Outline District Profile

• Major Ethnic Groups

Baloch, Brahvi, Med, Khoja, Jamoot, Ranjhas, Sheikh

• Languages:

• Climate

The coast has a moderate and moist climate. The weather is generally fine. May and June are the hottest months.

• Economy

Agriculture, Fisheries, livestock, trade and Industry are the major sectors of economic activity, followed by mining, transport and informal sector.

Agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries together account for 76.2 percent. Others are together 23.8 percent.

Barite, Serpentine, Shale, Basalt, Ebrystone, Quartrite, Red Ocher, magnesium, Marble, Lime-stone and building stone.

Tombs of General Muhammad-Ibn-Haroon, Sir Robert Sandeman and Jamia Masjid. Caves at kumbh Shirin Spring and Mai Goudrani, Shrine of Shah Bilawal , Shrine and Farhad tomb Lahut-i-Lamakan and Sassi Waro-Chodo (Sassi Spring).

• Average costs per patient contact: Rs.24.49 per year

The main sources of drinking water are tube wells, canals, hand pumps and others. Tube wells cover 54.1 percent, canals 19.1 percent, and hand pumps 1.8 percent.

Wood and dung cake are used by 95 percent of population and 5 percent uses gas cylinders

for cooking purposes. For lighting, 35 percent housing units use electricity and 65 percent uses kerosene lamps.

Industries are functioning at Hub and Winder Industrial Trading Estate. The major industries are textile weaving, plastics, chemical, food preserve, engineering, paper & paper conversion, etc. These are 122 in number.

Lasbela was notified as a district on 30th June, 1954. In October, 1955 the unification of the former provinces of Punjab, NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan took place. The Balochistan States Union was formed into Kalat division. But in December 1960 Lasbela became a separate district and was placed as a part of Karachi division. Later on it was transferred to Kalat division of Balochistan Province.

The district of Lasbela derives its name from the words LAS which signifies a plain, the greater part of the area being a flat plain, and Bela, the principle town of the district. Uthal is the district headquarters.

The district consists of nine tehsils, Bela, Uthal, Hub, Lakhra, Somiani, Dureaji, Lairi, Gaddani and Konnaj. The district has 27 patwar circles and 293 mauzas (villages).

From the early period of history till the rise of the Aliani family of the Jamoot tribe in the middle of the eighteenth century, only a few facts are known regarding the early history of Lasbela.

Alexander the Great passed through Lasbela on his way back from India and, according to the accounts of his march given by Sir Thomas Holdich, left Patala in Sindh in the beginning of September 326 BC. After Alexander’s death, one of his generals, Seleukas Nickator, became ruler of central and western Asia. The sub-continent and Lasbela were presumably included in his inheritance. For many centuries after this, nothing can be traced about the history of Lasbela.

In the seventh century the ruler of Armanbel (which is believed to be the present town of Bela) was a Buddhist Somani and Rai Sahiras, the king of Hind, elevated him for his loyalty and devotion. Chach usurped the throne of the Rai dynasty of Sindh and marched to Bela in 636 AD. Chach was cordially received at Bela and was well impressed with the loyalty of the people of Bela. He then marched west towards Makran.

The district lay on the route followed by the Arab General, Muhammad-Bin-Qasim, who entered Makran in 712. A.D. On his way to Sindh, Mohammad-Bin-Qasim marched through Bela accompanied by Muhammad Haroon, the governor of Makran. Muhammad Haroon died in Bela and his tomb is there. The power of the Arabs lasted towards the end of the tenth century.

Afterwards, the district appears to have come under the influence of the Sumras and Sammas, who asserted their independence when the power of the Abbaside caliphs declined. The Sumras gained a position of supremacy in the middle of the eleventh century. They were eventually overthrown by the Sammas under Jam Umar in 1333. The Sammas reigned till 1523 when they were defeated and their power was completely broken by Shah Hussain Argon. The succeeding period is again obscure. The chiefs of the Gujar, Ranjha, Gunga and Burfat tribes, who are still to be found in Lasbela, are said to have exercised a semi-independent power previous to the rise of the Aliani family of the Jamoot tribe, to which the present Jam of Lasbela belongs.

When the British advancement extended beyond Sindh and to the states of Kalat and Lasbela; Jam Mir Khan-II was exercising powerful political control over the affairs of these areas. On the occasion of the 3rd rebellion in 1869, when the Jam was marching on to Kalat

with a large force, a clash was averted by the intervention of the British Political Officer. The negotiations were however abortive and Jam Mir Khan refused to pay allegiance to the Khan and was banned to British India.

