Districts of Balochistan, Pakistan | |
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Location | Balochistan, Pakistan |
Number | 37 (as of Dec 2022) |
Populations | 97,017 (Harnai District) – 2,275,699 (Quetta District) |
Government | |
Subdivisions |
The province of Balochistan, the least populated province of Pakistan and the largest province by area, is divided into 36 districts and eight divisions. [1] Below, you will find an overview of the recent history of districts in Balochistan, Pakistan, a map showing each district, the divisions of Balochistan and their districts, and a list showing each district's name, the division the district belongs to, the district's area, the location of the district's headquarters, the district's population and population density (in 2017), the average annual population growth rate of each district (between 1998 and 2017), and a map showing each district's location.
The area which covers the modern-day Pakistani province of Balochistan was first introduced to districts and divisions as administrative units under the British, and the area was first incorporated into British India in 1877. The first census of the Balochistan region was held in 1891, but it only covered the parts of Balochistan east of the 66th meridian east, was incomplete, and never had a report written about it. [2] The first full census that was completed and had a report written on it took place in 1901. By 1901, Balochistan was divided into both the Baluchistan Agency and the Chief Commissioner's Province of Baluchistan, which was also more commonly known as British Baluchistan.
In 1901, British Baluchistan consisted principally of the areas which were under the control of Afghans, but were ceded to the British with the Treaty of Gandamak in 1879, and were formally declared British India in 1887. It was divided into two districts: Thal-Chotiali District, which consisted of the Tehsils of Duki, Shahrig (Shahrug), and Sibi, and Quetta-Pishin District, which was subdivided into Pishin Tehsil, Chaman Subdivision, and Shorarud Sub-Division. [2] The administration given below:
British Balochistan Province
Balochistan Agency
The Baluchistan Agency was split into three divisions: The areas directly administered by the British, the Native States, and the Tribal Areas. [2]
The areas directly administered by the British consisted of the Bolan Agency, the Chagai Agency (which consisted of Chagai, Nushki, and Western Sinjrani), the Quetta-Pishin Agency (which consisted of Quetta Tehsil excluding Shorarud), the Thal-Chotiali Agency (made of the Barkhan Tehsil, the Kohlu Sub-Tehsil, and the Sanjawi (Sinjawi) Sub-Tehsil), and the Zhob Agency (which included Fort Sandeman, Hindobagh, Loralai, Musakhel, and Qilla Saifullah Tehsils). [2]
There were four autonomous princely states, making up the native states, in Balochistan: The state of Kharan (which was a vassal of Qalat), The state of Las Bela, The state of Makran, and the Khanate of Qalat (which was divided into Domki, Kaheri, and Umrani Country; Jhalawan Country; Kachhi Country; Nasirabad Niabat; and Sarawan Country). [2]
The two tribal areas were Bugti Country and Marri Country. The tribal areas consisted of Baloch tribes which, as per the census report of 1901, exhibited "nomadic tendency to the largest degree". [2]
This meant that the administrative setup of the Balochistan region under British control was as follows in 1901: [2]
By the time of the 1911 census, all the directly administered territories of the Baluchistan Agency had been abolished and reformed into districts in the Chief Commissioner's Province (British Baluchistan). Thal-Chotiali District was also abolished. In their place came the six districts of Bolan (previously Bolan Agency), Chagai (previously Chagai Agency), Loralai (previously parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency), Quetta-Pishin (previously Quetta-Pishin District and Quetta-Pishin Agency), Sibi (previously parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency), and Zhob (previously Zhob Agency). The two Tribal Areas of Bugti Country and Marri Country were also abolished as a separate unit and were made a part of Sibi District called Marri-Bugti Country (which became known the unadministered area of Sibi District, as opposed to the administered areas which covered parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency). [3]
No changes occurred to the administrative setup of the Native Princely States, which now made up the entire Baluchistan Agency until 1940, when the State of Kharan gained complete independence from the Khanate of Qalat. This did not, though, have any effect on the borders and administrative units of the borders themselves, as the State of Kharan already existed as an entity before. The only difference was now it was completely separate from Qalat. [4]
This left the following administrative setup, which would see no changes through the 1921, [5] 1931, [6] and 1941 censuses, [4] all the way until Pakistani independence: [3] [5] [6]
On 3 October 1952, the four princely states of Kalat, Kharan, Las Bela and Makran was merged to form Balochistan State Union with the capital at the town of Kalat.
