Balochistan-Nasirabad

Brief History; Nasirabad District

Nasirabad district is located in the Kachhi Plain areas of Balochistan. The Kachhi Plain is located to the south of Sibi, and extends into Nasirabad, as well as the southern part of Dera Bugti district, and the narrow plain area along the Makran coast stretching from Kachhi to the Iranian border.

At the time of the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Balochistan was mainly divided into 2 parts: British Balochistan comprising Quetta, Pishin, Zhob, and Loralai, and Native Balochistan (or area controlled by the indigenous tribes) consisting of Kalat, Kharan, Makran, and Lasbela Princely States.

The Kalat State or Khanate of Kalat was founded in 1666; it was located in the center of modern day Balochistan. Ahmad Zai Baloch ruled the State independently until 1839 when it became a self-governing State in a subsidiary alliance with British India.

The Kalat Khanate was at its peak during the period in which Mir Noori Naseer Khan Ahmadzai Baloch I (1749-1794) ruled; he unified the Kalat region under his flag. Nasirabad was named after him, and was a niabat (Tehsil/district) of the Kalat State. During Naseer Khan’s rule, the Khanate extended to the districts of Quetta, Kalat, Harrand (now in Rajanpur district of Punjab), Dajal (also in Rajanpur), Panjgur, Kech or Kasarkand (Makran, now Kech/Turbat district), Dizak (Iran) and Kharan (now a district). The borders of the territories controlled by the Khanate of Kalat fluctuated over the centuries due to conquests and war losses, but were eventually made permanent by treaties with the British Political Agent, Robert Sandeman in the late 19th century.

In 1883, the Quetta Niabat (comprising present-day Quetta Tehsil) and the Bolan Pass were permanently taken on lease by the British from Kalat State. In 1899, Nushki, and then in 1903 the Nasirabad Niabat, were similarly acquired from the Kalat State on a perpetual lease. Thus, Nasirabad became a part of British Balochistan and was made a subdivision of Sibi district. The early history of Nasirabad is, hence, synonymous to that of Sibi district, and is described in the chapter on Sibi.

Nasirabad remained a tehsil of Sibi district till 1974, when it was upgraded, and formed into a separate district. It was named Tamboo district, after a small village 40 km west of Dera Murad Jamali, and retained this name from July 1987 to December 1990. The name was changed to Nasirabad, with its headquarters at Dera Murad Jamali, in December 1990.

Governmental Structure; Nasirabad District

At the Federal level, Nasirabad district is allocated a set number of representatives in both the National Assembly and the Provincial Assembly:

• Number of seats in the National Assembly 1
• Number of seats in the Provincial Assembly 2

Under the Local Government Act 2010, Amended in 2011, Nasirabad district has 1 District Council with 31 Union Councils. It has 1 Municipal Committee as follows:

• Dera Murad Jamali

Each Union Council is represented by one member in the District Council. In addition, there is special representation of women (33%), and of workers and peasants (5% each).

Administrative Divisions; Nasirabad District

Nasirabad district has a total area of 3,387 km² and is divided into 4 Tehsils with 24 Union Councils as follows:

Baba Kot Tehsil	03 Union Councils
Chattar Tehsil	05 Union Councils
Dera Murad Jamali Tehsil	08 Union Councils
Tambo Tehsil	08 Union Councils

Table 1.2 Nasirabad Administrative Divisions

Originally, Dera Murad Jamali was known as Temple Dera after the name of its founder, Captain M. H. Temple, who served as the Political Agent for Sibi from 1891 to 1892. Among the local population, it is still known as Tipel, a corruption of the word Temple.

Historical/ Heritage Sites and Tourism/ Picnic Spots; Nasirabad District

There are no archaeological sites in the district, but there are some shrines[1] which are culturally important. These are:

• Shrine of Syed Hassan Shan Shah, Naqshbandi, Chattar
• Shrine of Turk Shah, Chattar
• Shrine of Sakhi Syed Ibrahim Shah, Chattar
• Shrine of Syed Hazar Shah

[1] Nasirabad District Development Profile 2011, P&D Department, GoB, with UNICEF

Topography; Nasirabad District

District Nasirabad is located in the southeastern portion of the Balochistan province in the Kachhi Plain/ Basin area, which consists of flat valleys amid various mountain and hill ranges. It is surrounded on the west by the Kirthar and Central Bolan Ranges, and on the northeast by the Marri and Bugti hills. Other smaller hill ranges skirting the district are ranges of low hills called Pab Hills.

