Punjab, Pakistan
The major and native language spoken in the Punjab is Punjabi (which is written in a Shahmukhi script in Pakistan) and Punjabis comprise the largest ethnic group in country. Punjabi is the provincial language of Punjab, but is not given any official recognition in the Constitution of Pakistan at the national level.
History of the Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan Language developed from Old Indo-Aryan Languages, which were closely related to Vedic Sanskrit and Classical Sanskrit. By 300 BC Old Aryan Languages developed into many local dialects known as Middle Indo-Aryan dialects. Literary from these dialects was known as Prakrit. Shauraseni used in Eastern Punjab and Kaikeyi used in Western Punjab were among the famous Prakrits of ancient Indian Subcontinent. By 500 AD these Middle Indo-Aryan dialects had been developed many local features and lost many inflectional morphemes. Literary form of these dialects is known as Apabhramsha (ਅਪਭ੍ਰੰਸ਼,اپبھرنش). Principle Apabhramshas are Takka Apabhramsha in Central Punjab and Vrachada Apabhramsha in Southern Punjab. By 1200 AD these Apabhramshas or 'corrupt dialects' had few inflectional morphemes left. During Middle Ages Takka Apabhramsha developed into Lahori dialect and Vrachada Apabhramsha developed into Multani dialect.