Hindko is NOT really a language it's a boli (dialect ) of Punjabi .

Punjabi has
many dialects and Hindko is one of the dialects of Northern and
North-Western Punjabi.

Hindko can be divided into further sub dialects eg Peshori, Kohati, Hazarewal
(Abbottabadi, Manseri, Chacchi spoken in Haripur) etc .
Some forms of Hindko are also spoken in Kashmir and Hazro area of
Attock (Punjab ).

Old Hindko was quite close to Punjabi and the Pahadi dialects of Jammu like
Poonchi, Dogri, Jamwal etc.

It had an oral literature from ancient times until the 17-18th century when it
started to be written down in Punjabi 'Shah Mukhi ' script.

The earliest written poetry in Hindko was by Ustad Sahib ul Haq in his
works from 1740 AD.

Qazi Adam , Sufi Ilyas and Kalay Khan Tanoli were the earliest writers to write
Hindko songs (mahiye) in 1820s to 1870s.
Some Hindu and Sikh speakers of Hindko also wrote early songs, poetry and small
articles in prose.

The Hindkowan /Hazarewal culture has always been closer to Punjab and Jammu and
Kashmir than KPK.

Later by 1890-1900 earliest Hindko press and media began to emerge.

And religious writings by Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hazarvi (Barelvi movement ) ,

Molvi Amir Shah Gillani etc etc.

The great Kashmir Sufi poet Hazrat Mian Muhammad Baksh r.a wrote literary works in
both Potohari and Hindko.

And the Sufi saint and poet Hazrat Syed Meher Ali Shah Golra Sharif also wrote
poetry in Potohari and Hindko.

Later poets after 1935 , included famous writers like Sultan Sakoon,
Ahmed Ali Saeen etc.

Modern Hindko is still evolving as a literary language and the majority the people
of the Hazara region seek to have their separate cultural identity