Mostly, the land of Nasirabad district is a flat plain which slopes from the south to the north and gains an elevation from 50 to 170 m above sea level.

Rivers, Streams, and Lakes; Nasirabad district

There is no perennial river flowing through the district and the district depends on the canals for its surface water.

A few hill torrents, occasionally bringing flood waters, enter the district on the north from the Bugti Country, but are lost in the sand hills before they proceed very far into the district. The principal of these hill torrents are Goranari, Nilagh, Phanyan, Ghari Manak, Dingrizo, Bari, Kabula, and Bagh.[1]

Figure 1.5 A Water Pond, Nasirabad

Forests; Nasirabad district

The types of vegetation found in the district belong to the Tropical Thorn Forests Vegetation Zone, with major tree species including kandi (Prosopis cineraria), karir (Capparisaphylla), peelu (Salvadora oleoides), ghaz/farash (Tamarix aphylla), and ber (Zizyphus mauritiana).

Natural Forests have been demolished to make space for agriculture. Overall tree cover is good, and the trees can be found in linear plantations along roadside/canal side plantations, as well as around habitations, or farmlands. The common tree species found in the district (either local or exotic) are babul (Acacia nilotica), shisham (Dalbergio sissoo), ber (Zizyphus mauritiana and Zizyphus nummularia), farash (Tamarix aphylla), karir (Capparis aphylla), peelu (Salvadora oleoides), black siris (Albizzia lebbek), white siris (Albizzia procera), neem (Azadirachta indica), jhand (Prosopis cineraria), and sufaida or eucalyptus (Eucalyptus sp.).

The shrubs include mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), prickly sesban (Sesbania bispinosa), aak (Calotropis procera), salt tree (Haloxylon sp.), and camel thorn (Alhagi camalorum). Ground cover is constituted mainly by grasses like Aristida depressa, Eleusine compressa, Panicum antidotale, Saccharum munja, and Typha angustifolia.

There is only one small notified forest area in Nasirabad Tehsil measuring 13 Acres.[2] There are no wildlife protected areas in the district, but the Beroon Kirthar Canal of the district is an important wintering ground of migratory birds and, hence, is on the list of Ramsar protected wetland.

Soils; Nasirabad district

The soil of Nasirabad district comprises silt, clay, silt loam, clay loam, and sandy loam. The soils of the canal command areas (irrigated by canals), which constitutes a large area of Dera Murad Jamali Tehsil, can be classified as sandy and loamy soil, with more loamy soil in dense agricultural fields. In the Chattar Tehsil, the area is sandy and clay loam.[3]

Figure 1.6 IUCN GIS Map District Nasirabad

Climate; Nasirabad district

There is no meteorological office in Nasirabad district. Accurate meteorological data can be retrieved from the meteorological department office in Jacobabad.

The climate of the district is extremely hot with long summers, and pleasant to cold winters. Humidity increases in the summer, particularly in the area adjacent to the Pat Feeder Canal. Dust storms are common in the summer season and they blow from the north and west; however, they have lost their intensity due to an increase in vegetation frequency. A dust storm in Nasirabad can sometimes be followed by rain. Rainy season occurs mostly during the monsoon, in the months of July and August.

The summer season starts in May and continues till the end of October. April is mild-hot, whereas the hottest months are May, June, and July. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures in June (the hottest month) are 43 °C and 29 °C. The winter season is mild and pleasant, with January being the coldest month. The mean maximum and minimum temperatures during January are 9 °C and 4 °C.

The mean annual rainfall for the district is 420 mm.

Seismic Activity; Nasirabad district

The district belongs to Zone 3 of the Seismic Zone Map of Pakistan which means moderate to severe damage due to earthquakes.

[1] The names of the streams have been extracted from Balochistan District Gazetteer Series, Sibi District, text compiled by A McConaghey

[2]Government of Balochistan Official Website “Resource Information” extracted on August 2014

[3] 1998 District Profile Nasirabad by GoPakistan.

