| Quetta کوټه کوئٹہ |
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| — City District — | |
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Quetta
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Region | Balochistan |
| District | Quetta District |
| Autonomous towns | 2 |
| Union councils | 66[1] |
| Government | |
| • Type | city |
| • Nazim | Mir Maqbool Ahmed Lehri |
| • Naib nazim | Mohammad Naseem Lehri |
| Area | |
| • Total | 2,653 km2 (1,024.3 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 1,900 m (6,230 ft) |
| Population (2010)[2] | |
| • Total | 896,090 |
| • Density | 213/km2 (551.7/sq mi) |
| Time zone | PST (UTC+5) |
| • Summer (DST) | PDT (UTC+6) |
| Area code(s) | 081 |
Quetta (Pashto: کوټه, Urdu: کوئٹہ , Hazaragi: کویته, Brahui: Koŧá) is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the Fruit Garden of Pakistan due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the world.
The city is situated at an average elevation of 1,680 meters (5,500 ft) above sea level,[3] making it Pakistan's only high-altitude major city. Located in a river valley, Quetta derives its name from the Pashto word "Kuwatta", which means a fort.[3] With breathtaking natural beauty, a diverse populace, and ornate bazaars, Quetta remains one of Pakistan's most unique cities.
Sitting near the Durand Line border with Iran and Afghanistan, Quetta is an important trade and communications center between the two countries as well as an important military location which occupies a vital strategic position for the Pakistani Armed Forces. The city lies on the Bolan Pass route which was once the only gateway to and from South Asia. Due to its proximity to Afghanistan and Central Asia, the city is a major stronghold along the western frontier of the country.
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Quetta is also spelled Kuwatah which is a variation of Kot, a Pashto word meaning "fortress."[4] It is believed the city's name is derived from the four imposing hills (Chiltan, Takatu, Zarghoon and Murdaar) that surround the city and form a natural bulwark.
The area was originally inhabited by Kasi Tribe Pashtun, the first detailed account of Quetta is from the 11th century when it was captured by Sultan Mahmud Ghaznavi during one of his invasions of the South Asia. In 1543, the Mughal emperor Humayun rested in Quetta on his retreat to Safavid Persia, leaving his one-year-old son Akbar in the city until his return two years later. The Khan of Kalat ruled Quetta until 1556, when the Persians conquered the city only to have it retaken by Akbar in 1595. In 1828 the first westerner to visit Quetta described it as a mud-walled fort surrounded by three hundred mud houses. Although the city was occupied briefly in 1839 by the British during the First Afghan War, it was not until 1876 that Quetta became part of the British colonial empire, with Robert Sandeman being made the political leader for Balochistan. The arrival of British troops led to the establishment of road and rail links and the introduction of schools, mainly for strategic purposes.
The British made the largely Pashtun area part of British Balochistan. In April 1883 it was combined with Pishin into a single administrative unit.
By the time of the earthquake on 31 May 1935 Quetta had developed into a bustling city with a number of multistory buildings. The epicentre of the earthquake was close to the city and destroyed most of the city's infrastructure and killed an estimated 40,000 people. After many years the city has been rebuilt mainly with local funds. Structures are now generally earthquake resistant, being mainly single story structures with bricks and re-inforced concrete. However multi-story buildings are also built, while the number of buildings of three to five floors are being constructed in the city.
On joining Pakistan, Quetta was made the capital city of the newly created province of Balochistan before it was combined with other Balochi princely states (Kalat, Makran, Lasbela and Kharan) to form the Baloch province. Quetta remained the capital of the province until 1971 when the provincial system was abolished under Zulfiqar Bhutto. After Bhutto was overthrown by General Zia ul Haq, the provincial system was re-instated, and Quetta was once again made capital of Balochistan.