In December 1876 an agreement was signed between Sir Robert Sandeman and Mir Khudadad Khan, the Khan of Kalat, and Jam Ali Khan who represented his father, Jam Mir Khan, the Jam of Bela. In consequence of this agreement Jam Mir Khan was released from his confinement in British India in the spring of 1877, after accepting the conditions that he acknowledged the Khan’s sovereignty, in accordance with the ancient usage.

Jam Mir Khan at first inclined to let his son Jam Ali Khan carry on the government, but ultimately took the administration in his own hands. Jam Mir Khan died in January 1888, leaving three sons. His eldest son Haji Jam Ali Khan was installed at Bela in January 1889 by Sir Robert Sandeman, the British Agent to the Governor General in Balochistan. Sir Robert died in January 29th, 1892 in Bela, his tomb is in Bela garden.

Haji Jam Ali Khan died in 1894 and was succeeded by his son Jam Mir Kamal Khan, who subsequently ruled over the state for 50 years. His successors, first his son, Jam Mir Ghulam Muhammad Khan, and later his grandson Jam Ghulam Qadir Khan continued to hold the post Masnad under the same conditions and without any significant event until Pakistan came into existence on 14th August, 1947. At this time Lasbela along with Kharan and Kalat states acceded to Pakistan and later became part of the Balochistan Province.

The population of Lasbela presents many features of special interest to the ethnologist. The first historical reference to the ancient population of Lasbela and Makran is to be found in Arrian, who divides the population into two distinct classes. The people of the coast whom he names the Ichthyophagoi or fish-eaters and the population of the interior, the Arabi, the Oreitai and the Gadrosia of Gadrosia or Gedrosia. Several other authors have described the strange race of the Ichthyophagoi who are undoubtedly identifiable with the present fishermen of the coast.

The principal tribes among the Lasis claim to be descendants of the Sumras and Sammas who formerly resided in Sindh. Their tribal names certainly indicate that many of them are of Hindu origin.

The term Lasi is a geographical name, which is applied to all the tribes other than Baloch and Brahvi, Med, Khoja and Hindus who are settled in Lasbela. The principal Lasi tribes are only five in number, namely Jamot, Ranjha, Sheikh, Angaria and Burraf. These are called the Panjraj or the five tribal confederacies. Under each Raj are a large number of heterogeneous groups.

The few Afghans are mostly nomads, except the Buzdars, who are flock owners and wander about in Niabat, and the Gichkis who are connected with the Jam of Lasbela. Minor tribes include the Gunjas, Sinars, Sangurs, Burfats, Chhuttas and Khojas. A good number of Hindus are also residing in Uthal, Bela and Hub. They are all of the Arora caste. The Hindus are mostly of the orthodox school, but they are not strict in the observance of their religious rites and have modified several of their ordinary daily customs. Among other tribes are the Babbar, Gadras, Langhas and Koris.

The tomb of General Muhammad-Ibn-Haroon, who accompanied Muhammad-Bin-Qasim. is a place of historical importance in the town of Bela. On the west-side of the Purali river, the tomb of Sir Robert Sandeman, made of granite and white marble and surrounded by beautiful gardens, bears a testimony to the cultural heritage of this town. The Jamia Masjid is an exemplary accomplishment of Islamic architecture. The caves at Mai Goudrani, hewed out of solid conglomerate rock situated 20 km. to the north of Bela town, are worth visiting.

The Shrine of Shah Bilawal is situated in Shah Bilawal village, west of the Tira Hub stream. Lahut-i-Lamakan is another shrine of repute, which is frequented by devotees in all seasons. It is situated 6 km south of Shah Bilawal.

The tomb at Himidan is situated near the confluence of Himidan rivulet and Hub river about 85 km. from Karachi. The cemetery in which these tombs were placed contains a considerable number of Muslims graves.

There is a spring called Sassi Waro-Chodo (Sassi’s Spring) the heroine of the romance of Sassi and Punnun. This place is situated near Paboni Naka, about 68 km from Karachi.

Kumbh Shirin Spring is on the western slope of the Haro or Hala hills on the route between Awaran and Karachi, which passes through Lasbela over the Jau-Lak. Here is also the tomb of Shireen and Farhad; they are buried in one grave.

1.1 Introduction

The total geographical area of the district is 1,257,370 hectares. The reported area is 1255,358 ha. which is 99.84 percent of the geographical area. The major portion of the reported area, i.e. 71.57 percent, is cultivable waste. Only 0.16 percent is under water logging and 9.74 percent is not available for cultivation, as it is not levelled and un-irrigated.