Population; Nasirabad District

The following table shows the population of Nasirabad district as per 2017 Census:

District/Tehsil	Area km2	Population	Male%	Female%	Urban %	Growth Rate %
Nasirabad District	3,387	490,538	51.6	48.4	19.7	3.69
Chattar Tehsil	NA	75,330
Dera Murad Jamali Tehsil[1]	NA	234,581
Baba Kot Tehsil	NA	49,459
Tambo Tehsil		131,168

Table 1.3 Nasirabad Population Statistics

Religions; Nasirabad district[2]

Muslims	99.1%
Christians	Negligible %
Hindus	0.7%
Ahmadis	Negligible %
Scheduled Castes	0.1%
Others	0.1%

Table 1.4 Nasirabad Religions

Languages; Nasirabad district[3]

Urdu	0.2%
Punjabi	0.3%
Sindhi	30.5%
Pushto	0.2%
Balochi	54.9%
Seraiki	6.1%
Others[4]	7.9%

Table 1.5 Nasirabad Languages

[1] The data for Tambo Tehsil is included in Dera Murad Jamali Subdivision

[2] 1998 Census, 2017 Census Data has not been released yet.

[3] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been released yet.

[4] Includes Brahvi language

Economic Activity – Economic Infrastructure

Economic Activity; Nasirabad District

The main economic occupations of the district include[1]:

• Agriculture, Forestry, Hunting & Fishing (78%)
• Community, Social & Personal Services (7.8%)
• Construction (6.7%)
• Others (7.7%)

[1] 1998 Census; 2017 Census Data has not been released yet.

Land Use; Nasirabad district

The following table shows the main land use statistics of the district as per Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19:

Total Area	338,700 HA	Reported Area	235,177 HA
Total Cultivated Area	220,298 HA	Net Sown	193,707 HA
Current Fallow	26,591 HA	Total Uncultivated Area	14,879 HA
Culturable Waste	– HA	Forest Area	214 HA

Table 1.6 Nasirabad Land Use Statistics

Agriculture; Nasirabad district

The district belongs to the Tropical Agro-Ecological Zone, and falls under Zone VII of the Agro-Ecological Zone of Balochistan.

The main crops of the district include wheat, barley, rapeseed/mustard, gram, masoor, canola, sunflower, rice, jowar, bajra, sesame, moong, guarseed, cotton, and sugarcane.

Fruits include mangoes, citrus, guavas, dates, watermelon, musk melon, chikoo, and ber. Onions, potatoes, tomatoes, okra, tinda, spinach, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, cauliflower, brinjal, luffa, cucumber, coriander, and peas are the vegetable produce of the district.

Livestock Breeding; Nasirabad district

Livestock breeding is the second most important sector of the economy. It is the main source of income for nomadic families. The following table shows the position of the livestock population according to the 2006 Census of Livestock, (qtd. in Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19):

Cattle	165,765 Heads	Buffaloes	84,226 Heads	Sheep	148,501 Heads
Goats	213,294 Heads	Camels	1,871 Heads	Horses	1,576 Heads
Mules	233 Heads	Asses	22,848 Heads

Table 1.7 Nasirabad Livestock Statistics

Indigenous livestock breeds of the district are bhagnari cattle, berbery goat, Balochi sheep, and aseel chicken.

Poultry Farms; Nasirabad district

There are 03 government-owned poultry farms[1] in the district.

Bee Keeping/Apiary; Nasirabad district

Bee keeping is not taken up as an economic activity in the district.

Fisheries; Nasirabad district

Fishing is carried out in the Pat Feeder Canal and its branches. The fishing industry can be further developed by constructing Fish Ponds.

[1] Table 17 Number of Commercial Poultry Farms and Number of Birds by Size of Flock

Irrigation Network; Nasirabad district

Major sources of irrigation in Nasirabad district are the Pat Feeder Canal off-taking from Guddu Barrage, Kirthar Canal off-taking from Sukkur Barrage, and Uch Canal off-taking from Panjnad Headworks. There are no tube wells, wells or Karezes/spring irrigation systems. The following table shows the mode of irrigation and area being irrigated by the mode (Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19):

Total Irrigated Area	199,321 HA	Government Canals	198,811 HA
Private Canals	– HA	Wells	– HA
Tube Wells	510 HA	Karez/Spring/Others	– HA

Table 1.10 Nasirabad Irrigation Statistics

Manufacturing/ Industry; Nasirabad district

There is 1 Industrial Estate[1]—the Dera Murad Jamali Industrial Estate—in the district. The Government of Balochistan has issued NOC for 48 Industrial Units, but only 05 rice husking mills are operating in the district.