On 14 October 1955, the Balochistan state union finally merged into Balochistan Province to form Kalat division and Marri-Bugti county abolished.
Administration is given below;
In 30 September 1955, To diminish the differences between the two regions, claimed the government, the 'One Unit' programme merged the four provinces of West Pakistan into a single province to parallel the province of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).
On 1 July 1970, West Pakistan was abolished and all four provinces of Pakistan were restored as 1947.
The administration as given below:
In 1974, Balochistan government create three new districts Khuzdar and Nasirabad District by bifurcation of Kalat District, Kohlu district from Sibi district and Sibi division created from Quetta division.
In 1975, Pishin District was separated from Quetta District and Lasbela district transferred from Karachi division to Kalat division (From 1970 to 1975 Lasbela district was a part of Sindh province).
On 1 July 1977, Makran was declared a division and was divided into three districts, named Panjgur, Turbat and Gwadar.
In July 1983, Dera Bugti was established as a separate district .
In 1986, Ziarat District was established, previously being part of Sibi District.
In 1987, Jafarabad was notified a district.district’s headquarters are at Dera Allah Yar, also known as Jhatpat among locals and Nasirabad division created by bifurcation of Sibi division.
In 1988, Killa Saifullah District was established as a district by bifurcation of Zhob District and Zhob division established after bifurcating of Quetta division.
In December 1991, Mastung creation as a separate district from Kalat District and Barkhan district from Loralai district.
In December 1991, Bolan district divided into two districts New Bolan (Kachhi)and Bolan (Jhal Magsi) district.
In 11 November 1992, Awaran District was created as a separate district from Khuzdar District and Musakhail district from Loralai district.
In May 1992, Old Kachhi district renamed to Jhal Magsi.
In June 1993, Kila Abdullah was separated from Pishin District and made a new district.
In 1994- 95, the name of Turbat district was changed to its old name Kech.
The administration as given below:
At the time of the 1998 Census of Pakistan, Balochistan had 26 districts, [7] but since then, the province has created 12 new districts and abolished 01 district. [1]
In 2004, Nushki was separated from Chaghai and made a district.
In 2005, the tehsil of Washuk received district status after splitting off from the district of Kharan, and became Washuk District. [8]
Sherani District was established 3 January 2006 by the bifurcation of Zhob district. [9]
In 2007, Harnai district would be created by splitting the Sibi district .
In 2013, two new districts were created Lehri district created by splitting of Sibi District and Sohbatpur District created by splitting of Jafarabad district.
In 2016, Duki district created.
In 2017, Surab District creation as a separate district, Surab was part of Kalat District and Rakhshan division established after bifurcating of Kalat and Quetta division.
The administration as given below:
In 2018, Balochistan Cabinet abolished or reannexed Lehri district into Sibi district.
In 2021, Chaman District is created after bifurcating Qila Abdullah District and Loralai division was created after bifurcating of Zhob division.
In 2022, Balochistan Cabinet Create 3 new districts Hub district from Lasbela, Usta Muhammad district from Jafarabad and Karezat district from Pashin district. [10]
In Dec 2022, Balochistan government announced that the Las Bela is purposed a new Division to spelt largest Kalat division.
