The majority of the Baloch reside within Pakistan. About 50% of the total Baloch population live in the Pakistani province ofBalochistan,[22] while 40% aresettled in Sindh and a significant albeit smaller number reside in thePakistani Punjab. They make up 3.6% of Pakistan's total population, and around 2% of the populations of both Iran and Afghanistan[23] and the largest non-Arab community inOman.[24]
The exact origin of the word "Baloch" is unclear. According to the Baloch historian Naseer Dashti (2012), the name of the ethnic group derives from 'Balaschik' living inBalasagan, between theCaspian Sea andLake Van in present-day Turkey and Azerbaijan, who are believed to have migrated to Balochistan during theSasanian times.[25] The remnants of the original name such as "Balochuk" and "Balochiki" are said to be still used as ethnic names in Balochistan.[26]
Some other writers suggest a derivation fromSanskrit wordsbal, meaning strength, andoch meaning high or magnificent.[26]
Regardless of its possible roots in ancient era, the ethnonym Baloch might be derived from a term cockscomb or crest used inMiddle Persian that refer to the Baloch inMedian kingdom andKayanian dynasty who were part of the army ofAstyages orKay Khosrow troops.[27][28] In ancient time, the Baloch wore distinctive helmets decorated with a cock's comb.[29] It is presumably indicated to Turban that known as the "Paag" in Balochi language. The Balochi traditionally wear various styles of the turban, wrapped around the head.[30]
An earliest Sanskrit reference to the Baloch might be the Gwalior inscription of theGurjara-Pratihara rulerMihira Bhoja (r. 836–885), which says that the dynasty's founderNagabhata I repelled a powerful army ofValacha Mlecchas, translated as "Baluch foreigners" byD. R. Bhandarkar. The army in question is that of theUmayyad Caliphate after the conquest ofSindh.[33]
Balochi(بلۏچی, romanized:Balòci) is anIndo-European language, spoken by the Baloch and belonging to theIndo-Iranian branch of the family. As anIranian language, it is classified in theNorthwestern group,[34] spoken primarily in the Balochistan region of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. In addition, there are speakers in Oman, the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Turkmenistan, East Africa and in diaspora communities in other parts of the world.[35]
Many Baloch are either bilingual or multilingual, speaking the language of their respective nation of origin, such as Urdu, Persian, and Arabic as a second language alongside their native Balochi, while those in diaspora communities often speak three or more languages.[34]
Agha Mir Nasir Khan Ahmadzai the author of Seven-volume book on the history of Baloch and Balochistan,[45] connects Balochs withMedes[46] and considers them descendants of the Medes, the people ofancient Iran. He makes mention of all Baloch tribes[47][48] are descendants of the Medes, who came to Balochistan and settled inancient time.[45]
Šahrestānīhā ī Ērānšahr is a surviving Middle Persian text on Sasanian administrative geography and history,[49] based on the source,Padishkhwārgar was a Sasanian province inLate Antiquity and People who contributed to building 21 cities in Padishkhwargar were Baloch.[50]
Mansel Longworth Dames in 1902 stated that "a theory of the origin of the Baloch people, the largest ethnic group in the region, is that they are of Median descent."[51]
The Baloch were amongKay Khosrow allies and formed part of his army headed by GeneralAshkash.[29][28] This is depicted in the mythological part of theShahnamah a prose work written in Middle Persian.[52]
"Next afterGostaham came shrewd Aškash endowed with prudent heart and ready brain An army of warriors of the kuch and Baloch Scheming war like the faighting-ram No one in the word has seen(them tun) rheir backs No one has seen(as much as) one of their fingers unarmed”[53][54]
Also in another piece of this pose which is depicted in the same work:
"Also from Pahlav and Pars and Koch o Baloch" from the warriors of Gilan and Dasht-e Soroch"[53][55][54]
During theSassanid era,Anoshervan andArdashir fought against the Balochs and After initially sustaining a defeat, succeeded in subjugating the Baloch. The Baloch scattered in the Makran(modern-day Balochistan in Iran and Pakistan) and Kerman regions, areas that formed the southeastern frontier of the Sassanid Empire. Periodic uprisings or refusals to pay tribute might have been part of their interactions with the Sassanid kings.[56][28][34][38][57]
According to Baloch lore, their ancestors hail fromAleppo in what is nowSyria.[58] After the fight againstabbasid CaliphHarun under Ameer Hamza theKharijites leader[52][59][60] migrated to east or southeast of the central Caspian region, specially toward to east or southeast of the centralCaspian region, specially towardSistan,[60] Iran.
