Punjabi Muslims[edit]

See also: Punjabi Muslims

Punjabi Muslims are found almost exclusively in Pakistan with 97% of Punjabis who live in Pakistan
following Islam, in contrast to Punjabi Sikhs and Punjabi Hindus who predominantly live in India. [19]
A variety of Muslim dynasties and kingdoms ruled the Punjab region,
including Ghaznavids under Mahmud of Ghazni,[94][95][96] the Delhi Sultanate, the Mughal Empire and
finally the Durrani Empire. The province became an important centre and Lahore was made into a
second capital of the Ghaznavid Empire. The Delhi Sultanate and later Mughal Empire ruled the
region. Missionary Sufi saints whose dargahs dot the landscape of Punjab region also played the
dominant role in bringing about conversion. Sufis also comprised the educated elites of the Punjab
for many centuries. Early classical Punjabi epics, such as Heer Ranjha, Mirza Sahiban, etc. were
written by the Sufis like Waris Shah.[97][self-published source] Muslims established Punjabi literature,
utilised Shahmukhi as the predominant script of the Punjab, as well as made major contributions to
the music, art, cuisine and culture of the region. The Mughals controlled the region from 1524 until
1739 and would also lavish some parts of the province with building projects such as the Shalimar
Gardens and the Badshahi Mosque, both situated in Lahore. The Muslim establishment in the
Punjab occurred over a period of several centuries lasting until towards the end of the British
Raj and the division of the Punjab province between Pakistan and India in August 1947. After
the independence of Pakistan in 1947, the minority Hindus and Sikhs migrated to India while
the Muslim refugees from India settled in the Pakistan.[98][99] Today Muslims constitute only 1.53%
of Eastern Punjab in India as now the majority of Muslims live in Western Punjab in Pakistan.
Muslim Punjabis in Pakistan use the Persian script to write the Punjabi language.[10