| Climate data for Quetta, Pakistan | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 23.6 (74.5) |
26.6 (79.9) |
31.0 (87.8) |
35.0 (95.0) |
39.4 (102.9) |
41.5 (106.7) |
42.0 (107.6) |
40.6 (105.1) |
38.3 (100.9) |
34.0 (93.2) |
36.0 (96.8) |
25.0 (77.0) |
42.0 (107.6) |
| Average high °C (°F) | 10.8 (51.4) |
12.9 (55.2) |
18.7 (65.7) |
24.8 (76.6) |
30.4 (86.7) |
35.3 (95.5) |
35.9 (96.6) |
34.8 (94.6) |
31.4 (88.5) |
25.5 (77.9) |
19.2 (66.6) |
13.3 (55.9) |
24.42 (75.96) |
| Average low °C (°F) | −3.4 (25.9) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
3.4 (38.1) |
8.3 (46.9) |
11.5 (52.7) |
15.9 (60.6) |
19.9 (67.8) |
17.9 (64.2) |
10.9 (51.6) |
3.8 (38.8) |
−0.9 (30.4) |
−3.2 (26.2) |
6.93 (44.47) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −18.3 (−0.9) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−8.3 (17.1) |
−3.9 (25.0) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
6.0 (42.8) |
10.6 (51.1) |
3.9 (39.0) |
−0.6 (30.9) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−13.3 (8.1) |
−16.7 (1.9) |
−18.3 (−0.9) |
| Precipitation mm (inches) | 56.7 (2.232) |
49.0 (1.929) |
55.0 (2.165) |
28.3 (1.114) |
6.0 (0.236) |
1.1 (0.043) |
12.7 (0.5) |
12.1 (0.476) |
0.3 (0.012) |
3.9 (0.154) |
5.3 (0.209) |
30.5 (1.201) |
260.9 (10.272) |
| Sunshine hours | 220.1 | 209.0 | 232.5 | 273.0 | 334.8 | 327.0 | 313.1 | 313.1 | 294.0 | 306.9 | 279.0 | 238.7 | 3,341.2 |
| Source no. 1: Climatological Normals of Quetta | |||||||||||||
| Source no. 2: Extreme weather records of Quetta | |||||||||||||
Quetta has a semi-arid climate (Köppen BSk) with a significant variation between summer and winter temperatures. Summer starts in late May and goes on until early September with average temperatures ranging from 24–26 °C (75–78 °F).The highest temperature in Quetta is 42 °C (108 °F) which was recorded on 10 July 1998.[5] Autumn starts in late September and continues until mid-November with average temperatures in the 12–18 °C (55–65 °F) range. Winter starts in late November and ends in late March, with average temperatures near 4–5 °C (39–41 °F).The lowest temperature in Quetta is −18.3 °C (−0.9400000 °F) which was recorded on 8 January 1970.[5] Spring starts in early April and ends in late May, with average temperatures close to 15 °C (60 °F). Unlike more easterly parts of Pakistan, Quetta does not have a monsoon season of heavy rainfall. Highest rainfall during 24 hours in Quetta is 113 millimetres (4.4 in) which was recorded on 17 December 2000.,[5] Highest monthly rainfall is 232.4 millimetres (9.15 in) which was recorded in March, 1982.[5] and the highest annual rainfall is 949.8 millimetres (37.39 in) recorded in 1982.[5] In the winter snow is the principle mode of precipitation with snow falling mostly in the months of December, January and February.
The city saw a severe drought from 1999 to 2001, during the drought the city didn't received snowfall and received below normal rains. While in 2003 the city received snowfall after a long period of five years. In 2004, and 2005 the city received normal rains after three years with snowfall while in 2006, 2007 and 2009 the city doesn't revived any snow, except 2008 when Quetta received snowfall of four inches in four hours on 29 January 2008.[6] While on 2 February 2008 Quetta received ten inches of snow in just 10 hours.[7] These are the heaviest snowfall for the city in the last ten years. During the winter of 2010 it doesn't received any snowfall and saw below normal rains due to the presence of El-Nino over Pakistan.[8]
Quetta comprises of approximately 2,653 km2 (1,024 sq mi) and consists of series of valleys which act as a natural fort surrounded on all sides by a number of imposing hills named Chiltan, Takatoo, Murdar and Zarghun. There are no natural boundaries between Quetta and its adjoining districts of Dera Ismail Khan to the northeast, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sibi to the east, Sukkur and Jacobabad to the southeast, Karachi and Gawadar to the south and Ziarat to the southwest. The closest major city is Kandahar in Afghanistan which is located to the west of the Quetta.