Based on an analysis of the linguistic connections of the Balochi language, which is one of theWestern Iranian languages, the original homeland of the Balochi tribes was likely to the east or southeast of the centralCaspian region. The Baloch began migrating towards the east in the lateSasanian period. The cause of the migration is unknown but may have been as a result of the generally unstable conditions in the Caspian area. The migrations occurred over several centuries.[61]
The 12th century Seljuk invasion ofKerman seemed to have stimulated the further eastwards emigration of the Baloch,[64] towards what is now the Balochistan province of Pakistan, although some remained behind and there are still Baloch in the eastern parts of the IranianSistan-Baluchestan andKerman provinces. By the 13th–14th centuries, waves of Baloch were moving into Sindh, and by the 15th century into the Punjab.[38]
Traditionally,Jalal Khan was the ruler and founder of the first Baloch confederacy in 12th century. (He may be the same asJalal ad-Din Mingburnu the last ruler of theKhwarezmian Empire.[67]) Jalal Khan left four sons –Rind Khan, Lashar Khan,Hoth Khan, Korai Khan and a daughter, Bibi Jato, who married his nephew Murad.[52] Since 12th century Baloch chieftains ruled over most of Balochistan.Mir Jalal khan andMir 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 capturedMultan.[68] The great Baloch kingdom was based on tribal confederationn, Punjab and Balochistan remained under his rule for a period of time .[69][57]
According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, professor atUniversity of Karachi, the Balochis migrated fromBalochistan during theLittle Ice Age and settled inSindh andPunjab. The Little Ice Age is conventionally defined as a period extending from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries,[70][71][72] or alternatively, from about 1300[73] to about 1850.[74][75][76]
The area where the Baloch tribes settled was disputed between thePersianSafavids and theMughal emperors. Although the Mughals managed to establish some control over the eastern parts of the area, by the 17th century, a tribalBrahui leader named Mir Hasan established himself as the first "Khan of the Baloch". In 1666, he was succeeded byMir Aḥmad Khan Qambarani who established theKhanate of Kalat under the Ahmadzai dynasty.[note 1] Originally in alliance with the Mughals, the Khanate lost its autonomy in 1839 with the signing of a treaty with theBritish colonial government and the region effectively became part of theBritish Raj.[38]
The Baluch tribes revolted against the Safavid government.Engelbert Kaempfer writes about this: Despite their small numbers, they attackedSuleiman Shah with their fortifications.[43]
During the Safavid dynasty sought to incorporate the Baloch regions into its administrative structure, the Baloch tribes maintained their autonomy through resistance, strategic alliances. In the reign ofSoltan Hoseyn, a number of Baloch chiefs, ruling Balochistan and neighbouring areas.[82]
After the fall of the Safavids, Iran fell under the control of theAfsharid Empire ruled byNader Shah. Nader Shah sought to consolidate and expand his empire, which brought him into contact with the Baloch.Mohammad Khan Baloch became military commander inAfsharid Iran[83] and Nader appointed Mohammad Khan Baloch the governor offars,Kohgiluyeh andKhuzestan.[84] Many Baloch were moved to Khorasan in order to protect the eastern border from invading Afghans during the reign of afsharid dynasty.[85]
Contemporary portrait of Amir Miro Mirwani, Khan of Kalat. created in c. 1700, Balochistan history book[86]
TheKhanate of Kalat founded in the 16th century by Mir Altaz Sani Khan Qambrani and played an important part ofBaloch history.[87] The major figure in its establishment was Mir Ahmad Khan, who, established his authority over Kalat.[88] The dynasty established as a tribal confederacy ofBaloch and Brahui tribes and emerged as a political entity that consolidated the power of these tribes under a single ruler, known as the Khan.[34] Mir Ahmad Khan I was strong enough to captureQuetta,Mastung, andPishin from theMughal governor at Kandahar.
