People group profile · PG006372
The Kolai of Pakistan
The Kolai of Pakistan, numbering about 552,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a subgroup of the Kohistani, distinguished by their location in the Kolai-Palas region and their use of Kohistani Shina.
They are an indigenous people in the Kashmiri people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Kohistani Shina.
Fast facts
- Country
- Pakistan
- Population
- 552,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Kashmiri
- Primary language
- Kohistani Shina (plk)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Khyber Pakhtunkwa province: Kohistan district, east bank Indus river, Jalkot, Kolai, and Palas valley areas
Where they live
Gospel status
The Kolai are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Kolai
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
98% adherents
Primary language
Kohistani Shina · Indo-European family
100% speak Kohistani Shina
Gospel resources in Kohistani Shina
- Bible available, published 2021
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- JESUS (Shina, Kohistani)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Kolai
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.