Jat Virk (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan

The Jat Virk (Muslim traditions) have only been reported in Pakistan
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

On the Pakistan side of Punjab, the Virk Jats are Muslim. Those on the Indian side are mostly Sikh. Virks still control the Pakistani city of Sheikhupura in Punjab Province politically and economically. They have a long history in that city.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Almost all the information about them found on the Internet has to do with their history. However, there are some interesting Virk Jats in modern times including Bollywood movie actresses and police chiefs.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though Muslim Jats are Sunnis, they are known to have a strong tradition of worshiping many local saints. Jats observe many ceremonies, especially rites of passage such as circumcision and initiation into adulthood. Like many other South Asian communities of good standing, Muslim Jats have a negative view of Christianity, because it is associated with people of low status and caste. Sunni religious practices are simple. They believe that Allah has pre-determined our fates; they minimize free will.
In most of the Muslim world, people depend on the spirit world for their daily needs since they regard Allah as too distant. Allah may determine their eternal salvation, but the spirits determine how well we live in our daily lives. For that reason, they must appease the spirits. They often use charms and amulets to help them with spiritual forces.


What Are Their Needs?

In Pakistan there are relatively few opportunities for someone to hear the gospel from another person. With the intense persecution of religious minorities, few would dare to share Christ in this environment.
Outreach Ideas
The Virk Jats have the entire New Testament available to them in their main language, Western Punjabi. There are also gospel-oriented gospel recordings available for downloading in this language.


Prayer Points

There are no known Virk Christian believers, but please pray for any secret believers. Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to send workers to this waiting harvest field.
Pray for mission agencies to train missionaries to share the gospel message with the Virk Jat in a culturally sensitive way.
Ask God to soften hearts and draw Virk Jat elders into a relationship with God through his son.


Scripture Prayers for the Jat Virk (Muslim traditions) in Pakistan.


References

https://www.jatland.com/home/Gotras
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jat_people
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Jat
http://www.dawn.com/news/1077113
https://www.jatland.com/home/Jats
http://indianex


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Jat Virk (Muslim traditions)
People Name in Country Jat Virk (Muslim traditions)
Alternate Names जाट, विर्क (मुस्लिम ट्रेडिशन्स)
Population this Country 596,000
Population all Countries 596,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 12
PeopleID3 19914
ROP3 Code 115902
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 on file 5
Largest States
Punjab
464,000
Sindh
116,000
Azad Kashmir
12,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
3,900
Balochistan
100
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 5
  Punjab 464,000
  Sindh 116,000
  Azad Kashmir 12,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 3,900
  Balochistan 100
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 Punjabi, Western (303,000 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
Saraiki
133,000
Sindhi
74,000
Urdu
50,000
Pahari-Potwari
8,600
Marwari (Pakistan)
6,200
Dhatki
3,700
Hindko, Northern
1,800
Hindko, Southern
1,400
Bagri
500
Pashto, Northern
100
Primary Language Punjabi, Western (303,000 speakers)
Language Code pnb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
  Saraiki 133,000
  Sindhi 74,000
  Urdu 50,000
  Pahari-Potwari 8,600
  Marwari (Pakistan) 6,200
  Dhatki 3,700
  Hindko, Northern 1,800
  Hindko, Southern 1,400
  Bagri 500
  Pashto, Northern 100
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Western

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Western

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1885-1922)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-2021)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) 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 DAVAR Partners recording, New Testament DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Scripture / Bible General / Other
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Western Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Western YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Western Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
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.


Joshua Project logo    Terms of Use   Privacy Policy   Contact Us   Copyright © 2024