The NWFP has always been in limelight, but for wrong reasons. From the British raj’s Afghan wars in eighteenth century to Russian invasion in 1979 and American ouster of Taliban from Kabul in 2002, NWFP had been pivotal to the imperialistic designs, as it provides road access to Afghanistan. Later, the emergence of local Taliban and militancy, itself a product of 30 years long Afghan war, put the Frontier on the map of world, as the bastion of terrorism.
The media stereotyping put the beautiful aspects of its culture, history and people on the backburner and nowadays world knows the people of the Frontier as mere suicide bombers and terrorists. However, there are many a remarkable traits and cultural aspects, which only the Frontier could claim and linguistic diversity of the province is one of such traits.
There are around 69 languages are spoken in Pakistan, 26 out of these spoken in NWFP, and 12 languages in Chitral district alone. According to Frontier Language Institute (FLI) Bateri (20,000), Chillaso (2,000), Gowro (200) and Kohistani (200,000) are spoken in Indus Kohistan.
Chitral district, according to renowned Norwegian linguistic Georg Morgenstierne, was the area with the highest linguistic diversity in the world. The languages give the district a unique flavor of socio-cultural richness and ethno-linguistic diversity. Dameli (2,000), Gawar-Bati (200), Kalasha (3,000), Khowar (200,000), Palula (2,000), Wakhi (2,000), Yidgha (2,000) and Kam-Kataviri (2,000) are the languages spoken in district.
Kalasha is the mother tongue of the famed and mysterious race of Kalasha living in the valleys of Rambur, Bomboret and Berir, while Kam-Kataviri is of the Nuristani people. Nuristanis are the people believed to be subject of a Kipling story “The Man Who Would Be King” which was adapted as motion picture starring Sean Connery in 1975. Unlike Kalasha who are known as the black Kafirs (infidels) due to the black outfit they wear; Nuristanis are known as Red Kafirs due to the red color of their skin.
While, Domakki (200) Hunza, Shina (200,000) Gilgit, Balti (200,000) Baltistan, Burushaski (20,000) Hunza, Nagar and Yasin, Kashmiri, Kundal Shahi and Pahari-Potwari are spoken in Northern Areas and Azad Kashmir.
Gwari (20,000) is spoken in Swat and Upper Dir, while Torwali (20,000) and Ushojo (200) are spoken in Swat, while Kalkoti (2,000) is spoken in Dir Kohistan and Ormuri (2,000) is spoken in South Waziristan.
Pashto and Gojari are spoken throughout the region and Hindko is spoken in Peshawar, Kohat and Kashmir. However, as most of these languages are spoken by small communities, therefore, qualify for categories of languages near extinction and threatened languages and it is need of the hour to preserve this marvelous part of our ethno-linguistic heritage.
* Number within brackets shows number of speakers in excess of the number
I am dismayed by the kind of comments people have posted here,” comments like you have ignored my district” and like “punjabi/pakistani, agenda?” I am a proud Pashtoon and this article has made me even prouder of my land. Sadly it shows the state of mind of our people, who cannot appreciate a simple piece ,written to inform. it is the narrow mindedness and stubbornness of these school called “proud” people who have made the simple process of changing name so complicated by politically charged statements, which naturally makes people who do not speak pashto uncomfortable with the idea of changing name of N.W.F.P. I wish I had an Aladin’s lamp and I could change attitude of my people (Pashtoons)
does any one tell what is the language of pakistan
Dear Shah Saheb
Diversity means acknowledging differences and it does not mean division. I believe author has just highlighted the diversity of languages for pure informational reasons and not for any political reasons.
I for one, am very happy to know such information about my beloved NWFP of Pakistan. Just like Manzoor saheb pointed out, one of the languages in Gilgit is spoken by 500 people only and it needs to be somehow preserved or documented. Articles like this bring such heritage issues to lime light before they become extinct.
best regards
Owais
Dear Mr.Manzoor Ali Shah,
Linguistic Diversity in NWFP
Data is , in whoever hand it is in.
Are you a Punjabi working in a Punjabi/Pakistani office trying to create differences amongst the people of NWFP/Pakhtunkhwa which does not exist, after all the NWFP/Pakhtunkhwa was there well before Punjabi/Pakistan was imposed on us?
What is your agenda?
In my household, the languages spoken are: Pakhto, English, Russian, Urdo, Punjabi, Arabic and Farci but it is still my household and I will not allow anyone to divide my home.
So everyone in NWFP/Pakhtunkhwa are people of NWFP/Pakhtunkhwa.
As far as your comments concerning the “Hindko” , I refer you to the following letter addressed to a newspaper :-
‘Renaming NWFP’
Last week I read two above-titled letters in your newspaper concerning renaming of NWFP. Opposing Pakhtunkhwa, both the writers suggested some other names for the province. One must remember that the NWFP people want to rename their province because the present name does not represent their identity and they want the name which represents them. So if the province adopts the names suggested by the writers, it will complicate instead of solving the problem. It is not possible for Pakhtuns to become Nooristani or Abbasini.
One reason cited for opposing the name ‘Pakhtunkhwa’ is the objection the people of Hazara may have to this name. I myself belong to Hazara and want to clear that this is just propaganda that the people of Hazara are opposed to renaming NWFP as Pakhtunkhwa. There are three kinds of people in Hazara: (1) Those who speak Pashtu, (2) those who speak both Pashtu and Hindko and proudly call themselves Pashtun or Pathan and (3) those who speak Hindko but write themselves as Pathan in their domiciles and very proudly claim that they are basically Pathans.
So, if approximately all the Hazarawals call themselves Pathan, then there is no room for them to oppose a name which provides them their identity. I also want to clear it that renaming NWFP is the matter of the people belonging to this province, and Pakhtuns know better what should be the name of their province.
Nazir Alam Khan
Long live the people of FATA & NWFP and may God protect them from all their enemies (inside/outside of Pakistan).
Wishing you well.
Regards
Mohammad shah
Daktar: Certainly no Pakistan based source is available for the information asked by you. We are preoccupied with other important issues. Try ‘National Geographic’. It has compiled information regarding most major regional languages of Pakistan.