The area under cultivable waste is 898,815 ha and arable land comprises 74,886 ha. Thus the total potential area available for cultivation comes out at 973,701 ha. The potential area available for cultivation is 77.44 percent of the total geographical area. The arable land is however only 6 percent of the geographical area. It shows that 71.4 percent of the area is not used for cultivation. This area could be brought under cultivation by taking appropriate measures.

The geographical area is the area within the administrative boundaries (of the district),

The area reported is the area covered by village and/of district record.

Net potential area available for cultivation comprises arable land and culturable waste, as the latter one can be brought under cultivation by way of e.g. land levelling, irrigation, etc.

The district Lasbela is situated between 24° -54’ to 26° -37’ north latitude and 64° -02’ to 67° -28’ east longitude. It is bounded on the north by Khuzdar district, in the west by Hala off Shoot of Pub mountain range of district Awaran, in the south by Arabian Sea and in the east by Dadu, Karachi East and Karachi West Districts of Sindh.

Geographically, the district can be divided into the alluvial plain surrounding Bela extending southwards up-to the bay of Somiani and the hilly regions situated east and west of this plain. The plain itself consists of alluvium deposits of Porali and other rivers. At the edge of the plain, around the margins of the adjoining hilly regions and near the coast, lie raised sea-beaches, situated some 15 to 25 metres above sea level. The east of the alluvial plain exhibits the greatest variety of rocks forming the Anticlinal Ranges, which are separated by valleys. The hilly region is situated on the west of the alluvial plain of the Porali and extends along the Makran coast. The whole of the eastern part of the district is mountainous. The plain in the centre, comprising the greater portion of the district, is triangular shaped. The principal hill ranges are on the western slopes of the Kirthar mountains, as far as the north of Lak Phusi. The other side includes the main ridge of the Pub range with parts of the Khude or Khudo and part of the Pub range. The third side; comprises the lower slopes of the Mekran coast.

The Mor range and Khude is surrounded by Sman Branch of Kolachi river on the south; Hub river on the east and Gidar Dhor river on the west. Valleys of the Kharari or Kanrach and the Mithri, Mohbar and Chebechi torrents are situated in the south. From its entrance into Lasbela district, the Porali river runs over a stony course and has low banks as far as Mangia, where it passes through clay soil. At Shah Lakhra, a dam has been constructed.

About 89 km north of Shah Lakhra, a branch of the Porali river, known as the Titian river, takes off and eventually flows into the Siranda lake.

The coastal area of the district, Sonmiani, Hub and Gadani, has a more moderate and moist climate than the interior. The weather is generally fine. Generally speaking, the winter extends from October to January, but in February and March the climate is moderate. April to September constitute summer. During the hottest months of May and June, Bela town often records the highest temperature (43.3 ⁰C in the month of May 1995) in Pakistan.

The north-western wind (Gorich) prevails from October to February and becomes particularly strong towards the end of the cold weather season. The Gorich becomes a burning hot wind during April and May, when it is known as Liwar.

Rainfall is capricious and uncertain. Normally, most rain falls in summer during June, July and August. There is little rain in January and February. The three years data of rainfall (see annex 3) show great variation in precipitation in the district. The maximum precipitation noted was 192.6 mm in the month of July 1995, which was near to the total annual rainfall of 205.6 mm. In some months during the last three years precipitation was zero.

The climate of the interior is subject to considerable variations. The winter extends over the months of October to January. The period from April to September constitutes the summer. While May and June are hot.

The three years data of maximum temperature is given at annex 3. The temperature variation indicated in the data shows a maximum temperature of 43.3 ⁰C in the month of May, 1995. The annual maximum average temperature was 35.8 ⁰C.

The three years data for minimum temperature is given in annex 3, which shows that the minimum temperature recorded was 8.3 ⁰C in the month of January, 1994. The average annual minimum temperature was 18.6 ⁰C.

The soil of Lasbela is alluvial, and is composed of a light loose clay, mixed with fine sand. In some parts of the district it contains saline ingredients and preserves a hard smooth surface; in others it crumbles into a fine dust. The ground is in many parts covered with large round stones. At the head of the valley above Bela, there are numerous streams and watercourses.

The best soil is a light loam mixed with a moderate amount of sand, known as the cultivator’s milk. Next in fertility to ‘milk’ comes aawari, a clay surface with a sub soil composed largely of sand. This class of soil is most common in the district.

The main minerals of the district are shale, marble, lime stone, building stone, barite and serpentine while basalt and magnesium are also found in the district. The minerals in the area have much potential in the area of Bela and Wadh, but due to, among others, political influence and lack of road facilities, it is still unexplored.

Source: Directorate of Minerals, Quetta

The vegetation of Lasbela district is very scanty and consists of desolate shrubs. The woody, thorny, under-shrubs are usually not above thirty centimetres in height and have few leaves with stiff and prickly branches. The euphoriba, nerifolia caragana polyacanthea, convolvulus spinosus, fagonia arabica, acacia rupestria and many other thorny astragali all have thorns. Cappains aphylla, and bushy salsoa are leafless. The stiff leaved fan palm and the rigid tamansk (kirri) are also found. In the eastern parts of the district these are exceptions to the prevailing barren landscape. There are small valleys, such as Bilawal, in the Pub mountains where water springs will have encouraged a more abundant vegetation. O the coast, mangrove swamps are found near Bela.

Wood, dung cake, and kerosene are the main sources of energy for cooking in the urban and rural areas. Thirty percent of the people, in Uthal and Bela, use gas cylinders. Electricity and natural gas is used in the industrial area of Hub and Winder.

Kerosene oil is used by 65 percent and electricity by 35 percent of the housing units for lighting purpose. The Hub Power Plant encourages the use of electricity for lighting purposes in the district.

The bigger part of the district is free from pollution. But the industrial area of Hub and Winder is very polluted and with the establishment of Hub Power Project, the problem has become very serious in Hub town. In Bela town, due to over-population and unsatisfactory sanitation systems, all effluents and solid waste pollute the Porali river. Similarly, industrial wastage is badly affecting the Hub river and the Arabian Sea, as there are no treatment plants which could treat the effluents before they are drained.

In the rural areas drinking water is also polluted. Most of the rural houses have no separate kitchen and bathrooms. This causes many diseases.

Being adjacent to Karachi, Lasbela is developing very rapidly. The area has potential for agricultural, fisheries and industrial development. By developing the industrial state of Hub and Winder, the people of Hub have become well-off, while many people of Uthal and Bela live in poverty without basic facilities. The climate of the district is suitable for livestock and poultry. The closed industrial units of textile, engineering and chemical need immediate attention of the government. Policies can possibly be changed, so that these units could be restarted.

The census which was due in 1991 has not been carried out. As a result no actual data could be obtained. All data on population, like distribution of the population on the basis of language or data regarding the sources of energy, are based on the projection and conclusion of the 1981 census. The inadequate data also affects the planning of the district.

The environmental pollution, especially brown pollution, is considerable in the district, due to the existence of 122 industrial units. The effluents of these industries needs to be treated before they flow into Porali river.

Due to scanty rainfall and proper water shed management, agriculture cannot be developed. Similarly, lack of infrastructure and social services hamper the economic growth of the area.

Since independence, four population censuses have been conducted in the years 1951, 1961, 1972 and 1981. The last census was due in 1991, but was not conducted then. The government is planning to conduct the census this year (1997). Keeping in view the importance of data on population, the National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS) has projected the population on district level.

The population of Lasbela district was 68,189 in 1951, 90,826 in 1961, 134,717 in 1972 and 188,139 in 1981. It is estimated that in 1995 the population was 367,566. Thus it increased by 439 percent from 1951 to 1995. It is an alarming situation, effecting the development of the district. Due to industrialisation of the district, many labourers from Karachi have settled in the district. This means that the actual growth rate may be bigger than the growth rate as projected by NIPS, which did not take the migration factor into account.

Source: NIPS, BoS, GoB, Population Census Organisation, Quetta.

The recent rate of growth which has been calculated on the basis of 1981 census and projected population for 1995 shows an increase of 95.4 percent since 1981 (an annual average growth of 4.9%). The intercensal growth during 1961 to 1972 was 50.9 percent, while during 1972 to 1981 it was 50.2 percent. The population growth pattern remains high after 1981 census due to (i) control of death rate; (ii) better health facilities provided; (iii) birth rate remains high due to traditional and tribal set up. The increase in the population of the district during 1981 to 1995 was projected to be 179,427.

According to the 1981 census, the male/female ratio was 114 males over 100 females. Infants below one year were 3.0 percent (generally this group is calculated at 3.534%), while children from 5 to 15 years were 44 percent. The adult population (over 18 years) was 51 percent. The number of people with vote eligibility (over 21 years) was 45 percent. Women of child bearing age from (15-49) were 36,263, which constituted 41.3 percent of the female population. In a tribal and traditional society women are usually under-reported. There is no proper system of keeping record of birth and death at district level, especially not in rural

areas.

Source: 1981 Census

The average household size was 5.33 in 1972, which increased up to 6.50 in 1981. Many people, particularly in rural areas, live in a joint family system, the reasons for which are absolute poverty, close family marriages, tribal homogeneity and kinship. In urban areas the trend is towards a nucleus family. The reasons are that the people in urban areas are more educated, prosperous, the tribal bonds are not so strong and the economic units are more independent.

In 1981, 57,837 males and 45,601 females (15 years and above) of the total population were married. Dependent population below 15 years and above 65 years was 59 percent.

In 1981, the urban population was 5,939 males and 5,233 females, while the rural population existed of 94,061 males and 82,767 females.

The percentage of urban population was 5.94 percent in 1981. In 1961, the male urban population was 1,677 and the female urban population was 1,462. These numbers increased to 4,841 males and 4,193 female in 1972. The percentage of the urban population was 3,45 percent in 1961, while in 1972 it was 6.69 percent. The urban population during the period between 1961 and 1972 increased by 3.24 percent while it decreased by 0.75 percent during the period of 1972-1981 census.

In 1961, the population density was reported 8 person per sq.km, which had grown to 11 persons per sq. km in 1972. In 1981, the population density increased further up to 15 and was estimated as 29 for 1995 (by NIPS). This increase in density is affecting the urban areas of the district.

In Lasbela, 268 Mauza villages existed in 1981, 23 of which were uninhabited.

The population of the district is not homogeneous. The main ethnic groups in the district are Sindhi 56.2 percent, Baloch 21.1 percent and Brahvi 8.7 percent, according to 1981 census. The others consist of Urdu speaking ethnic groups 1.19 percent, Punjabi 1.3 percent, Pashtoon 1.8 percent and others 9 percent.

In 1981, The percentage of in-migrants was 3.4 percent of the total population, out of which 1.6 percent migrated to rural areas. The percentage of male and female in-migrants was 78.6 and 21.4 percent respectively. The persons who migrated to the district from 1976-1981 amounted to 7.5 percent while this ratio was 10.4 percent from 1971-75. During 1971-81, 4928 persons had gone abroad and were still residing there, during the census of 1981. There is an obvious need for more recent data on the migration situation.

People migrate temporarily to neighbouring districts, Karachi, Thatta, Thar Parker and Dadu for work and return to their homes when weather conditions and the food situation at home improves. A small part of the migrants leave after December, but most leave in March/April after the harvest of kharif and sowing of rabi crops. Landowners mostly return in May or during the rain season, while others come back in September at the time of sowing.

According to the census of 1981, the labour force (i.e. people working and searching for work) constituted 33.0 percent of the total population, equally spread over rural and urban areas. The male and female labour force participation was 59.7 and 2.6 percent respectively. Female involvement in economic activities is very limited in the area. The main factor behind it is socio-cultural norms and illiteracy

The unemployment ratio was 0.8 percent: 1.4 percent in urban and 0.7 in rural areas. Male and female unemployment was 0.6 and 6.4 percent respectively.

In 1981, most people were employed in agriculture/horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry and fisheries, constituting 76.2 percent of the total labour force. In recent years, the industrial labour force has increased with the development of industries in the area. The labour force active in the production sector, machinery operators and sales, comprised 17.6 percent of the total labour force. Only 3.2 percent of the working force was engaged in the social and services sector.

According to the census of 1981, the total number of housing units in Lasbela district was 31,833, out of which 27,019 were in rural and 4,814 were in urban areas. Eighty-three percent of the units had one single room and 17 percent had two or more rooms. The average number of persons per housing unit was six and the average number of persons per room was five. The majority of population is still living in a small-housing unit with limited facilities.

Most of the houses were occupied by their owners (i.e. 90 percent). The percentages of rented and rent-free were 2 and 8 percent respectively. This was according to 1981 census report. However, it has been observed that about 12 to 15 percent of houses are rented in the urban areas, as many families have shifted from rural to urban areas for the education of their children, and for job opportunities.

For the construction of outer walls, 30 percent of the housing units used un-baked bricks and mud. Wood as construction material for outer walls was used by 25 percent. For the construction of roofs, 46 percent of the housing units used girder and 50 percent beam, wood beam or baked bricks. The use of other construction materials, like cement, is increasing in the urban areas.

According to the census report of 1981, for lighting purposes, kerosene oil was used by 81 percent of housing units and electricity was used by 19 percent. During the last seventeen years, the Karachi electricity supply corporation has extended its services up to many (exact figure is not known) villages. Thirty-five percent of the housing units have electricity and 65 percent are still using kerosene oil for lighting.

For cooking purposes wood, brush wood and dung cake are used by 95 percent of population. The other five percent uses gas cylinders and this trend is increasing. The use of wood and brush wood is damaging forests and ultimately it is harmful for the wildlife of the area. Women and children usually collect wood form nearby places. In case wood has to be collected from far distances, this work is done by men.

In Lasbela district there are four towns: Bela, Uthal, Gaddani and Hub. In these urban areas,

70 percent of the housing units were single room houses and the rest had two or more rooms. Fifty-six percent of the housing units had a separate kitchen. Separate bathroom and latrine facilities were available in 48 percent of the one room units and 42 percent of the multiple room units. Newly constructed housing units have all type of facilities, including kitchen, bathroom and guest room.

The Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the Local Government and Rural Development Department (LGRDD) provide potable water supply to 76 percent of the total population. The rest, 24 percent, manages its own water supply.

Out of these 76 percent, tube well water supply schemes cover 54.1 percent, canal water supply schemes 19.1 percent and other sources 1.1 percent. There are 45 hand pumps installed under the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation scheme implemented by the LGRDD, with (among others) support from UNICEF. These provide water to 1.8 percent of the population. The water of Bela, Uthal and Hub is salty and not good for drinking.

In 1981, only 3 percent of the housing units had separate latrine facilities with a flush system. Housing units with no kitchen and bathroom facilities were 28 and 31 percent respectively. Forty-eight percent of the housing units had no latrine facility. The people go outside in the fields and use river and spring water. In the urban areas of Hub, Uthal and Bela the Town Committees made arrangements to keep the city neat and clean. The sanitary staff collects and disposes the garbage every day. Still, in general, hygienic conditions are poor in the district.

The high population growth, estimated to be 4.9% per year, can be explained by control of death rate, provision of better health facilities, and high birth rates because of tribal set-up and religious values.

Lasbela is known as a developed district of Balochistan, due to its close proximity to Karachi. The private sector has shown much interest in developing various kinds of industries in this area due to incentives, such as tax holiday, supply of electricity, water, roads etc. Still, the rural and far flung areas remain deprived of electricity water supply and gas. Part of the rural population moves to urban areas in search of jobs.

The social organisation in the district is tribal, and the social structure is patriarchal. Being a male dominated society the women are given very limited choice in family and social affairs.

All the tribes other than Baloch and Brahvi, Med, Khoja and Hindus that have settled in Lasbela are known as "Lasi". The principal Lasi tribes are only five in number: the Jamot, Roonjhas, Sheikh, Angaria and the Burra. Together they are called the Panjraj and constitute a tribal confederation. Under each ‘raj’ is a large number of heterogeneous groups. The Gunjas, Sinars, Sangurs, Burfast, Chhuttas and Khojas include the minor tribes. The Meds are fishermen who live along the coast, mainly at Miani and Somiani.

The Hindus are mainly traders. They have also acquired land, by purchase or mortgage, which is cultivated by their tenants. They are all of the Arora casts. The decision of the family head is final in all domestic affairs and the tribal chiefs enjoy the power of decision-making at community and tribal level.

The people are predominantly dependent on agriculture and livestock. However, some people are engaged in industries, public services, petty trades and the informal sector.

The food eaten consists principally of juari mixed with mung, wheat or bajra, or rice and butter milk and fish and dates along the coastal areas. Nowadays, the use of wheat is increasing in place of juari and bajra. Well-to-do families eat meat and fish as well. Mostly, the people take food twice a day. The use of tea and butter milk is also very common.

The people’s dress consists of a pairahan or cotton shirt with open sleeves, a pair of indigo blue cotton trousers, cotton turban, cotton chadar, a sadri (waist coat) and a pair of country-made leather shoes or sandals. The dress of women slightly differs from that of men. It includes loose trousers, but the shirt is much longer and has silk embroidery. Women also wear silver ornaments. A shepherd’s dress consists of a shalwar and chadar.

In urban areas the nuclear family system is preferred over the joint family system in Hub and Uthal, where people are residing for jobs. Having limited income they prefer to live independently. In rural areas, the majority of the people lives in joint families. The eldest male member takes care of all the family members. His decision is final in family affairs. In rural areas nuclear families are very rare, but their number is rising in urban areas.

The family institution is very important, as it provides social security during un-employment and financial crisis. It also plays an important role in social interaction and conflicts.

Among the Lasis, marriage generally takes place when the boy is about 17 and the girls is about 12 years old. Among the Meds, children between 14 and 15 years of age are married. Marriages are arranged by the parents. The father of the boy accompanied by a few relatives and elder members of his family, visits the family or father of the girl. If their proposal is accepted, the father of the boy presents some suits, a gold ring and cash of 500 to 5000 rupees for the girl. The girl’s parents then present sweet milk to the guests and prayers are said for the welfare of the new couple. The boy’s parents are congratulated and then the betrothal ceremony, which is considered binding on both parties, is closed. The marriage date is fixed with the consent of girl’s parents. Certain ceremonies which are more of a social than a religious nature, are performed. On the marriage day, the bridegroom, with his friends and relatives, proceeds to the bride’s house or at the place where the arrangements for the wedding have been made. They are entertained there at the expense of the bridegroom’s parents and the nikah is performed. The bridegroom presents a dress to the bride which she will wear at the time of the wedding, and her parents present her with a dowry (jahez) consisting of a few dresses and articles of bedding and household furniture. They also present a suit to the bridegroom.

The Lasis do not pay a bride price, but other ethnic groups do. The usual amount of the bride price among the Meds for example, is between 50 thousands to 200 thousand rupees.

The system of exchange of girls for marriage is also prevalent. Polygamy is rare and only practised by well-to-do people. Divorce is rare among the Lasis, but not uncommon among the Meds, and is usually given by a husband for reasons such as infidelity or disagreement with the wife.

The Lasis do not allow any share of inheritance to a daughter. A woman who becomes a widow receives the share to which the Islam (Shariat) entitles her and also her deferred dower. Among the Meds, a widow is only entitled to her lab or bride-price and the wedding presents given to her by her parents.

Since the society is predominantly patriarchal, decision-making is in the hands of the males and the decisions made are binding upon females. Women have no say in the decision-making process, though in some urban families they have the right to give their opinion to some extent. Society is structured on kinship bases and each group is attached to a particular tradition, founded on different rules of social organisation. Most of these have undergone a considerable transformation over time.

The political organisation is built upon two principals, hereditary authority and personal bonds of allegiance in which protection is exchanged for loyalty. Many elected representatives are tribal chiefs and Sardars. The Jam occupy the highest position on the social ladder these days, followed by Jamots, Roonjhas, Angarias and Burras. The hierarchical system of authority goes downward from Sardar to the younger men in the clan and family. The Sardar’s position is supreme. The Lasi tribes have an almost equal social position, with the exception of the occupational groups, which have a higher status.

The people of Lasbela co-operate and assist each other at the time of marriage by giving gifts and cash money to the groom. People also assist the family of a dead person by providing his

family with food for three days till soaum. People also pay some money at the time of fatiha. People co-operate in case of any emergency in the area, or at the time of harvesting and sowing. Contributions are made in cash and kind, depending on the person’s financial abilities.

The majority of the people of the area are Sunni. The people regularly say their prayers, but the number of fasting persons in the month of Ramzan is limited. The religious leaders (Mullahs) are the most influential persons in the rural areas. In the urban areas the people respect them less. The main festivals are Eid-ul-Fitar, Eid-ul-Azha. The Muslims celebrate it with a lot of fervour.

The shrines of Mai Goudrani and Shah Bilawal are very famous in the area. People visit them with solemnity. A fair is held at Shah Bilawal on the 11th of Ramzan every year. Other important shrines and places where fairs are held are Pir Boher and Pir Hasan.

The Hindu people of Bela and Uthal also celebrate their festivals like Diwali and Holi. They visit the temples regularly. All the religious sects are on very close terms and they cooperate with each other in social and religious life.

There are two main systems of conflict resolution in the district; one is official, the other is traditional. The official system involves government and the unofficial system is based on the traditional biradri system.

The government system functions through Civil and Qazi courts. The people file suit in courts to solve their disputes. The Qazi court at Uthal is very much effective and popular in the area, as it involves relatively little time and financial expenditures. But there is no proper implementation of the decisions of Qazi court.

People prefer the Biradri (brotherhood) system, where they take their issues to a senior and influential person of the community. After lengthy discussion they settle their disputes.

To possess arms is a part of the tradition and culture of the area. Most of these arms are without licenses. There is no check on carrying arms without license. In rural areas they are carried frequently. Particularly tribal chiefs move with a number of bodyguards carrying weapons such as rifles, klashinkovs and kalakovs. Carrying weapons shows their tribal power and position in the tribe and the society.

According to the 1973 constitution passed by the National Assembly, all citizens have equal rights. There is no distinction on gender bases. The state may, however, make special provisions for the protection of women’s and children’s rights. The labour law ensures the full participation of women in all socio-economic sectors of life. According to the law, women

have the right to vote and to hold office. They also have reserve seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies and local bodies. But constitutional guarantees of quality are often superseded. In practice it is very difficult for women to uphold their legal and social rights, as local customs and tradition often prohibit it. The position of women in district Lasbela is the same as it is in other areas of Balochistan. Men hold a monopoly of economic and social power. Tribal chiefs are always male.