Under the latest revision of Pakistan's administrative structure, promulgated in 2001,[9] Quetta was restructured as a City District, and divided into two towns[10][11] Each town in turn consists of a group of union councils (U.C.'s).[12]:
Quetta is on the western edge of Pakistan and is well connected to the rest of the country by a network of roads, railways and airways.
At an altitude of 1,605 metres (5,260 ft) above sea level, Quetta Airport is the second highest airport in Pakistan. Pakistan International Airlines has regular flights between Quetta and the other major cities of Pakistan including Islamabad, Gwadar, Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar while Pakistan International Airlines operates direct flights to Manchester, Dubai, New York and other major international airports.
Quetta Railway Station is one of the highest railway station in Pakistan at 1,676 metres (5,495 ft) above sea level. The railway track was laid in 1890's during the British era to link Quetta with rest of the country. The extensive network of Pakistan Railways connects Quetta to Karachi in south, by a 863 km (536 mi) track, Lahore in northeast (1,170 km or 727 miles) and Peshawar further northeast (1,587 km or 986 miles). A metalled road runs alongside the railway that connects Quetta to Karachi via Sibi, Jacobabad and Rohri. A track from the Iranian city of Zahedan links to Quetta via Taftan, Balochistan. Service was temporarily discontinued in 2006 due to unrest in Balochistan. Since 2008 railway service has come under attack by the Balochs, especially in the Bolan Pass area resulting in the bomb blast on the railway tracks and firing on trains, creating a sense of insecurity amongst the travelling public.
Recently there has been a proposal to construct a railway track that will link Gawadar to China and Gawadar with Quetta via Kalat. Although the distance from Quetta to Lahore is only 700 km (430 mi), there is no direct track on this route because of the Sulaiman Range that lies in the east of Quetta. All northeast-bound trains for Punjab or Khyber Pakhtunkhwa must first go over 350 km (220 mi) south to Rohri, Sindh (near Sukkur) before continuing north to Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Quetta is connected by metalled roads to the rest of the country. A recently built road connects it with Karachi through Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar and Lasbela. Other major roads are Quetta to Karachi following the Sibi, Jacobabad, Sukkur and Hyderabad route and two roads from Quetta to Lahore one (the older) via Sibi, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and Multan the other route via Khanozai, Muslimbagh Loralai, Fort Mondro, Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan. Quetta is also connected with Afghanistan through Chaman and to Iran through Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin and Taftan.
Quetta has a number of institutions of higher education. The prestigious military Command and Staff College, which was founded by the British. The city is home to the University of Balochistan which was established in 1974, the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering and Management Sciences,[Bolan Medical College] Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University, the Geological Survey of Pakistan, the Sandeman Library and two government colleges affiliated with the University of Peshawar.
A wide variety of mammals such as Markhor(wild sheep), leopards, wolves, hyena, rabbits, wild cats and porcupines are to be found in the Quetta region. Local birds species include partridge, warblers, shikra, the blue rock pigeon, rock nuthatch, golden eagle, sparrows, hawks, falcons and bearded vultures. Flora in Quetta is both numerous and rare. A total of 225 species have been identified in the area including pistachios, juniper, wild olives, wild ash and wild almonds. Also found are a wide range of shrubs including wild fig,barbery, wild cherry, makhi and herbs such as ephedra intermadia and gerardiana.
Quetta is a tourist attraction for foreigners to whom it is advertised as a "thrilling location, full of adventure and enjoyment".
