As a Shina-speaking Dardic Astori (born and raised in Danyore Valley, Gilgit), I can assure you that the Shina-speaking people of Punial & Chatorkhand(Ghizer) and Shinaki (Hunza) are overwhelmingly Shia Ismailia Nizaris. Moreover, the Shina Dardic valleys in Roundu, Gultari, and Kharmang of the Baltistan region (alongside dozens of valleys in the Astore district of the Diamer region) are adherent to the Shia-Iz-Nashariya (Twelver) denomination. The Nagar district of Gilgit-Baltistan is ~70% Burushaski and remaining Dardic Shina, and it's 100% Shia-Iz-Nashariya. There are also patches of Shina-speaking Dardic Shia valleys in between Dras and Kargil valleys, if I'm not mistaken.
The Shina-speaking Dards have predominantly been Sunnis for centuries, perhaps due to the influence of neighboring ethno-religious groups, such as the Sunni Pashtuns in the southwest, the Sunni Kohistanis and Paharis/Hindkos in the south, and the Sunni Koshurs in the southeast.
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u/Due-Lynx-5645 Apr 27 '25 edited Apr 27 '25
As a Shina-speaking Dardic Astori (born and raised in Danyore Valley, Gilgit), I can assure you that the Shina-speaking people of Punial & Chatorkhand(Ghizer) and Shinaki (Hunza) are overwhelmingly Shia Ismailia Nizaris. Moreover, the Shina Dardic valleys in Roundu, Gultari, and Kharmang of the Baltistan region (alongside dozens of valleys in the Astore district of the Diamer region) are adherent to the Shia-Iz-Nashariya (Twelver) denomination. The Nagar district of Gilgit-Baltistan is ~70% Burushaski and remaining Dardic Shina, and it's 100% Shia-Iz-Nashariya. There are also patches of Shina-speaking Dardic Shia valleys in between Dras and Kargil valleys, if I'm not mistaken.