Nasir Khan I Ahmadzai the sixth ruler of kalat was one of the most prominent and influential rulers of the Khanate of Kalat. He played a crucial role in consolidating Baloch power, unifying the Baloch tribes, and shaping the political and administrative structure of the Khanate.[89] The border of Balochestan in the reign of Nasir khan stretched from across modern-day Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Northern Border in areas such asHelmand and parts ofKandahar (Balochistan, Afghanistan). In the East stretched as far as Punjab includingDera Ghazi Khan, in the southMakran coast along theArabian Sea fromKarachi toBandar Abbas, in the western included Persian Balochistan (modern-day Sistan and Baluchestan Province in Iran),Kerman and Bandar abbas.[90]
Talpur was a Baloch dynasty that originated in the modern-day Sindh region of Pakistan.[91]
The Talpur ruled the Sindh until British conquest of Sindh in 1843. TheTalpur Baloch were a prominent Baloch tribe that rose to power in Sindh during the late 18th century and established their rule. TheBattle of Miani (1843), took place nearHyderabad, Baloch forces under the last Talpur rulerAmir Nasir Khan Talpur defeated by theEast India Company led byCharles Napier.[92]
For centuries, Balochistan was governed autonomously and local Baloch chieftains ruled Balochistan.[93][94]
Balochistan in 1789, which included the Kalat Khanate and the states under its rule.
From 1666 Balochistan was continuously under the control of the Khanate of Kalat and ruled by confederacy of Baloch tribes, until the occupation of Balochistan by the British in 1839.[95]
Baloch tribes in the Sarhad resisted the Persian government force. Gamshadzai,Yar Ahmadzai, Ismailzai and Kurd tribes fought against Persian force during 1888.[95]Sanjrani Baloch ruledSeistan with its capital atChakansur in the early and late 19th century.[96][97] In 1897 the western regions of Balochistan were under the leadership of the chieftains of the Narui tribe.[94]
Baloch nationalism in its modern form began in the form of theAnjuman-e-Ittehad-e-Balochan-wa-Balochistan based inMastung in 1929, led byYousaf Aziz Magsi,Abdul Aziz Kurd and others.[98] In Pakistan's Balochistan province, insurgencies by Baloch nationalists have been fought in 1948-50, 1958–60, 1962–63 and 1973–1977, with an ongoing low-level insurgency beginning in 2003.[99] The Baloch population in Pakistan has endured grave violations of human rights, which include extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture. These actions are purportedly perpetrated by state security forces and their associates.[100]
During theSecond Balochistan conflict The Baloch nationalist leaderNawab Nauroz Khan led an armed rebellion against the central government, demanding greater autonomy. This triggered a major armed conflict, with over 50,000 Baloch fighters resisting the Pakistani military.[102]
TheThird Balochistan conflict began and engaging in guerrilla warfare against the Pakistani military.Sher Muhammad Bijrani Marri led militants into guerrilla warfare from 1963 to 1969 by creating their own insurgent bases.[103] This insurgency ended in 1969, with the Baloch separatists agreeing to a ceasefire granting general amnesty to the separatists as well as freeing the separatists.[104]
Baloch-inhabited areas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran (pink) in 1980
About 50% of the total Baloch population live in the Pakistani province of Balochistan while 40% are settled in Sindh and a significant albeit smaller number reside in the Pakistani Punjab.