Among the attractions of Quetta are the bazaars located on the Shahrah-e-Liaquat (Liaquat Bazaar and Suraj Gang Bazaar and Shahrah-e-Iqbal (Kandahari Bazaar). In bazaars the colourful handicrafts, particularly Balochi mirror work and Pashtun embroidery both of which are admired world-wide. Afghan rugs, fur coats, embroidered jackets, waist-coats, sandals and other traditional Pashtun items are also famous.
Balochi carpets are made by the nomadic tribes of the area. They are generally not nearly as fine or expensive as either the Persian city products or even the Turkoman tribal rugs from further north, but they are generally more authentic than the copies of Turkoman and Persian designs often found in the major cities of Pakistan. The rugs range in price and size, from lower priced crude examples to fine and valuable pieces. Many are small enough to be portable.
For those interested in local cuisine, there are many dishes to try. The famous Balochi Saji and other Balochi Trible delicious dishes are locally available at various spots of city especially at Prince Road, Jinnah Road, Serena Hotles. The famous Pashtun tribal cuisine “Roash” which non-locals call “Namkin” is to be found in both city restaurants as well as in the outlying areas. Some of the finest mutton in the country is raised around Quetta and is a mainstay of local cuisine. The Pashtun tribal dish, “Landhi”, is made of a whole lamb which is dried and kept fresh during the cold winters. "Khadi Kebab" is a lamb barbecue while "Sajji" (leg of lamb) and "Pulao" are other local dishes. The best restaurants are Usmania, Tabaq, Green Hotel, Gulab Hotel, Lal Kabab, and the Abasin Hotel all of which serve both Pakistani and western food while the Cafe China is one of the oldest and most reputable Chinese restaurants. A number of small hotels located along Alamdar road provide accommodation for tourists.
Hanna Lake, which nestles in the hills ten kilometres (six miles) east of the city, is a startling turquoise pool which contrasts markedly with its bare brown surroundings. An attraction for holidaymakers, with facilities for boat hire and a lakeside restaurant it is crowded by hikers and campers in holiday periods. At one end there is an irrigation dam while on the eastern shore line there is Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy, the only water sports training center in Balochistan Province. The Hana Lake Development Authority, the Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy and Merck Marker (Pvt.) Ltd have planted a range of trees in the Hanna Lake Mountains both for beautification and the protection of the environment.
The Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, 20 km (12 mi) south-west of Quetta, Markhors is a protected park area. The name of the park, "Hazarganji" literally means "Of a thousand treasures" is spread over 32,500 acres (132 km2) at an altitude ranging from 2,021 to 3,264 metres (5,625 to 10,700 feet). In the folds of the mountains, according to legend, there are over a thousand treasures buried, reminders of the passage over the ages of great armies including the Bactrians, the Scythians, the Muslims, and the Mongols. Pir Ghaib is a waterfall and picnic point located 70 km from the Quetta City in hisotric Bolan valley. Kharkhasa is located 10 km (6.2 mi) west of Quetta in a 16 km (9.9 mi) long narrow valley which contains a variety of flora and fauna species. The Chiltan Hill Viewpoint in the park provides a panoramic view over the city. A visit to the nearby cities of Kirani and Ziarat are popular scenic places for tourists travelling to and from Quetta.
The Quetta Geological Museum, located on Sariab Road has a collection of rocks and fossils found in Balochistan. The Command and Staff College Museum is a museum dedicated to British military history. It is housed in the former bungalow of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. The Quetta Archaeological Museum, located on Fifa Road has a collection of rare antique guns, swords, manuscripts and a display of Stone Age tools, prehistoric pottery and articles found in Mehrgarh. There are also coins, manuscripts and photos of Quetta before the 1935 earthquake. The Balochistan Arts Council Library is a newly opened facility which houses a variety of arts and crafts from Balochistan province.
