Native speakers of the Dardic languages, a subgroup of the Indo-Aryan languages, can be found in Gilgit Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Northern Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir in Northern India, and Eastern Afghanistan.

The Dardic group includes the languages spoken in the J&K region, including Kashmiri, Shina, and Khowar. In Kashmir, Chenab, and Neelum valley, Kashmiri is spoken. In Gilgit, Kohistan, Gurez, and Drass, Shina is spoken. In Pakistan, Chitrali or Khowar are known as GB.

With about 9 million speakers, Kashmiri is the most widely spoken language in all of J&K. As one of the 22 scheduled languages listed in the Indian Constitution, Kashmiri is also the only Dardic language with official recognition. The predominant tongue in Chenab Valley is Kashmiri. Kashmiri is one of the most traditional Indo-Aryan languages, although it also heavily borrows vocabulary and grammar from Persian.

Gilgiti, Kohistani Shina, Guresi, Drassi, and Broksat are among the Shina dialects. Gilgit-Baltistan has various areas that speak the Khowar language.

With only a few hundred speakers in northern Jammu and Kashmir, India, and a handful in Botraj Mohalla of the Hari Parbat region in Srinagar, the Burushaski language is unique to the Kashmir region as a whole. It is spoken in the Hunza & Nagar districts of Gilgit-Baltistan.

An isolated language is this one. So it’s not classified and has nothing to do with any other languages in the world. Considering that every language in its vicinity is a member of a language family, this makes it distinct. There has been no explanation for this unusual abnormality to far.

The most diverse set of languages are those spoken in the Pahari region of J&K. Outsiders refer to these languages collectively as “Pahari languages” because most of their speakers live in hilly regions. Depending on the dialect, these languages go by a variety of names locally. But these days, Pahari is also in usage. Pahari languages spoken in J&K should not be confused with Pahari languages spoken in Nepal, sections of Himachal Pradesh, or Uttarakhand (India), as these are distinct.

Bhaderwahi, Padri, Ponchi, Mirpuri, Parmi, or Pahari are some of the several dialects of Pahari (Karnah). Depending on the distance, numerous Pahari languages have significant influences from Punjabi and Kashmiri in different regions.

Tibetic languages are Sino-Tibetian languages that are linked to Tibetan. Several Tibetic languages, including Balti-Ladakhi or western archaic Tibetan, are spoken in J&K. Both between these languages and the Tibetan language, there is a lack of mutual understanding.

The district of Leh has Ladakhi, Bhoti, and Bodhi speakers. It is written in Tibetan script because the majority of its speakers identify as Buddhists. It speaks many dialects, including Lehskat, Nubra, Shamskat, and Stotskat.

The most widely used Tibetic language in the entire region is Balti, which is spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan Baltistan’s region. A region where Balti is spoken includes Ladakh’s Kargil and Leh districts. The Purgi language of Kargil is occasionally regarded as a Balti dialect, but mutual understanding is very limited. Balti is primarily spoken by Muslims.

In addition to having a sizeable population in Leh district, the Purgi language is spoken by the majority in Kargil district. Additionally, it reaches parts of Baltistan. Purgi is occasionally seen as a dialect of both Ladakhi and Balti, however there is little to no mutual understanding between the two. Muslims speak Purgi in the majority.

In the Kargil district of Ladakh’s Zanskar region, Zanskari is spoken. It is occasionally regarded as a Ladakhi dialect, but since mutual understanding is poor, it is currently regarded as a separate tongue. Four dialects exist. Zhung, Oot, Sham, and Lungnak. Most speakers identify as Buddhists.

Balti is the most widely spoken of all of them, is fairly conservative, and still has many of the characteristics that Central Tibetan language has lost.

A different tongue Although Changthang is regarded as a component of Ladakhi, its mutual intelligibility is so poor that it should be treated as a separate language. However, a Ladakhized form of Tibetan is taught at Leh. But this isn’t the regional vernacular.

Gojri is spoken in a few isolated communities throughout J&K. Those who speak it the most are Bakerwals and Gujjars. Though many Gujjars recognise and follow Gojri culture, they do not all speak Gojri; rather, they speak local majority languages.

A western Indo-Aryan language linked to the Rajasthani languages is called Gojri. It shares more similarities with nearby Indo-Aryan languages like Hindko, Pahari, and Dogri though because it is spoken in linguistically diverse locations. Due to the fact that these languages are already related. Thus, a sprachbund develops. Gojri does, however, share fundamental characteristics with Rajasthani languages. Although Gojri is spoken in both “Pakistan side” Kashmir and J&K, its speakers do not constitute a majority anywhere. In addition to having isolated enclaves in Kashmir valley, it is extensively spoken in the Pir Panjal region. In G-B, there are sporadic speakers as well. Additionally, Gojri speakers can be found in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan’s Northern Punjab. Gujjars do, however, share a feeling of identity, even in the dispersed groups. This language is also spoken by the nomadic Bakerwal people, who are quite similar to Gujjars. Gojri has some literary involvement with organisations and publications, but only in J&K. Despite being dispersed, they represent a sizeable portion of J&K’s overall population. Since many Gujjars speak different languages but yet identify as Gujjars, the Gujjar identity also goes beyond language.

In the Kashmir valley and the Pakistan-administrated portion of Kashmir, Urdu is spoken and understood. In 1889, J&K declared urdu to be an official state language. For around three centuries prior to the adoption of Urdu, Persian served as Kashmir’s official language. In Kashmir, all official documents—court proceedings, land records, taxes, and even FIRs—are written in Urdu.