Baloch
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The Baloch (alternative common spelling Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush, and others not mentioned here) are an ethnic group of disputed origin. There are four popular theories of the origin of the Baloch. The first is that they came from the Caspian Sea region, the second would be that they are Semites from Aleppo (or Halab), a third claim would be Arabs from the Arabian Peninsula, and the fourth is that they are the indigenous people of Balochistan. They speak Baluchi, which is considered to be a north-western Iranian language. Their homeland, Balochistan, is divided between three countries with portions of it in Pakistani Balochistan, Iranian Balochistan, and the Southern parts of Afghanistan. They are also found in large numbers all over the Gulf_Cooperation_Council or GCC countries of the Persian Gulf. Although the Baloch are nearly 100 percent Muslims, with most belonging to the Hanafi school of thought of Sunni Islam, they are very tolerent of other religious beliefs and views.
The Baloch population is estimated to be over 10 million.
See also
External links
- Baloch ethnic group (http://countrystudies.us/pakistan/35.htm)
- Balochistan.org (http://www.balochistan.org)