The Sorozai is a Pashtun tribe found in Pakistan. They live in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces. They are one of the largest and most influential tribes in the region and have a long history of involvement in politics, commerce and tribal leadership.
There have been efforts to reach the Pashtun since 1818, when William Carey translated parts of the Old Testament into Pakhto, based on interaction with Pashtun traders who caravanned (and settled) across north India and beyond. (In South Asia, the name "Pashtun/Pakhtun" was anglicized to "Pathan"—a name immortalized in Rudyard Kipling's novels and British colonial history; today, the Pashtun in India, Bangladesh, and throughout South Asia are known as "Pathan".) The first intentional mission to the Pashtun was launched by the Church Missionary Society in Peshawar, Pakistan (then Northwest India) in 1853. This was followed by over 150 years of faithful witness, through mission hospitals, schools, colleges, literature, friendship evangelism, and other forms of witness by national Pakistani (Punjabi) Christians and expatriate missionaries. Despite this record, and the slow but growing number of scattered Pashtun believers, a vibrant, indigenous, disciple-making movement has yet to take root and spread.
As one of the Pashtun tribes, they have much power in their part of Pakistan and in the local economy.
During the 1990s, Pashtun tribal areas and thousands of Arab-funded madrassas (religious schools) throughout Pakistan, became the seedbed for the rise of the Taliban movement. Driven by a combination of religious zeal and Pashtun nationalism, and fueled by Arab money, the "Taliban" (a term for "religious students") succeeded in imposing a harsh, hyper-conservative (Wahabi) version of Islam on neighboring Afghanistan. This situation is bringing instability and tragic consequences to the Pashtun peoples like the Sorazai who live in Pakistan.
Almost all Sorozai Pashtuns are Sunni Muslims. Right religious practice (orthopraxy) tends to be more important than right belief (orthodoxy). Actual religious practice and piety vary according to context. As in other parts of the Muslim world, some Pashtuns are cultural Muslims; others are secular, or non-practicing; still others identify with the mystical tradition of Islam.
Pashtuns fear the influence of demons and evil spirits and seek protection by visiting the shrines of Muslim saints through amulets and charms, astrology, and fortune telling. Driven by felt needs—healing, desire for a son, relief from an abusive spouse—women especially turn to folk practices to ward off evil and seek God's favor.
The Sorozai and other Pashtun peoples need the chance to hear and respond to the lovingkindness of the Lord. Their view of God is twisted by the harsh dictates of those who use Islam as a way to control and destroy those who get in their way. How will they hear about the grace and undying love of the one true God?
Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Sorozai.
Pray God will have mercy on the Sorozai, doing whatever it takes to place them in a position to receive him.
Ask God to open the hearts of the Sorozai to the finished work of Christ.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ that will spread to other Pashtun tribes in Pakistan.
Scripture Prayers for the Sorozai in Pakistan.
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Sorozai |
People Name in Country | Sorozai |
Alternate Names | सोरोज़ई |
Population this Country | 58,000 |
Population all Countries | 58,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 19463 |
ROP3 Code | 115608 |
Country | Pakistan | ||
Region | Asia, South | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Country | Pakistan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 7 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 1 |
Balochistan 56,000 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
100.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest Pakistan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Balochi, Southern (50,000 speakers) | ||||||
Language Code | bcc Ethnologue Listing | ||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | ||||||
Total Languages | 7 | ||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Balochi, Southern (50,000 speakers) |
Language Code | bcc Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 7 |
Secondary Languages | |
Sindhi 2,900 | |
Balochi, Eastern 1,600 | |
Jadgali 1,100 | |
Urdu 1,000 | |
Brahui 800 | |
Pashto, Central 60 | |
People Groups | Speaking Balochi, Southern |
Primary Language: Balochi, Southern
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1992-1994) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1999-2001) |
Bible-Complete | No |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation | Create International |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Balochi, Southern | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Bible for Children | Bible for Children |
General | Biblical answers to your questions | Got Questions Ministry |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app as APK file | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Balochi, Southern | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Balochi, Southern | YouVersion Bibles |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |