Baloch

From Free net encyclopedia

Template:Ethnic group The Baloch (Persian:بلوچ alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al.) are an Iranian people inhabiting the province of Balochistan in Iran and Pakistan as well as neighboring areas of Afghanistan and the southeast corner of the Iranian plateau in Southwest Asia. The Baloch speak Baluchi, which is considered a north-western Iranian language and the Baloch are generally considered an Iranian people accordingly. The Baloch are predominantly Muslim, with most belonging to the Hanafi school of thought of Sunni Islam, but there are also a significant number of Zikri Muslims in Balochistan. Some 70 percent of the total Balochi population live in Pakistan. About 20 percent inhabit the coterminous region of southeastern Iran. Balochi population is estimated at about 4,800,000. In Pakistan the Balochi people are divided into two groups, the Sulaimani and the Makrani, separated from each other by a compact block of Brahui tribes [1].

1 Geographical homeland, demographics, and sub-groups
2 History of the Baloch people
3 See also
4 External links

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Geographical homeland, demographics, and sub-groups

Image:Pakistan ethnic 80.jpg The Baloch speaking population is estimated to be in the range of 10 to 15 million. However, the exact number of Baloch and those who are or claim to be of Baloch ancestry is difficult to ascertain. It is possible that there are more Baloch than simply those who claim Balochi as their mother tongue. This, however, raises the question as to who is and is not a Baloch as many surrounding peoples claim to be of Baloch descent, but do not speak Balochi. The Brahui, having lived in close proximity to the Baloch, have absorbed substantial linguistic and genetic admixture from the Baloch and in many cases are indistinguishable, while still regarded as a separate group due to their language as opposed to any cultural differences which are largely absent. The high-end figure for the Baloch may only be possible if the large number of "Baloch" who speak a different language, such as Sindhi and Brahui and who often claim descent from Baloch ancestors, can be counted. Many Baloch outside of Balochistan are also bilingual or of mixed ancestry due to their close proximity to other ethnic groups including the Sindhis, Brahui, Persians, and Pashtuns. There is also a large number of Baloch who have been migrating or have been living in adjacent provinces to Balochistan for centuries. In addition, there are many Baloch located in other parts of the world with the bulk living in the GCC countries of the Persian Gulf. Their homeland, Balochistan, is divided between three countries with portions of it in Pakistani Balochistan, Iranian Balochistan, and the southern parts of Afghanistan. Template:Copyedit

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History of the Baloch people

The Seljuk invasion of Kerman in the 11th century CE stimulated the eastward migration of the Balochi. The Seljuk ruler Qawurd (Kavurt) sent an expedition against the Kufichis (Qufs), Balochi mountaineers whose banditry had long threatened the region's southern and eastern parts. After suppressing the Balochi, the Seljuks put watchtowers, cisterns, and caravansaries along the desert route to encourage trade with India. The Balochi remained rebellious under Safavid rule (1501–1736). Western Balochistan was conquered by Iran in the 19th century, and its boundary was fixed in 1872. The Iranian government began to assist settlement and economic development in the 1970s by building dams and thermoelectric-power plants, though these efforts slackened after the Iranian Islamic Revolution [2].