In 2008, there were 180,000Bugti based inDera Bugti District. They are divided between the Rahija Bugti, Masori Bugti, Kalpar Bugti, Marehta Bugti and other sub-tribes.[105][106][full citation needed] led the Bugti as Tumandar until his death in 2006. Talal Akbar Bugti was the tribal leader and President of theJamhoori Watan Party from 2006 until his death in 2015.[107]
There are 98,000Marri based inKohlo district in 2008,[105] who further divide themselves into Gazni Marri, Bejarani Marri, and Zarkon Marri.[105][needs update]
As of 2008 it was estimated that there were between eight and nine million Baloch people living in Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. They were subdivided between over 130 tribes.[105] Some estimates put the figure at over 150 tribes, though estimates vary depending on how subtribes are counted.[108] The tribes, known astaman, are led by a tribal chief, thetumandar. Subtribes, known as paras, are led by a muqaddam.[109]
The Baloch holds a significant place in thehistory of Sindh. The Talpur, originally a Baloch tribe, ruled Sindh from 1783 to 1843. A significant population in sindh have Baloch root according unofficial estimates at about 4 million.[110][111]
Baloch needlework highlighted on a stamp of Iran, 1986
Sistan and Balochestan is one of the poorest and least developed provinces in Iran. Basic infrastructure, such as roads, schools, and hospitals, is lacking compared to other regions. The unemployment rate is disproportionately high, especially among Baloch youth.[116] The majority of Iranian Baloch are Sunni Muslims, which distinguishes them from the predominantly Shia Muslim population of Iran. This religious difference has often contributed to tensions between the Baloch and the central government.[116]
During the 1950s, tribal revolt led by a Baloch farmerMir Daad Shah struck south eastern Iran. Elements of Baloch nationalism were present in this movement, he participated in a rebellion andarmed insurgency against the Shah of Iran,Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, in the 1950s.[116]
On September 30, 2022(Bloody Friday) in Zahedan a large number of Baloch civilians gathered for Friday prayers at theGrand Makki Mosque, the largest Sunni mosque in Iran, located in Zahedan. After the prayers, peaceful demonstrations began, demanding justice for the sexual assault case of the alleged rape of a 15-year-old Baloch girl in June that by a commander of the police force inChabahar. Iranian security forces, including theIslamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and riot police, surrounded the area and opened fire on the protesters.[117][118] According to human rights organizations such asAmnesty International and Baloch activist groups, at least 96 people were killed on the day of the massacre, and hundreds were injured.[118]Molavi Abdolhamid Ismaeelzahi called the incident a "catastrophe" and demanded "trial and punishment for those responsible for those who have killed people", adding that worshipers were shot in head and heart by snipers.[119] From this event, a picture ofKhodanur Lojei, a Baloch protester whose hands were tied to a flagpole, with a cup of water put in front of him (but out of his reach) became a symbol in the ongoing protests.[120]
Rug weaving is a common profession among the Baloch tribes of Afghanistan. Balochi rugs, floor coverings made by the Baloch, are often sold in the Herat local market and global market.[123] Needlework and handicrafts are the art of Baloch women in Afghanistan. Baloch women wear clothes called "Za Asteen Guptan", which are designed on Baloch needlework and embroidery. Keeping and breeding camels, as well as holdingcamel riding competitions in Nimroz province, is popular among the Baloch.[124]
In the fall of 1978, Balochi was recognized as an official language of Afghanistan, alongside Pashto and Dari. A weekly newspaper in Balochi began publication in September 1978.[94] The Baloch Council of Afghanistan is a Baloch socio-cultural organization that celebrates Baloch Culture Day every year.
The government of Afghanistan(Before the Taliban came to power) has never employed the same level of brutality against its own Baloch like Pakistan, but it has always been implacably opposed to any suggestion of Baloch separatism.
Baloch account for 20% of Oman's population, a total of around 1 million people and the largest non-Arab community in Oman. The first modern army of Oman was exclusively Baloch,[24] and even today around 40% ofOmani Army consists of Baloch people.[125]
the Baloch have been well integrated in political life in Oman. the Baloch hold positions in many high-ranking jobs and have played a significant role in the progress and development of Oman.[126]
There are around 300 Baloch families living inMumbai, numbering about 1,500 individuals. They are scattered across the outer western suburbs and ghettos of Mumbai's metropolitan area. The vast majority of them belong to aworking class background, having little formal education, and are employed as manual labourers or drivers.[127]
Baloch are also found in Turkmenistan mainlyMerv and smaller numbers in other areas.[128] They immigrated into the Merv and the Murghab River inland delta from the areas west and north of Herat, Afghanistan,Chakhansur District in the province of Nimruz and Iran in the mid 19th century.[129] In 1926 the Baluch of Merv Oasis numbered 9,974. Their numbers fell to 7,842 in the official statistics by 1959 but then rose to 12,582 by 1970 and 18,997 by 1979.
