Baloch linguists and writers are of the opinion that Balochi language belongs to the Indo-Arian family of the Iranian branch, while other languages of the area which belong to the same branch, are Persian, Pashto, Kurdi and Ossatic.
Prominent linguist Joseph Elfenbein, while working on Balochi language, said that the ancestors of the Balochi was neither Parthian nor middle Persian (sassanied pehlvi) - but a lost language which while sharing a number of characteristic features has a pronounced individuality.
It is unfortunate that the issue of Balochi script is under discussion in the Baloch literary circles and government-funded Balochi academy in Quetta. They are, even in the technologically advanced 21st century, not sure whether Balochi language should be written in Arabic/Persian script or Roman script, which was adopted by the British for their vested interests.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Persian language was the official language of the Afghan kingdom and Kalat state, not Pashto or Balochi, before the entry of the East India Company in the subcontinent.
It is unfortunate that the issue of Balochi script is under discussion in the Baloch literary circles and government-funded Balochi academy in Quetta. They are, even in the technologically advanced 21st century, not sure whether Balochi language should be written in Arabic/Persian script or Roman script, which was adopted by the British for their vested interests.
Even during the British era, the Baloch intellectuals and religious leaders used the Arabic/Persian script in their writings. After the partition, periodicals and magazines started publishing in numerous regional languages which developed incentives among the Baloch literacy circles to create literature in their own language. They deemed the Arabic/Persian script fit for their expression in Balochis. This tradition of writing in Balochi started in 1950s. Still, and despite the lapse of 70 years, the issue of script is not yet settled -- due to intellectual rivalry among Baloch writers and scholars.
After accumulation of immense literary works in Balochi, the conscious Baloch writers felt that for progress of the language, there was need to remove flaws and shortcomings from its orthography. They formed different literary societies and organizations to convene meetings to work on orthography. These efforts bore fruit, and they succeeded in coining three new words - آ “AA” (ءَ) “Ai” اِے (ءِ) and “O”) (ءُfor the improvement of Arabic/Persian script, which is known as a milestone in advancement of the Balochi language.
In the wake of these coined words, the Balochi orthography is now quite different from the Persian and Urdu script. No doubt it is a great achievement but unfortunately two prominent poets and writers - namely Akbar Barakzai and Siddique Azad - did not agree with these newly coined words. Instead, they advanced their own sets of words based on Urdu alphabets. They are steadfast in their stance and orthography, and have advanced some arguments in this regard as well.
After General Yahya Khan dissolved the one-unit in West Pakistan, the National Awami Party and Jamiat-ul-Ulema Islam formed coalition governments in NWFP and Balochistan. The Balochistan government awarded the ministry of education to Mir Gul Khan Naseer, a Balochi poet. He convened a conference on the issue of Balochi script. Baloch writers, poets and intellectuals participated in the conference and advanced their point of view but no consensus was reached at, and the issue remained unresolved.
I do remember when the Balochi academy was housed on Patel Road in Quetta, a prominent Baloch writer late Bashir Ahmad Baloch was chairing the general body meeting. He said that the Balochi script had been decided long ago, in Arabic/Persian script, and “now the Baloch writers are advancing their creations in said script”.
In 1988 Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, along with some other nationalist leaders of the province, formed the government in Balochistan. CM Bugti took an extraordinary step of deciding to impart education in mother tongue to children up to primary level.
Meanwhile a lover of Balochi language, Zahoor Shah, also a trendsetter poet and a linguist, continued working on the Persian/Arabic script. Shah removed obvious flaws and confusions in writings of Balochi writers. He pointed out the exact meanings of “Ai”(ۓ) “A” (یے) and “W”) (و, and defined that (ۓ) is used for you (تو) , (یے)is for a “one” and “o” (و) for “and”. He also pointed out the short and long vowels and gave them nomenclature “Kash-Ab” vowel (کشاب) and “Jowan-Ab" consonant (جواناب).
In 1988 Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, along with some other nationalist leaders of the province, formed the government in Balochistan. CM Bugti took an extraordinary step of deciding to impart education in mother tongue to children up to primary level. The provincial bureaucracy did not approve of this, but because of Bugti’s strict governance methods, they didn’t voice their objections vehemently. The Baloch writers prepared the course in Balochi on the basis of two eastern and western dialects. They introduced some new words and this new orthography was welcomed and appreciated by all.
After the dissolution of the nationalist government, imparting education in mother tongue discontinued. Had this scheme not been dropped then, perhaps, Balochi language would have been much improvement today.