are Pashto speakers in Musa Khel as well.I'd say that the majority is Pashto speaking.

[toughpashtun]

The nine districts make 26% of the population of province..... they are not counting Quetta and Sibi as Pashtun districts. According to 1998 census Pashto speakers in Baluchistan were 30% of the population.

Quetta houses now 18.4% of population of the province and majority of them will be Pashtuns. The majority of the "Pashtuns" of Sibi speak Sindhi with exception of few clans like Khajjaks who speak a basturd version of Pashto (its mixed with Sindhi). They will be not counted as Pashtuns i.e Pashto speakers. There are also areas in Loralai and Musa Khel where people have lost Pashto.

I have seen and heard Pashtuns boast that "Pashtuns are 40% of Balochistan" etc etc. Is that all just talk and nothing else?
In the other figures on the earlier thread Pashtuns were 39% of Balochistan.

And Musakhel is 79-85% Pashto speaking:
Musakhel District, Pakistan - Wikipedia
And Loralai 92%:
Loralai District - Wikipedia
(I understand these are not recent figures but how much could have changed?)

[Ironhide]

Pashtuns in Baluchistan

I will not be surprised,once the remaining census data is finalized, that the pashtuns makeup 50% of the population of Baluchistan. The reason we see a jump in populations of Nushki , Mastung and Chagai is due to there close proximity with afghanistan and migration to the said districts due to their close location. Also jump in population in southern districts of baluchistan is due to new developments in that areas which is attracting many non baluch people including pashtuns from other areas of the country, expecially lasbella and gawador. Furthermore, there is no sindhi in pashtuns areas of northern Baluchistan yet their are significant Sindhis and Saraikies in Baluch areas. Education is more prevalent in pashtun areas therefore they usually fill up the jobs/vacancey available themselves.. which is not the case in baloch areas.


TIGER KHAN

[Friends of Baloch]

Does anybody seriously believe that a corrupt 3rd world sh!t hole like Pakiland is capable of honestly and meticulously conducting a census?

Pakiland is one of the most backwards, illiterate and corrupt places on the planet, and Balochistan is a very undeveloped and impoverished land. There are many places Balochistan that pakis cannot go without a security convoy or they will be attacked and even killed.

Ask yourselves, how does this Pakiland collect census data, especially in a place like Balochistan?

Do you really think that these pakis can go to every single village, go door to door and speak or send mail to every single Baloch or that there is even any credible post service in Balochistan?

And how honest and reliable can any census under the oversight of Rawalpindi and the "paki wala" be?

Dont take this sh!t country seriously. This Pakiland cannot even provide the most basic of services to people, you think they can take a census?

10s of millions of pakis, Baloch and Pashtuns living in Pakiland are uneducated and illiterates.

In Balochistan almost half the population is now illiterate. For women across the province this is estimated to be as high as 70%.

So how and from where is this census data coming from?

[Admin Khan]

Does anybody seriously believe that a corrupt 3rd world sh!t hole like Pakiland is capable of honestly and meticulously conducting a census?

Pakiland is one of the most backwards, illiterate and corrupt places on the planet, and Balochistan is a very undeveloped and impoverished land. There are many places Balochistan that pakis cannot go without a security convoy or they will be attacked and even killed.

Ask yourselves, how does this Pakiland collect census data, especially in a place like Balochistan?

Do you really think that these pakis can go to every single village, go door to door and speak or send mail to every single Baloch or that there is even any credible post service in Balochistan?

And how honest and reliable can any census under the oversight of Rawalpindi and the "paki wala" be?

Dont take this sh!t country seriously. This Pakiland cannot even provide the most basic of services to people, you think they can take a census?

10s of millions of pakis, Baloch and Pashtuns living in Pakiland are uneducated and illiterates.

In Balochistan almost half the population is now illiterate. For women across the province this is estimated to be as high as 70%.

So how and from where is this census data coming from?

I have to agree. I recall even holding Pakistani flags in Baluchistan would get you killed on August 14; Baluch nationalists would not tolerate it.

I can't imagine a census being held properly in a fragmented, broken society like Pakistan.

[toughpashtun]

I have to agree. I recall even holding Pakistani flags in Baluchistan would get you killed on August 14; Baluch nationalists would not tolerate it.

I can't imagine a census being held properly in a fragmented, broken society like Pakistan.

You have been fed a very wrong image of Balochistan.There are certain anti-Pakistan elements in the province but generally the atmosphere is not like how you described it.Baluch are patriotic people.

[maneatinglizard]

I have to agree. I recall even holding Pakistani flags in Baluchistan would get you killed on August 14; Baluch nationalists would not tolerate it.

I can't imagine a census being held properly in a fragmented, broken society like Pakistan.

Same. Censuses are hard to pull off even in well-established states. In a country with a weak central government like Pakistan, it's highly unlikely the numbers are accurate, especially when you factor in the corruption and ethnic tensions.

[Farahshah]

Does anybody seriously believe that a corrupt 3rd world sh!t hole like Pakiland is capable of honestly and meticulously conducting a census?

Pakiland is one of the most backwards, illiterate and corrupt places on the planet, and Balochistan is a very undeveloped and impoverished land. There are many places Balochistan that pakis cannot go without a security convoy or they will be attacked and even killed.

Ask yourselves, how does this Pakiland collect census data, especially in a place like Balochistan?

Do you really think that these pakis can go to every single village, go door to door and speak or send mail to every single Baloch or that there is even any credible post service in Balochistan?

And how honest and reliable can any census under the oversight of Rawalpindi and the "paki wala" be?

Dont take this sh!t country seriously. This Pakiland cannot even provide the most basic of services to people, you think they can take a census?

10s of millions of pakis, Baloch and Pashtuns living in Pakiland are uneducated and illiterates.

In Balochistan almost half the population is now illiterate. For women across the province this is estimated to be as high as 70%.

So how and from where is this census data coming from?

And they have completely forgotten the Brahvi people, who live in balochistan too. Lol

[Firdousi]

Does anybody seriously believe that a corrupt 3rd world sh!t hole like Pakiland is capable of honestly and meticulously conducting a census?

Pakiland is one of the most backwards, illiterate and corrupt places on the planet, and Balochistan is a very undeveloped and impoverished land. There are many places Balochistan that pakis cannot go without a security convoy or they will be attacked and even killed.

Ask yourselves, how does this Pakiland collect census data, especially in a place like Balochistan?

Do you really think that these pakis can go to every single village, go door to door and speak or send mail to every single Baloch or that there is even any credible post service in Balochistan?

And how honest and reliable can any census under the oversight of Rawalpindi and the "paki wala" be?

Dont take this sh!t country seriously. This Pakiland cannot even provide the most basic of services to people, you think they can take a census?

10s of millions of pakis, Baloch and Pashtuns living in Pakiland are uneducated and illiterates.

In Balochistan almost half the population is now illiterate. For women across the province this is estimated to be as high as 70%.

So how and from where is this census data coming from?

Pakistan is a failed state thats true but it wouldnt surprise me that this census is actually accurate. Pakistani Pashtuns have the highest birth rate in that country while Baluch rate is not that high.