There was substantial immigration of ethnic Baloch in theUnited States andCanada[34] who are mainly political refugees and immigrants seeking economic opportunity. A 2015 eight-part documentary by VSH News, the first Balochi language news channel, called Balochs in America, shows that Baloch Americans live in different parts of the United States, includingWashington D.C., New York, Texas, North Carolina and Washington.[132]
There is a considerable number ofBaloch who settled inAustralia for education and employment opportunities.[34][133] Small Baloch groups of cameleers were shipped in and out of Australia at three-year intervals, to service the Australian inland pastoral industry by carting goods and transporting wool bales by camel trains. Baloch cameleers who worked theWestern Australian Goldfields in the late 1890s.[134][135]
MostBaloch people in Sweden[136] live in the capitalStockholm or inUppsala. A majority of Baloch political refugees[137] and students choose Sweden as their host country and therefore they have a cultural presence in Sweden.[138]Uppsala University offers a course titled Balochi A, which provides basic knowledge of the phonetics and syntax of theBalochi language. This course also includes a brief overview of the history of the Baloch people. The course is conducted inEnglish and is available as a distance learning option, making it accessible to a broader audience interested in learning about the Balochi language.[139]
There is a Baloch community in theUK, originating from the Balochistan province of southwestern Pakistan and neighbouring and other parts where Baloch populations reside. Estimates suggest that the Baloch community inLondon numbers in the thousands, though an exact figure is not available. There are many Baloch associations and groups active in the UK, including the Baloch Students and Youth Association (BSYA), Baloch Cultural Society, Baloch Human Rights Council (UK) and others.[140]
Gold ornaments such as necklaces and bracelets are an important aspect of Baloch women's traditions and among their most favoured items of jewellery aredorr, heavy earrings that are fastened to the head with gold chains so that the heavy weight will not cause harm to the ears. They usually wear a gold brooch (tasni) that is made by local jewellers in different shapes and sizes and is used to fasten the two parts of the dress together over the chest.[143]
Baloch Culture Day is celebrated by the Balochi people annually on 2 March with festivities to celebrate their rich culture and history.[144]
In general, Baloch women's rights and equality have improved in the recent years due to political movements within Baloch society. However, despite the progress, Baloch and international women's rights organizations still report significant human rights issues related to gender equality, forced marriages,[145] honor killings.[146]
Fariba Baloch in the 18th annual International Women of Courage Award Ceremony at the White House in Washington
Fariba Baloch is another Baloch women who works for women's rights and human rights in Balochistan in Iran. She is particularly outspoken about the challenges faced by women in Balochistan region, advocating for gender equity and justice amidst widespread human rights abuses. She received the 2024International Women of Courage award.[153][154][155]
Karima Baloch was a human rights activist and was included in the100 Women List by theBBC in 2016, where she was identified as a political activist campaigning for the independence for Balochistan from Pakistan.[156] Her inclusion in the BBC 100 list as a Baloch woman was repeated in 2024 when the IranianZhina Modares Gorji bookseller was also named for her struggle for freedom of speech.[157]
Baloch Women have played numerous roles, and contributed in many ways, to Baloch society. Historically, tradition maintained.Banadi Shehak the sister of Mir Chakar Rind was a Baloch woman who led the war and participated in the battlefield.
Baloch folklore (Balochi:بلوچ لوک) consists offolk traditions which have developed inBalochistan over many centuries.[158] The majority of such folk traditions are preserved in theBalochi language and deal with themes such as tragic love, resistance and war.[159] The history of Baloch tribes is captured in the ballads which narrate the conflicts and wars fought by various clans, celebrating the valor of tribal chiefs and heroes.
