Story summary
In the 18th century, Balochistan was introduced to Urdu when Mir Naseer Khan of Kalat supported Ahmed Shah Abdali's military campaigns against the Marathas in India. During this period, about 25,000 soldiers from Balochistan fought alongside Urdu-speaking troops from Delhi and other parts of India. This exposure led some Balochi families to learn Urdu, including the forefathers of Mulla Hasan Brahui, who became Balochistan's first Urdu poet by completing his collection in 1847.
According to Prof Anwer Roomaan’s book "Balochistan Mein Urdu Zaria-i-Ta’leem," another significant phase for Urdu was during the British colonial period. Professor Roomaan highlights that Syed Ahmed Shaheed and his Urdu-speaking fighters traveled through various parts of Balochistan in 1826 en route to Kandahar, Afghanistan, further influencing the region’s cultural landscape.
These historical connections underscore how Urdu literature has been an integral part of Balochistan's cultural heritage for over a century.
Written for “Urdu Literature History” on 2026-10-05,
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PROF ANWER Roomaan (1924-2013) in his book Balochistan Mein Urdu Zaria-i-Ta’leem, or Urdu as medium of instruction in Balochistan, has described the early history of Urdu in Balochistan.
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Roomaan → describe → Balochistan
According to him, Balochistan’s first real and impactful introduction to Urdu occurred in 18th century when Khan of Kalat Mir Naseer Khan (reign 1749-1794) sided with Afghanistan’s Ahmed Shah Abdali during the latter’s military campaigns in India, in particular during the third Battle of Panipat in 1761 against Marathas.
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Khan → accord → Marathas
From Khan of Kalat’s side, about 25,000 Baloch, Brahui and Pakhtun soldiers fought alongside some Urdu-speaking troops from Delhi and other parts of India.
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soldiers → fight → India
Forefathers of Mulla Hasan Brahui — Balochistan’s first Urdu poet — were also part of Khan of Kalat’s troops and later on Hasan Brahui learnt Urdu from them.
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Brahui → learn → them
In 1826, Syed Ahmed Shaheed and his fighters, most of them Urdu-speaking, travelled through Dhadar, Dasht, Saryab, Quetta and some other parts of Balochistan en route to Kandahar, Afghanistan.
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most → speak → Kandahar
But a more important phase of Urdu’s impact dawned during the British colonial period.
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phase → dawn → period
Dr Shamim Kausar in her book Balochistan Mein Urdu Adab, or Urdu literature in Balochistan, says the British adopted Urdu as official language in Balochistan and Urdu language and literature have been thriving more vigorously in the province since then.
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language → say → province
A large number of poets from Balochistan have been contributing to Urdu literature and some of them wrote in Urdu as early as in 19th century, for instance, Mulla Hasan Brahui (died 1855), who finished writing his collection of Urdu poetry in 1847, and Muhammad Yousuf Khan Popalzai (1863-1936).
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who → contribute → 1847
The latter-day poets from Balochistan carried on the tradition of composing poetry in Urdu, for instance, Taj Muhammad Tajel (died 1944), Khaliq Gul Muhammad Magsi (1884-1954) and Syed Abid Shah (1888-1949), not to mention the hundreds of others writing in Urdu in 20th and 21st centuries.
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poets → carry → centuries
The 2025 Kamal-i-Fan, or prize for lifetime literary achievements, administered by Pakistan Academy of Letters, was awarded to Abdur Rahman Brahui, a scholar from Balochistan, for his outstanding research and critical works.
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Fan → administer → research
One of his books Angrezi Par Urdu Ka Asar, or influence of Urdu on English, makes an interesting reading.
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One → make → reading
The 2018 Kamal-i-Fan was awarded to Munir Ahmed Badini, a prolific writer from Balochistan.
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Fan → award → Balochistan
So, history of Urdu language and literature in Balochistan is quite long and rich, spreading over 175 years and recording it is not an easy task.
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spreading → spread → it
But Syed Khursheed Afroz, a veteran scholar from Loralai, Balochistan, has been doing so for over a decade now.
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Afroz → do → decade
Compiling a compendium of Urdu literature created in Balochistan, Afroz has so far published eight volumes in a series titled Mashaheer-i-Balochistan, recording brief life sketches and describing literary works of prose writers and poets of Urdu hailing from Balochistan.
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Afroz → compile → Balochistan
The first volume (2016) covers Urdu poetry’s 100 years in Balochistan, from 1830 to 1930.
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volume → cover → 1930
The second volume (2017) spans next 30 years, that is, 1930 to 1960.
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volume → span → 1960
In the third volume (2017), Khursheed Afroz chronicles the period of Urdu literature between 1957 and 2016.
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Afroz → chronicle → 1957
The fourth volume (2017) presents the introduction to literary organisations active in Balochistan.
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volume → present → Balochistan
The fifth volume (2018) highlights women poets from Balochistan who composed poetry in Urdu between 1914 and 2014.
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who → highlight → 1914
In the sixth volume (2019), he introduces the prose works in Urdu by women writers from Balochistan, spanning the 50 years from 1915 to 1965.
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he → introduce → 1965
The next 50 years are covered in volume seven (2019).
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years → cover → volume
The eighth volume (2025), titled Mashaheer-i-Balochistan: Urdu Shaeri Ka Aik Sadi Ka Safar is in fact a vastly revised and updated edition
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volume → title → fact
the 400-page first volume now has over 700 pages.
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volume → have → pages
These volumes prove that Urdu has been a medium of literary and creative expression in Balochistan for nearly two centuries and the province has produced some very fine poets and prose writers of Urdu.
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province → prove → Urdu
Syed Khursheed Afroz was born on March 15, 1943 in Loralai, Balochistan.
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Afroz → bear → Loralai
He has taught at different colleges in Balochistan.
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He → teach → Balochistan
A poet, columnist, researcher and critic, Khursheed Afroz has published three collections of his Urdu poetry.
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Afroz → publish → poetry
Khursheed Afroz is working on the ninth volume but lack of support and encouragement has made him sound a bit sulky in the eighth volume’s intro.
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him → work → intro
One hopes that the provincial and federal governments would play their role and the untiring efforts of this octogenarian scholar would be recognised in a befitting manner.
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efforts → hop → manner
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