Professor Shaukat Mughal

Professor Shaukat Mughal (1947–2020) was a prominent Pakistani Saraiki linguist, researcher, literary critic, educationist and author who devoted much of his life to the study and documentation of Saraiki language and literature.

Born on 4 June 1947 in the Pak Gate area of Multan, Shaukat Mughal began his professional career as a schoolteacher in 1971. He joined Civil Lines College Multan as a lecturer in 1973 and later served at Government College for Education Multan, where he eventually retired as an associate professor in 2008.

Following his retirement, Mughal devoted himself extensively to research and writing. He authored more than 60 books, with around 50 of them focusing on Saraiki language and linguistics.

His research covered Saraiki vocabulary, grammar, spelling, idioms, proverbs, language history and relationships with neighbouring languages. His works included Saraiki Qaidah, Saraiki Akhaanran, Saraiki Mahaavaray, Urdu Seraiki Mutrafidat, Saraiki Imlaa De Maslay and Saraiki Nama.

He also wrote Multan Ka Sir Syed, Multan Dian Varaan, Kadeem Seraiki Urdu Lughat and other works examining the language, history and cultural heritage of the region.

One of his major scholarly projects was a comprehensive seven-volume Saraiki dictionary. His linguistic research preserved thousands of words and expressions and provided valuable source material for future lexicographical work.

Mughal was also associated with literary and cultural organisations and served as president of the Saraiki Adbi Board. His scholarship brought together language research, literary criticism, cultural history and education.

His contribution to Saraiki linguistics was recognised by fellow scholars. Dr Ahsan Wagha, a linguist and former head of the Department of Linguistics at Quaid-i-Azam University, described Mughal's books as an important store of linguistic data.

Professor Shaukat Mughal died in Multan in June 2020 at the age of 73. He left behind an extensive body of research devoted to recording, analysing and preserving Saraiki language and literary heritage.

His work remains an important part of the modern scholarly documentation of Saraiki language and culture.