Shaikh (Urdu) of Pakistan (PGID: PG046177)

PEOPLE GROUP PROFILE

The Shaikh (Urdu) of Pakistan

The Shaikh (Urdu) of Pakistan, numbering approximately 132,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a large socio-religious community of India. Shaiks are Muslim communities who claim descent from Arab settlers or early Islamic migrants or traders and who adopted the title "Shaikh" as a mark of status or identity. They mostly adhere to Sunni Islam and Urdu is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Urdu Shaikh

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: South Asian Peoples
Country: Pakistan
People Cluster: Shaikh
Primary Language(s): Urdu (urd)
Primary Religion(s): Sunni Islam
Population: 132,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG046177

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Pray for the Shaikh (Urdu) of Pakistan

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Sunni Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%

Sunni Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Urdu
Language Family: Indo-European

100%

Urdu Speakers

Media Resources in Urdu:

Films:

Title	Link
JESUS	View Film
Magdalena	View Film
The Savior	View Film
The Savior	View Film

4 films

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Urdu:

Bible Name (Translation)	Video	Audio	Text
Easy-to-Read Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Geo Version		✓	✓
Pakistan Bible Society		✓
Revised	✓

6 entries

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Urdu bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Shaikh (Urdu) are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Shaikh (Urdu):

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

Pray specifically for the Shaikh (Urdu) of Pakistan

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:14-15

Pray that the lost among them will look to the One lifted up on the cross, believing in Him and receiving eternal life.

All the earth worships you and sings praises to you; they sing praises to your name.
Psalm 66:4

Pray that the good news of Jesus will advance here and that many will bow down and sing praises to His name.

All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you.
Psalm 22:27

Pray that all families of the nations will worship the Lord in spirit and in truth.

And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Matthew 10:14-15

Pray for God to raise up and send out believers to share the gospel with those in this people group who do not yet follow Christ. Pray that they will be welcomed with open arms so that the people they share with will hear and receive the good news with joy.

Shaikh, Urdu Across Countries (ROP3 - 116705) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index

All

Engaged yet Unreached UUPG No Longer Unreached

CountryReligion

4 people groups

People Group ID	Name	Country	Population	Strategic Progress Index	Language ▲	Religion
PG046159	Shaikh (Urdu)	India	62,000,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG046174	Shaikh (Urdu)	Nepal	830,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG046177	Shaikh (Urdu)	Pakistan	132,000	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam
PG050351	Shaikh (Urdu)	United States	60,500	Engaged yet Unreached	Urdu	Sunni Islam

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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