A number of cultural and religious festivals are held in the city every year. The two Eid festivals which mark the end of fasting and the end of the Hajj allow the majority Muslim community to put on musical shows, distribute sweets and presents. Buzkashi is a peculiar festival celebrated by Pashtuns in which two teams on horse-back attempt to snatch a goat from each other.
Quetta was historically part of the Pashtun-dominated later that ( Khan Kalat Empire ) until it was leased to British Empire through a treaty in between Khan of Kalat and British Raj in mid of 19th century. The city in general is dominated by Pashtun People followed by Baloch with Hazaras, Punjabi and others as the minority groups.There are many Hindkowans in Quette and there number is estimated about 5,000. Balochistan Education Minsiter Mr. Tahir Ahmed Khan belongs to Hindko community his Shaheed brother Shafiq Ahmed Khan wwho was also education minister was killed by miscreants and now this responsibility is being shared by tahir Ahmed Khan.Prominent Businessman and preacher Late Peer Ali Shah was also from Hindko community, he was brother in law of Dr.Syed Mehboob, prominent Urdu,English and Hindko writer.
Pashto is the main language spoken throughout the city. Other languages include Brahui, Balochi, Urdu, Hazaragi, Sindhi, and Punjabi. The city has expanded from a population of just 11,000 in 1891 to a total of between 565,137 to 676,941 according to the 1998 census which makes it the ninth biggest city in Pakistan.[13][14] After the invasion of Afghanistan by the Soviet Red Army, approximately ten million Afghans migrated to Pakistan, out of which almost four million still reside in Quetta Kuchlak, Killa Abdullah, Chaman, Pishin, Noshki, Zhob, Loarali, Muslibagh and Ziarat. According to an UNHCR survey, some Afghans returned to Afghanistan through the UNHCR,[15] but the following season returned back as they had unlawfully obtained Pakistani National Identity Cards, owned the properties even himself merging to local Pashtun tribes, which will be very harmful to the respective areas in long way as the local Pashtun community were already facing difficulties with other migrants, who arrived before the recent surge of Afghan refugees, as local Pashtun society had not yet accepted them, referring to them as Afghani Khorasani. About 99% of the people are Muslims, that includes the majority Sunni sect and the minority Hazaras Shias. Christian, Hindu, and Sikh population are the other people living in the city.
In Quetta, unlike most of Pakistan, football rather than cricket is the most popular sport. Football teams from Quetta include Quetta Zorawar, Afghan Football, Hazara Green Football, Baluch Football and Quetta Bazigars Club. In cricket, Quetta is home to the Quetta Bears.
In field hockey, Quetta has produced Zeeshan Ashraf and Shakeel Abbasi, who are current members of the Pakistan national field hockey team. In mountain climbing and caving, Hayatullah Khan Durrani (Pride of Performance), the chief executive of Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy at Hanna Lake. In Kayaking, Muhammad Abubakar Durrani, National Junior Champion was selected for the world Junior Canoeing Championship in 2009 in Moscow. In Boxing Olympians from Quetta include: Shaheed Syed Agha Ibrar Hazara killed by LeJ, Abdul Salam Khan Kakar, Asghar Ali Changezi and Haider Ali Changezi. Weight lifting Dilawar Khan Khilji, Mohammad Rafiq Khan Khilji and Mohammad Alam Khan Kakar were the famous weightlifters.
cricket and football matches. The city also has Ayub National Stadium, a multipurpose stadium used for football and cricket. In squash, Hiddy Jahan Khan was ranked among the top-6 players in the world from 1970 through to 1986. British Open champion Qamer Zaman also hails from Quetta. Other famous squash players include: Zarak Jahan Khan, Abdul Wali Khan Khilji, Hamayoon Khan Khilji, Zubair Jahan Khan, Shams ul Islam Khan Kakar, Tariq Rahim Khan Kakar and Shaied Zaman Khan. The Shaheed Nauoroz Stadium is the largest stadium in the city and the site of international
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