Balochi

Balochi is an Iranian language of the Northwestern branch, spoken by the Baloch people primarily in Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan, with smaller communities in the Persian Gulf states and among the global diaspora. It is part of the Indo-Iranian language family and has an estimated range of several million native speakers, with sources often citing around seven to eight million. The language features several regional dialects and varying degrees of mutual intelligibility across them.

The main dialect groups are Northern Balochi, Southern Balochi, Eastern Balochi, and Western Balochi. These dialects correspond roughly to geographic areas and differ in phonology, vocabulary, and some grammatical forms, though speakers can often understand one another with some effort. Balochi is used in everyday communication, education in some areas, media, and literature within Baloch communities.

Writing and scripts: Balochi is most commonly written in a Perso-Arabic script adapted for the language, with additional letters to represent sounds not found in Persian. In some contexts, particularly in research, journalism, and digital communication, the Latin script is also used. There is no single universally mandated standard form, and regional varieties influence how it is written and taught.

Status and use: In Pakistan, Balochi is an important regional language spoken in Balochistan and across communities, with presence in media and education at local levels. In Iran and Afghanistan, Balochi is spoken by minority populations and used in local media and cultural contexts. The language also maintains a rich oral and literary tradition, including contemporary poetry and prose alongside traditional storytelling.