Hani and Sheh Mureed, atragic love story. It tells of the deep love between Hani and Sheh Mureed and the societal pressures that ultimately lead to their separation.[25]
Mir Hammal Jiand is a significant figure in Baloch folkore, Balochi culture and balochi literature ,[160] particularly noted for his role during the conflicts with Portuguese colonial forces in the 16th century. He is celebrated as a heroic leader and is often compared to other notable Baloch leaders like Mir Chakar Rind.[161]
Widely varying in purpose and style, among the Balochi folklore one will find stories about nature, anthropomorphic animals, love, heroes and villains, mythological creatures and everyday life. Baloch mythology often intertwines with their beliefs and geography, featuring supernatural. A number of these mythological figures can be found in other cultures, like stories ofShahnameh andIranian Mythology.[162]Ashkash is introduced in several verses in the Shahnameh as the commander of the Baloch army.[29] This work has inspired Baloch heroic tales and has appeared in the works of Baloch writers and Baloch folklore.[34]
In ancient times, especially during the pre-Islamic era, it was common for Baloch women to performdances and singfolk songs at different events. The tradition of a Baloch mother singing lullabies to her children has played an important role in the transfer of knowledge from generation to generation since ancient times. Apart from the dressing style of the Baloch, indigenous and local traditions and customs are also of great importance to the Baloch.[143]
Zahīrōk is one of the musical forms of Baloch and in the beginning, was only sung by two groups of Baloch women.[163]
Suroz andGhaychak are popular instrument between Balochs such as craftspeople, folk artists, folk musicians and dance groups.[163][164]
Balochi weaving is renowned throughout the world, with fine specimens of both rugs and carpets. The most famous balochi rugs are those fromNimruz andKhorasan.[123] Wool is the primary material used, sourced from sheep and goats. In some cases, camel hair or a mix of natural fibers is also used.[165] Mehrabi is aprayer rug designed in the Balochi style, and it typically features amihrab or arch at one end of the rug.[166][167]
Balochi handicrafts are handicraft or handmade crafted works originating from Baloch people.[168]
Balochi mirror work embroidery is a type of traditional Balochi embroidery[168] and art that is used to decorate coats, cloth, hat(pag), cushion covers, tablecloths, bags, shoes, vests, local clothing betweenBaloch of afghanistan and pakistan.[169]
Balochi coin work embroidery is one of the handicrafts ofBalochistan that the Baloch generally use to decorate bedspreads or camel necks during weddings, and they often hang them on the walls to decorate rooms.[43] Balochi coin embroidery is very popular among theBaloch people in Iran and has created a large market.[170]
Outside of weaving and clothing, there are many otherBaloch needleworks, decorations onbalochi dress is a tradition in Baloch culture including Balochi cap, jackets, belts, ladies purse, shoulder bags, and many other items.[171] These crafts are known for their intricate designs, vibrant colors, and high-quality craftsmanship. They are often made by women artisans and serve both functional and decorative purposes, playing a significant role in the economy and identity of the Baloch community.[34] Notable Balochi needlework artisans includeMahtab Norouzi.Farah Diba Pahlavi, the formerShahbanu of Iran, was particularly drawn to Balochi needlework handcrafts and incorporated them into many of her formal dresses.[172]
Among crafts are coin embroidery and cream embroidery that are made with natural materials.[173]
The Baloch are predominantlyMuslim, with the vast majority belonging to theHanafi school ofSunni Islam, but there is also tiny proportion ofShia in Balochistan.[179][180]
In the case of Pakistan, breakdown by religious movements or sub-groups among the ethnic Baloch in the country as a whole is as following: 64.78% are Sunni-Deobandis, 33.38% are Sunni-Barelvis and 1.25% are Sunni-Ahl-i Hadith; Shia's are 0.59%. Inside Pakistan's Balochistan province more specifically, the religious affiliation among the Baloch is: 68.75% Sunni-Deobandi, 30.38% Sunni-Barelvis, 0.79% Sunni-Ahl-i Hadith and 0.07% Shi'as.[181]
Although Baloch leaders, backed by traditional scholarship, have held that the Baloch people are secular,Christine Fair and Ali Hamza found during their 2017 study that, when it comes toIslamism, "contrary to the conventional wisdom, Baloch are generally indistinguishable from other Pakistanis in Balochistan or the rest of Pakistan". There are virtually no statistically significant or substantive differences between Balochi Muslims and other Muslims in Pakistan in terms of religiosity, support for a sharia-compliant Pakistan state, liberating Muslims from oppression includingKashmir, etc.[181]
