[2][3] The major Pakistani ethnolinguistic groups include Punjabis, Pashtuns, Sindhis, Saraikis, Muhajirs, Balochs, Hindkowans/Hazarewals, Brahuis, and Kohistanis[4][note 1] with significant numbers of Shina, Baltis, Kashmiris, Paharis, Chitralis, Torwalis, Hazaras, Burusho, Wakhis, Kalash, Siddis, Uzbeks, Nuristanis, Pamiris and various other smaller minorities.
Its identity is independent of historical origin or religion and refers to those who reside in the Punjab region or associate with its population and those who consider the Punjabi language and its dialects as their mother tongue.
Sizable communities of Muhajirs are also present in cities including Lahore, Multan, Islamabad, Mirpur Khas, Sukkur and Peshawar.
[32] According to Dr. Akhtar Baloch, Professor at University of Karachi, the Balochis migrated from Balochistan during the Little Ice Age and settled in Sindh and Punjab.
The Little Ice Age is conventionally defined as a period extending from the sixteenth to the nineteenth centuries[33][34][35] or alternatively, from 1300[36] to 1850,[37][38][39] although climatologists and historians working with local records no longer expect to agree on either the start or end dates of this period, which varied according to local conditions.
[40] Hindkowans, also known as the Hindki,[41][42] is a contemporary designation for speakers of Hindko dialects of Western Punjabi, primarily living in the Hazara region of northern Pakistan.
[51] Meo, also spelled Mayo or occasionally, Mewati, are a Muslim ethnic group originating from the Mewat region of north-western India.
[54] According to the 2023 census, speakers of the Kohistani languages accounted around 1 million of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province population.