The administration as given below:
Map | Sr. No. | District | Headquarters | Area (km2) | Population (1998) | Population (2017) [11] | Density (people/km2) |
![]() | 1 | Awaran | Awaran | 29,510 | 118,173 | 121,821 | 4 |
2 | Barkhan | Barkhan | 3,514 | 103,545 | 171,025 | 49 | |
3 | Kachhi | Dhadar | 5,682 | 255,480 | 309,932 | 55 | |
4 | Chagai | Chagai | 44,748 | 104,534 | 226,517 | 5 | |
5 | Chaman | Chaman | 1,341 | 151,854 | 434,561 | 324 | |
6 | Dera Bugti | Dera Bugti | 10,160 | 181,310 | 313,110 | 31 | |
7 | Duki | Duki | 4,233 | 115,976 | 152,977 | 36 | |
8 | Gwadar | Gwadar | 12,637 | 185,498 | 262,253 | 21 | |
9 | Harnai | Harnai | 2,492 | 76,652 | 97,052 | 39 | |
10 | Hub | Hub | 6,716 | 163,194 | 339,640 | 51 | |
11 | Jafarabad | Dera Allahyar | 1,643 | 291,290 | 513,972 | 313 | |
12 | Jhal Magsi | Jhal Magsi | 3,615 | 109,941 | 148,900 | 41 | |
13 | Kalat | Kalat | 7,654 | 144,433 | 211,201 | 28 | |
14 | Kech | Turbat | 22,539 | 413,204 | 907,182 | 40 | |
15 | Kharan | Kharan | 14,958 | 96,900 | 162,766 | 11 | |
16 | Kohlu | Kohlu | 7,610 | 99,846 | 213,933 | 28 | |
17 | Khuzdar | Khuzdar | 35,380 | 417,466 | 798,896 | 23 | |
18 | Lasbela | Uthal | 8,437 | 149,501 | 236,631 | 28 | |
19 | Loralai | Loralai | 3,785 | 134,171 | 244,446 | 65 | |
20 | Mastung | Mastung | 3,308 | 150,039 | 265,676 | 80 | |
21 | Musakhel | Musa Khel Bazar | 5,728 | 134,056 | 167,243 | 29 | |
22 | Nasirabad | Dera Murad Jamali | 3,387 | 245,894 | 487,847 | 144 | |
23 | Nushki | Nushki | 5,797 | 98,030 | 178,947 | 31 | |
24 | Qila Abdullah | Qila Abdullah | 3,553 | 208,870 | 323,793 | 91 | |
25 | Qila Saifullah | Killa Saifullah | 6,831 | 193,553 | 342,932 | 50 | |
26 | Panjgur | Panjgur | 16,891 | 234,051 | 315,353 | 19 | |
27 | Pishin | Pishin | 6,218 | 376,728 | 736,903 | 119 | |
28 | Quetta | Quetta | 3,447 | 774,547 | 2,269,473 | 658 | |
29 | Sherani | Sherani | 4,310 | 81,684 | 152,952 | 35 | |
30 | Sibi | Sibi | 7,121 | 136,322 | 179,751 | 25 | |
31 | Sohbatpur | Sohbatpur | 802 | 141,527 | 200,426 | 250 | |
32 | Surab | Surab | 762 | 93,401 | 200,857 | 264 | |
33 | Washuk | Washuk | 33,093 | 110,009 | 175,712 | 5 | |
34 | Zhob | Zhob | 15,987 | 193,458 | 310,354 | 19 | |
35 | Ziarat | Ziarat | 3,301 | 80,748 | 160,095 | 48 | |
36 | Usta Muhammad | Usta Muhammad | N/A(part of Jafarabad district) | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Former district
Balochistan is a province of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It is bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north-east, Punjab to the east and Sindh to the south-east; shares international borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north; and is bound by the Arabian Sea to the south. Balochistan is an extensive plateau of rough terrain divided into basins by ranges of sufficient heights and ruggedness. It has the world's largest deep sea port, the Port of Gwadar lying in the Arabian Sea.
The history of Balochistan refers to the history of the Balochistan region of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Vague allusions to the region were found in Greek historical records of around 650 BCE. Prehistoric Balochistan dates to the Paleolithic.
Barkhan is a district in the province of Balochistan in Pakistan. It shares its borders with the province of Punjab to the east and the Balochistan districts of Dera Bugti to the south, Kohlu to the west, Loralai to the northwest and Musakhel to the north. The town of Barkhan serves as the district's headquarters. It was granted the status of a separate district on 31 December 1991, prior to which it was a tehsil within Loralai District.