A number of Baloch tribes still preserve and adhere to pre-Islamic traditions, including the Nal oath (a type ofoath to prove innocence by passing through fire)[43] which is common among the Baloch aroundTaftan, and they are bilingual, speaking Parsiwani in addition to the Balochi language.[34][185]
Azigri, a type of religious dance, in Gwarjak in 1891
A small number of Balochs are non-Muslims, particularly in theBugti clan which hasHindu andSikh members.[186]
Most of these Hindus or Sikhs are not ethnic Baloch, or not fully; for example, manyMarathas were captured following their defeat at theThird Battle of Panipat in 1761 and were integrated within the Baloch tribal system (taking names like Bugti and more), their history having been covered in the 2023Marathi movieBaloch.[187]
Likewise, theBhagnaris are a Hindu community living in India[188] who trace their origin to southern Balochistan but migrated to India during thePartition.[189] Numbering around 2,500 inMumbai they identify asSindhis in terms of ethnicity and speakSaraiki, a language close toPunjabi.[190]
^A number of unrelated tribes with the nameAhmadzai exist.[77] There are twoPashtun tribes who are unrelated to each other with this name: theAhmadzai who are aWaziri tribe and theSulaimankhelAhmadzai, part of theGhilzai confederation.[78] However, the Ahmadzai Khans of Khalat were neither of these and belonged to aBrahui tribe.[79][80][81]
^Only includes those who speak Balochi as mother tongue
^Laura, Etheredge (15 January 2011).Persian Gulf States: Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates. The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. p. 66.ISBN978-1-61530-327-4.TheBaloch are traditionallynomads, but settled agricultural existence is becoming more common; every chief has a fixed residence. The villages are collections of mud or stone huts; on the hills, enclosures of rough stone walls are covered with matting to serve as temporary habitations. The Baloch raisecamels, cattle, sheep, and goats and engage in carpet making and embroidery. They engage in agriculture using simple methods and are chiefly Muslim.
^Bashir, Shahzad; Crews, Robert D. (28 May 2012).Under the Drones. Harvard University Press. p. 140.ISBN978-0-674-06476-8.In southwestern Afghanistan theBaloch have traditionally beennomads, and some of them continue to lead anomadic way of life today. Over the course of the twentieth century most Baloch settled down in the southwest and started a sedentary way of life based on pastoralism and irrigated agriculture. Repeated droughts during the last two decades caused many Baloch to give up livestock farming and agriculture,
^Gayer, Laurent (2014).Karachi: Ordered Disorder and the Struggle for the City. Oxford University Press. pp. 127_128.ISBN978-0-19-935444-3.Lyari's first residents were Sindhi fishermen andBaloch nomads (pawans) from Makran, Lasbela and Kalat districts, flee- ing drought and tribal feuds. A first influx occurred around 1725, a few years before Sindhi banyas settled in Karachi and committed to expand it. A second wave of Baloch settlers arrived around 1770, when Karachi came under the control of the Khan of Kalat, following an accord between the Khan and the Kalhora rulers of Sindh. A third wave of Baloch migra- tion took place after 1795, following the annexation of the city by the Talpur rulers of Sindh, which attracted Baloch tribesmen from interior Sindh and the Seraiki belt, many of whom found employment as guards, particularly at the Manora fort.
^Shahrani, M. Nazif (10 February 2018).Modern Afghanistan: The Impact of 40 Years of War. Indiana University Press. p. 276.ISBN978-0-253-03026-9.According to one of the members of the group's lead- ing (Sardar) family whom I met in Pakistan in 2012, the reason for abandoning the settlements in southern Nimruz was that the Sanjerani landowners were threatened by the "communist regime" in Afghanistan in the 1980s. So the Sanjerani moved almost completely to Baloch areas in Pakistan and Iran. At the same time the Brahui,Baloch groups of pastoral nomads, established the main local mujahideen faction, the Jabhe-ye Nimruz and took over most of the for- mer property of the Sanjerani (see below).
^Nahyan, Mansoor Bin Tahnoon Al; Hussain, Jamal; Ghafoor, Asad ul (9 May 2019).Tribes of Pakistan. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 73.ISBN978-1-5275-3439-1.TheBaloch, like the Brahuis, are divided geographically into two groups, the Suleimani (northerners) and the Makrani (southerners) occupying the respective parts of the province, with the central areas inhabited by the Brahuis." Historically, they have also been a nomadicpastoral people living in the open and avoiding towns.
^Phillips, David J. (2001).Peoples on the Move: Introducing the Nomads of the World. William Carey Library. p. 289.ISBN978-0-87808-352-7.They are united by language and a common culture, and the nameBaluch has the connotation of a tent-dwellingnomadic pastoralist, although most of them have never lived like that. TheBaluch practice different combinations of agriculture andpastoralism.
