Pahari-Pothwari people
The Pothwari people are a northwestern Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to Pothwar, Mirpur and Poonch divisions of Azad Kashmir and Rajouri and Poonch Districts of Jammu and Kashmir. They speak Pothwari, a northwestern Indo-Aryan language related to Lahnda group of Punjabi. Pothwari language is usually seen as a northwestern dialect of the Punjabi language. The vast majority of Pothwari people (99%) are Muslim.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 13 Million | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Punjab, Azad Kashmir, United Kingdom, Canada, Punjab, India | |
| Languages | |
| Pothwari, Urdu, English | |
| Religion | |
| Sunni Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Indo-Aryan peoples |
Both Mirpur and Poonch divisions of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, as well as people in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, are Pothwari and speak the same language with minor variations.
The Pothwari people residing in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, due to an identity crisis, call themselves Mirpuri, Poonchi, or Kashmiri.
The majority of the people living here call their language as Pahari.
