Saraiki people
The Saraikis (Saraiki: سرائیکی), are a Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group native to the Southwestern region of the Punjab province of Pakistan. They are multi-ethnic in origin and speak the Saraiki language.
سرائیکی | |
|---|---|
Depiction of Saraiki men near Derawar Fort | |
| Total population | |
| c. 20 million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Pakistan | 20,324,637 |
| Languages | |
| Saraiki | |
| Religion | |
| Majority Sunni Islam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other Indo-Aryan peoples | |
They are mainly found in a region of southern Punjab known as Saraik or Saraikistan, as well as in most parts of Derajat, which is located in the region where southwestern Punjab, southeastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and northeastern Balochistan meet. Derajat is bounded by the Indus River to the east and the Sulaiman Mountains to the west.
The Saraiki people follow many religions, though most are predominantly followers of Islam. A small minority of Saraikis follow Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism. After the independence of Pakistan in 1947, many Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India where they are known as Multanis, Derawalis and Bhawalpuris.