^Iran in the Ancient East: Archaeological Studies Presented in the Lowell Lectures at Boston Hardcover by Ernst Emil Herzfeld - 1988.ISBN9780878173082
^Frye, Richard N (1929). "Remarks on Baluchi History".Central Asiatic Journal.6 (6/1):44–50.JSTOR41926492.
^Bhandarkar, D. R. (1929). "Indian Studies No. I: Slow Progress of Islam Power in Ancient India".Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute.10 (1/2): 30.JSTOR41682407.
^abcdAfshar, Iraj (1992).Balochistan and its ancient civilization (in Persian). Printing and Publishing Organization of the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. pp. 89–90, 101, 127, 376.
^M. Longworth Dames, Balochi Folklore,Folklore, Vol. 13, No. 3 (29 September 1902), pp. 252–274
^abcdBadalkhan, Sabir (2013).Two Essays on Baloch History and Folklore. Balochistan Monograph Series, V. Naples, Italy: Universita degli studi di Napoli. pp. 20, 36,96–97, 120.ISBN978-88-6719-060-7.
^Hansman, John (1973), "A Periplus of Magan and Meluhha",Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies,36 (3):553–587,doi:10.1017/S0041977X00119858,JSTOR613582
^Dashti, Naseer (2012).The Baloch and Balochistan: A Historical Account from the Beginning to the Fall of the Baloch State. Bloomington, Indiana: Trafford Publishing. pp. 103–104.ISBN978-1-4669-5896-8.
^Lamb, H. H. (1972). "The cold Little Ice Age climate of about 1550 to 1800".Climate: present, past and future. London: Methuen. p. 107.ISBN0-416-11530-6. (noted in Grove 2004:4).
^Milleret al. 2012. "Abrupt onset of the Little Ice Age triggered by volcanism and sustained by sea-ice/ocean feedbacks"Geophysical Research Letters39, 31 January:abstract (formerly on AGU website) (accessed via wayback machine 11 July 2015); seepress release on AGU website (accessed 11 July 2015).
^Grove, J. M.,Little Ice Ages: Ancient and Modern, Routledge, London (2 volumes) 2004.
^Westrip, J.; Holroyde, P. (2010).Colonial Cousins: a surprising history of connections between India and Australia.Wakefield Press. p. 193.ISBN978-1862548411.
^Lodhi, Abdulaziz Y. 2000. A note on the Baloch in East Africa. In: Language in society: eight sociolinguistic essays on Balochi, Studia iranica upsaliensia, no 3, pp 91–95. Edited by Carina Jahani. Uppsala: Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis
^Adnan, Atif; Wen, Shao-Qing; Rakha, A.; Alghafri, R.; Nazir, Sh.; Rehman, M.; Wng, Ch. (22 November 2020). "Forensic features and genetic legacy of the Baloch population of Pakistan and the Hazara population across Durand-line revealed by Y chromosomal STRs".bioRxiv10.1101/392456.
^Jahani,Karina, Agnes,Korn (2022).The Baloch and their Neighbours, Ethnic and Linguistic Contact in Balochistan in Historical and Modern Time.Cambridge University. p. 248.ISBN3-89500-366-2.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Maskeri, Anju (20 November 2016)."A century here, but still not at home".Mid-Day. Archived fromthe original on 25 December 2024.For the Bhagnari community of Mumbai, who also originate from Balochistan and date their presence in this city to the Partition, there's no identity conflict. "We are identified as Sindhis. Although we speak Sairaki (a dialect spoken in the southern half of the province of Punjab in Pakistan), there's never been a clash," says Lalit Jham, a businessman and member of the community. According to statistics, there are approximately 2,500 Bhagnaris living in Mumbai. "Since we come under the Sindhi caste, we can avail of benefits like reservation."
Elfenbein, J. "Balochi Literature". P. G. Kreyenbroek and U. Marzolph, eds.Oral Literature of Iranian Languages. Kurdish, Pashto, Balochi, Ossetic, Persian & Tajik. A History of Persian Literature. ed. E. Yarshater. vol. 18. Companion vol. 2. London:I. B. Tauris, 2010. pp. 167–198.
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