The following table shows the type and number of industry for which NOCs have been established as well as the actual working industrial units:

Type of Industry	NOCs Issued	Working Units	Type of Industry	NOCs Issued	Working Units
Rice Husking Mills	10	05	Flour Mills	06	–
Ice Factories	05	–	Woodwork	03	–
Cooking Oil	01	–	Soap	02	–
Hard Board	01	–	Plastic	01	–
Pulse Grinder	01	–	Tiles	01	–
RCC Pipes	03	–	Cotton Ginning	01	–
Arms	01	–	Others	11	–

Table 1.8 Nasirabad Industrial Units

In addition, there are other industrial units operating in the district which are not located in the Dera Murad Jamali Industrial Estate. These are:

• Rice Husking Mills (32 Units)
• Flour Mills (14 Units)
• Ice Factories (04 Units)
• Oil Expeller (01 Unit)

Mining; Nasirabad district

There is no mineral potential in the District, and Oil and Gas is being explored.

Handicrafts; Nasirabad district

The only handicraft of the district is embroidery work, which is done by women and girls for personal use; very few articles, however, are marketed.

[1] Nasirabad District Development Profile 2011, P&D Department, GoB with UNICEF

Economic Infrastructure; Nasirabad District

Nasirabad district has much better economic infrastructure than many other districts of Balochistan. It is connected with other parts of Pakistan and Balochistan through a network of black topped roads. Most of the interior parts of the district are connected through shingle roads. It is also connected to the rest of the province and other parts of Pakistan through Pakistan Railway but no air connection is available.

Road Statistics; Nasirabad district

According to the Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19, the road statistics of the district are as follows:

Total Roads	1,248.0 km
High Type Roads/black topped	996.0 km
Low Type Roads/Shingle	252.0 km

Table 1.9 Nasirabad Road Statistics

Some of the important roads of the district are:

• National Highway N-65 (Quetta-Sukkur) passes through the district connecting Khairpur and Jacobabad with Nasirabad
• Nasirabad-Warah Road
• Nasirabad-Badah Road
• Road connecting Sibi-Chattar-Jafarabad (Jhat Pat)
• Nasirabad-Jaffarabad Road
• Bhag-Nasirabad-Usta Muhammad Road
• Chattar-Bhag Road

Figure 1.10 Road Dera Murad Jamali

Rail and Airways; Nasirabad district

There are 3 railway stations in the district; these are Notal, Mangoli, and Dera Murad Jamali. The main station is at Dera Murad Jamali.

There is a Helipad in the district but no commercial airport. The nearest airport is Jacobabad International Airport.

Figure 1.11 Dera Murad Jamali Railway Station

Figure 1.12 A Shingle Road in Goth Khairullah Jattak Village

Radio and Television; Nasirabad district

There is no radio or TV station or even a TV booster in the district. TV is viewed through a booster installed at Shikarpur. However, radio is a major source of entertainment.

Telecommunications; Nasirabad district

The district is connected to other parts of the country through telephone and telegraph. There is 01 telephone exchange in Nasirabad district which provides 671 landlines, 407 V‑Phones and 1,302 broadband connections in the district (Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19). Cellular phone companies also provide their services in the district.

Post Offices/ Courier Services; Nasirabad district

There are 2 post offices[1] in the district. Most of the courier services also provide services.

Banking/ Financial Institutions; Nasirabad district

The following banks all have their branches[2] in the district:

• Habib Bank Ltd.
• National Bank of Pakistan
• United Bank Ltd.
• Muslim Commercial Bank Ltd.
• Sindh Bank Ltd.
• Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd.

In all there are 07 branches of different conventional banks but Islamic banks are not operating in the District.

Figure 1.13 National Bank of Pakistan, Dera Murad Jamali

Electricity and Gas; Nasirabad district

Quetta Electric Supply Company (QESCO) looks after the supply of electricity. Uch Power Plant, located in Dera Murad Jamali, generates about 560 MW of electricity. Uch II Power Plant has been completed recently, which has added another 404 MW of electricity to the system.

Figure 1.14 Uch Power Station, Dera Murad Jamali

[1] List of Reporting Bank Branches 2019, by State Bank of Pakistan.

[2] List of Reporting Bank Branches 2013 provided by the State Bank  of Pakistan

Educational Institutions; Nasirabad district

The literacy rate of Nasirabad district is only 12.7% with 12.3% males and 3.3% females being literate. The following table shows the number of primary, middle, secondary, and mosque schools in the district as per Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19:

Institution	Boys/Girls	Institution	Boys/Girls
Primary Schools	296/151	Middle Schools	20/17
High Schools	22/04	Community Schools	46
Higher Secondary	-/01	Degree Colleges	01/-
Universities	–	Mosque Schools[1]	–
Vocational Training Schools	–	Private Schools[2]	08

