Zubair Torwali
Zubair Torwali is a Pakistani activist, linguist, and educator living in Bahrain, Swat, Pakistan. He was born in Bahrain, Swat, and earned master's degrees in English literature and political science from the University of Peshawar. He founded Idara Baraye Taleem-wa-Taraqi (IBT) and leads it to protect and promote minority languages in northern Pakistan, especially Torwali. He works as a researcher, writer, and public speaker, focusing on language preservation and human rights.
His books include Muffled Voices: Longing for a Pluralist & Peaceful Pakistan (2015), Torwali Alif Be Te (2007), and the Torwali English Dictionary for Students (2023). He edits We Mountains, a magazine about the culture of the Pakistani Himalayas, and contributes to Pakistani English newspapers and weeklies. He has received several awards, such as the Hellman/Hammett Grant in 2012 and a fellowship from Japan’s Asian Leadership Fellows program in 2013. He is a member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and in 2021 IBT won the Linguapax International Award. He studied at Jahanzeb College in Swat before pursuing his master’s degrees.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 16:15 (CET).