The Lasis are a Sindhi tribal group of Balochistan, Pakistan.[1] They form 4.56% of the total population of the province as of 2017,[2] and are the predominant group in the lowlands of former princely state of Lasbela. Now divided into two districts of Balochistan i.e. Lasbela and Hub, some area is in Gwadar district. Lasis are also called as Jamote, a term used in Kalat and Kachhi regions, They occupy a high social position and have traditionally been engaged as agricultural landlords. They speak the Lasi dialect of Sindhi Language. Although social stratification is found in individual tribes, there is no social hierarchy or rigid tribal structure.[2]

Tribal distribution

According to the 1998 Census of Pakistan, all the tribes other than Baloch, Brahui, Med, Khoja and Hindus who have settled in Lasbela are known as "Lasi". The principal Lasi tribes are only five in number. The Jamot, Runjhas, Sheikh, Angaria and the Burra. Together they are called the Panjraj and constitute a tribal confederation.[3] The tribes include the Abras, Angarias (12.5%), Burras (9.0%), Dambis, Gidris, Gungas (13.0%), Gwaranjos, Jamots (14.8%), Kundolas, Mandras (6.6%), Mangias (4.0%), Mashwanis, Masunis, Mushanis, Runjhas (14.3%), Samots, Shahoks (4.4%), Sheikhs (5.4%), Sithars, and the Zuars.[2] Some other tribes settled in the Las Bela district include Afghan, and Baluch.[4]

Etymology

The word Lasi is a Sindhi language word meaning plain.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Organization (Pakistan), Census (1962). Population Census of Pakistan, 1961: District Census Report. Manager of Publications.
  2. 1 2 3 Scholz, Fred (2002). Nomadism and colonialism: a hundred years of Baluchistan; 1872 - 1972. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 24–29. ISBN 978-0-19-579638-4. The tribal group of the Lasis, which encompasses the tribes of the Abras, Angarias (12.5 per cent), Burras (9.0 per cent), Dambis, Gidris, Gungas (13.0 per cent), Gwaranjos, Jamots (14.8 per cent), Kundolas, Mandras (6.6 per cent), Mangias (4.0 per cent), Mashwanis, Masunis, Mushanis, Runjhas (14.3 per cent), Samots, Shahoks (4.4 per cent), Sheikhs (5.4 per cent), Sithars, and Zuars, occurs exclusively in the Las Bela district, where it accounts for 67.7 percent of the population.
  3. ↑ 1998 District Census Report of Lasbela. p. 10.
  4. ↑ 1998 District Census Report of Lasbela. p. 11.
  5. ↑ Zahid Ali; Asadullah Aliani; Zafarullah Roonjho. "SUBSTITUTION OF IMPLOSIVES WITH ENGLISH LOANWORDS IN LASI". PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF SOCIETY, EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE: 280. Lasi is originally a Sindhi word which means 'plain'

Bibliography

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