Table 1.11 Nasirabad Educational Institutes

Figure 1.15 A Girl’s School in Dera Murad Jamali

Figure 1.16 Government High School, Nasirabad

Healthcare Facilities; Nasirabad district

The following table shows the government healthcare institutions in Nasirabad district as per Balochistan Development Statistics 2018-19:

Institution	No./Beds	Institution	No./Beds
Teaching Hospitals	–	Hospitals	01/20
Rural Health Centers	03/30	Basic Health Units	16/-
Dispensaries	09/-	Mother Child Health Centers	03/-
TB/Leprosy Clinics etc.	01/-	Private Hospitals	-/-
Private Dispensaries	01/-

Table 1.12 Nasirabad Health Institutes

Policing; Nasirabad district

For the purposes of administration, the district is divided into two areas: “A” and “B”. The urban areas of Nasirabad district come under “A” area and the rest of the area of the district falls in “B” area. “A” area is controlled by a regular police force headed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP). This DSP is assisted by a Station House Officer (SHO), Inspector Police, and other staff. “B” area is controlled by levies force. Levies are a conventional force to maintain law and order. In levies, men of different tribes are employed. The levies force comes under the direct control of the Deputy Commissioner. Generally, the levies force is well equipped to deal with the law and order situation in the district.

The policing of Nasirabad district is looked after by the Regional Police Officer (RPO) Nasirabad. This RPO is assisted by 4 SubDivisional Police Officers (SDPOs) stationed at Dera Murad Jamali, Manjhoo Shori (Tamboo), Chattar, and Baba Kot. In all, there 09 police stations[3] in the district.

[1] included in primary schools

[2] 2011 Data

[3] Table no. 19.7 (a) Number of Police Stations by Division/District 2019 by Federal Bureau of Statistics.

Environment and Biodiversity; Nasirabad District

There is little environmental pollution in the district, as it lacks an industrial set-up or factories. Traffic is limited to the areas along the highway, particularly near Dera Murad Jamali city. The rest of the area is free from smoke and air pollution.

Flora and Fauna; Nasirabad district

Flora; Nasirabad district

The types of vegetation zones[1] in the district and the types of flora for each zone are as follows:

• Farmlands: The common tree species are babul (Acacia nilotica), shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), ber (Zizyphus nummularia), farash (Tamarix aphylla), black siris (Albizzia lebbek), white siris (Albizzia procera), neem (Azadirachta indica), and sufaida (Eucalyptus spp.)
• Canalside, Roadside: The common flora includes shisham (Dalbergia sissoo), babul (Acacia nilotica) and Eucalyptus sp.
• Areas outside of Command areas of Canals: The vegetation in nullahs and rain-fed agriculture bands includes trees/shrubs like gaz or tamarisk (Tamarix dioica), jand or kandi (Prosopis cineraria), peelu (Salvadora oleoides), ber (Zizyphus mauritiana), and aak (Calotropis procera)
• Saline & Waterlogged Areas: The vegetation along canals and swamps mainly comprises of trees/shrubs like ghaz or tamarisk (Tamarix dioica), Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica), and babul (Acacia nilotica); the main grasses are Saccharum munja, Typha angustifolia, and Panicum antidotale

Fauna; Nasirabad district

According to the data provided by the Provincial and District Forest Departments, IUCN, UNDP, WWF, and GEF, the mammals found in the district include wolf, common fox, Asiatic jackal, honey badger, grey mongoose, and wild boar. Avifauna includes kala titar, bhora titar, batair, houbara bustard, king fisher, hud hud, common myna, rose-winged parakeet, coppersmith, white-cheeked bulbul, a number of migratory water fowls, sparrows, and crows.

Reptiles include goh, sanda, Indian cobra, sangchoor, python, and soft-shell river turtle.

Protected Wildlife Areas and Wildlife; Nasirabad District

The Beroon Kirthar Canal area is an internationally important wetland of the district, and is protected under the Ramsar Convention. The area consists of a complex of permanent and seasonal freshwater lakes and marshes along the Kirthar Canal, near the western edge of the Indus River flood plain. The wetland is fed by Monsoon floods and excess irrigation water from adjacent agricultural land. The depth of water fluctuates widely according to water supply, and can be as much as 2 m. A large number of migratory water fowl come to this complex. Some of these include cormorants, egrets, teals, purple swamp hens, coots, black-winged stilts, some unidentified ducks, birds of prey like osprey (a fish eating hawk), houbara bustard, cream coloured coursers (endangered), and sand grouse.

 

[1] Nasirabad District Development Profile by P & D Department, GoB with UNICEF