A galaxy of languages

So, how many languages are spoken in Karachi? According to available records, 20 plus languages are used for communication in this metropolitan city.

While nearly everyone understands and can speak Urdu there are other areas where other languages dominate conversations and it will be hard for someone only knowing Urdu to understand the conversations around them in other languages.

Take for example Sohrab Goth and Al Asif Square, which are called ‘mini-Peshawar’ and then there is Banaras, Qasbah Colony, Orangi Town, and of course SITE area where also Pashto dominates. There is also a wide understanding of the Sindhi language, which is dominant in Lyari, Malir, Gadap, and Landhi-Korangi. It is mixed with Punjabi in some neighborhoods, and with Kutchi and Memoni in the old city areas of Kharadar and Mithadar.

Additionally, Hindko—a language whose name may sound unfamiliar to many—is commonly spoken in Karachi areas such as Qasbah Colony, Orangi, and parts of Nazimabad. Remember the slogan “Kashmir will become Pakistan”. Yes, Pahari, Pothwari, Gujari and Kashmiri too are spoken in Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, and North Karachi.

You thought I had forgotten Brahui, but who can forget a language so popular among the Baloch communities in Lyari and Gadap? There is also Gujarati, which is prominent mainly in the business areas of the city and used freely by the Memon and Bohra communities. And before I forget and get chastised by Karachi’s affluent, there is English. It is spoken not only by those with a formal education but also by those in business who use it daily—in many cases, mixing it with other languages. While English can be heard all over the city, it is most common in areas like Clifton, DHA, P.E.C.H.S., and Gulshan-e-Iqbal. It is also used freely at universities and in the various offices that dot the Karachi landscape.

So vast is the array of languages that I might have missed some, but it is precisely because of this linguistic diversity that the city of Karachi feels so alive. A good way to gauge the number of languages—especially regional ones like Pashto—is to overhear the conversations of joggers and walkers in public parks. Since most people talk on their mobile phones, you can easily tell which language they are using. Many times, it is not even a local tongue, but a foreign language mixed with regional dialects that are hard to understand, even for veterans of the walking track.

You might be surprised by the variety of local and foreign languages that can be heard on any regular day along a walking track. This random blend of languages is common across different parts of Karachi, but it quickly reminds us of the low literacy rates in several areas of the city. Not only is there a paucity of schools and a lack of educational access for the young, but financial restraints also unfortunately prevent children from attending school. Instead, they are forced into various forms of child labour to sustain their families.

Yes, Karachi is a galaxy of languages, but they do not all form a peaceful rainbow; rather, they tell stories of deprivation, including a lack of education and forced labour that seals the fate of these unfortunate children forever. Looking at this mosaic of different languages, we are reminded that while language can be a means of unity and progress, it can also act as a catalyst for destruction and violence—as seen during the language riots that once engulfed the province of Sindh, bringing immense death and devastation.

All languages should serve to unite people and give them a chance to understand each other better. This is the path to living in peace, which ultimately leads to progress for everyone. The example of Karachi and its multifaceted existence—which encourages and sustains all—is something that must be preserved and practiced to maintain and foster this unique linguistic galaxy.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026