Kachhi or Kacchi, previously known until 2008 as Bolan District, is a district located in the central part of the Balochistan province in Pakistan. The Bolan area remained under one district Kacchi until 31 December 1991. The Deputy Commissioner's office started functioning on 17 May 1992, and Bolan became one of the four districts of Naseerabad Division, until the abolition of Divisions in 2000.
Sibi is a district in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The climate and topography of Sibi District is quite varied compared to the other districts of Balochistan. It is also known as the "hotspot" of Pakistan where the temperatures in the summer has exceeded 52.6 °C (126.7 °F). Until 2002 the district had two sub-divisions, Sibi and Harnai, further organized into Tehsils and sub-tehsils: Sibi, Kutmandi and Sangan. Lehri was joined with Sibi district in 2002 and Harnai made a separate district. Sibi tehsil is predominately inhabited by Pashtun tribes of Panni, Khajjaks and Tareens. Town of sibi is chiefly built upon lands of Marghazani and Dehpal.
Sibi is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city serves as the administrative headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name. Sibi city is chiefly built upon lands of Panni tribe
The Baluchistan States Union or Balochistan States Union (BSU) was an administrative division of Pakistan that existed between 3 October 1952 and 14 October 1955 in the southwestern part of West Pakistan. It was formed by the four princely states of Kalat, Kharan, Las Bela and Makran with the capital at the town of Kalat. The area of the Union was roughly the south-western half of the modern province of Balochistan. The Union was separate from the Chief Commissioners Province of Baluchistan which comprised areas to the northeast of the Union. The Union did not include the enclave of Gwadar which was part of the Muscat and Oman. The four state rulers continued in office and retained autonomy.
The Chief Commissioner's Province of British Baluchistan was a province of British India established in 1876. Upon the creation of Pakistan it acceded to the newly formed state. It was part of the Baluchistan Agency. It was dissolved to form a united province of West Pakistan in 1955 upon the creation of One Unit Scheme.
Las Bela was a princely state in a subsidiary alliance with British India which existed until 1955. The state occupied an area of 18,254 km2 (7,048 sq mi) in the extreme southeast of the Balochistan region, with an extensive coastline on the Arabian Sea to the south. Las Bela was bordered by the princely states of Kalat and Makran to the north and west. To the east lay the province of Sind and to the southeast lay the Federal Capital Territory around the city of Karachi.
The four provinces, capital territory, and two autonomous territories of Pakistan are subdivided into 38 administrative "divisions", which are further subdivided into districts, tehsils, and finally union councils. These divisions were abolished in 2000, but restored in 2008.
Kalat Division or Qalat Division is an administrative division of Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Its capital city is Khuzdar. The area of Kalat Division is 140,612 km2. CNIC Code of Kalat Division is 51.
Quetta Division is an administrative division of Balochistan Province, Pakistan, being the third tier of government. CNIC Code of Quetta Division is 54.
The Baluchistan Agency was one of the agencies of British India during the colonial era. It was located in the present-day Pakistani Balochistan province.
The Anglo-Marri Wars is the name given to three major military conflicts between the Marri Baloch tribesmen and the British Empire in the independent eastern Baloch tribal belt. The conflicts took place in the 19th and 20th centuries, specifically in 1840, 1880, and 1917.
Tourism in Balochistan is a developing industry, and is overseen by the Tourism Directorate under the Government of Balochistan. Balochistan is known for its long coastal belt which extends from Karachi through Sonmiani, Ormara, Kalmat, Pasni, Gwadar, Jiwani and all the way up to Iran. It is also popular for its hill tops and rugged mountainous terrain.
Balochistan Levies is a paramilitary gendarmerie in the Pakistani province of Balochistan. It operates as one of two primary law enforcement agencies tasked with maintaining law and order in the province, along with Balochistan Police. The levies force has jurisdiction in most districts of Balochistan.
The Kacchi Plain or Kachhi Plain also known as Kach Gandava is an ancient region located in central Pakistan, in Balochistan Province.
Hinduism is a minority religion in Balochistan followed by 0.41% of the population of the province. It is the largest minority religion in Balochistan. The Balochistan is home to the shrine of Shri Hinglaj Mata temple, which is one of the most sacred Hindu temples. The annual Hinglaj Yatra to the temple is the largest Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan.
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