The literacy rate among women is very low. This is due to socio-cultural values in the area. However, in the urban areas an encouraging trend can be seen, in which parents take an interest in their daughters’ education. The number of girls students has increased over the last five years.

Medical facilities for women in the area are very limited. There are only three lady doctors, serving at the district’s headquarters hospital at Hub. Women visit Pir and Molvies for their general treatment and call traditional birth attendants for the delivery of babies. Generally, women observe purdah, but in the rural areas poor women work in the field without observing it.

Violence against women in the district has been observed, but it is never reported. Women think that men have the right to harass and beat them so they do not seek any legal aid in this respect.

In most of the social groups men hold a monopoly on power. All political and religious and other social leaders are men. Denial of women’s rights in matters of property and inheritance as recognised by Islam, is due to the cultural code of honour, stemming from the male value system. It often entails subordination of women and seclusion of women from the social order. In some cases, especially in religious families, women’s right of inheritance is practised.

Women are rarely allowed to own productive assets such as land or livestock. And they generally lack control over their labour and its proceeds. Moreover, their economic contribution is discounted in most official statistics. The industries of Hub and Winder employ some women, but they live in Karachi and come daily for their jobs.

A few NGOs are working in the women welfare sectors, but these are all headed by men. There are no women’s NGOs specifically aimed at enhancing the social and political participatory role of women.

According to a rough estimate, about 132 children work in bicycle/motorcycle repair shops, bricks kilns, garages, Chinaki hotels, shoemakers’, petrol pumps, tailoring shops etc. The working conditions are very poor and the wages are also very low.

Few children trainees, both boys and girls, receive training in Carpet Training Centres. They also get occasionally formal education during their training.

Lasbela district is the most developed district of Balochistan because of its proximity to Karachi. Still, it has its own characteristics of tribal society. Yet, tribalism is fading away and losing it importance due to urbanisation, commercialisation, education and the role played by mass media in creating awareness.

Inter-marriages between different ethnic groups will create more co-operation, understanding and socialisation. Due to the development activities of government and NGOs, the custom of co-operation is disappearing and being replaced by the activities of government institutions. Women have no say in their marriages. Bride price is a social evil, although it is disappearing among educated classes and urban dwellers. Women are very much involved in their family and domestic activities, but have no major role and social status in the society. Their activities are limited to domestic affairs only. In the town areas, some families allow their women to express their opinion in family affairs. But it is very limited. The change can be brought through education and communicational development in the area. Women cannot play an important role in the society and cannot exploit her full potential as long as they are segregated and secluded from the society.

Mass media can play an important role in promoting awareness among the masses of the area. Child labour in the area is a social as well as an economic issue. Poor parents send their children for work to earn and assist the family.

Lasbela is one of Balochistan’s oldest districts. It was notified on 30 June 1954. In October, 1955, the unification of the former provinces of Punjab, NWFP, Sindh and Balochistan took place, Lasbela became a separate district in Kalat Division. In December 1960, it was made part of the Karachi Division. Later on, when the provinces were reintroduced, it was transferred back again to Kalat Division in Balochistan Province.

As a result of disintegration of One Unit, Balochistan gained provincial status on 1 July 1970. The Department of Local Government and other Departments, were created in 1970-71. At that time, local government existed of district councils, a municipal committee for Quetta and a few town committees.

Local government traces its origin to the basic democratic system founded by President Ayub Khan. The present system of local government was introduced in 1979. For the first time in the history of the country, elections for all rural and urban councils were held on the basis of adult franchise.

The Balochistan Local Government Ordinance of 1980 extends to all local councils in the province and covers all matters essential for local government. The ordinance partakes most of the features of the repealed enactment, known as the Basic Democracy Order of 1959 and the Municipal Administration Ordinance 1960. Both these enactments attributed to the features of the French system.

Elections for local government bodies are held on a non-party basis. In Balochistan elections for local bodies were held in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991 on non-party basis. The local bodies in Balochistan have been dissolved on 19 December 1996. New elections are expected in the near future.

The general mandate of local government is to assist the local people by means of need assessment, and planning and implementation of development projects for their socio-economic uplift. The local government institutions are Union Councils, Town Committees, Municipal Committees, Municipal Corporations and District Councils. At the district level there is one Assistant Director of Local Government, who supervises and supports these institutions. The Assistant Director is headed by the Deputy Director at divisional level and the Director General at provincial level. The Secretary of Local Government and Rural Development is the highest authority and supervises all local government institutions.

At district level, the Local Government and Rural Development Department is headed by an Assistant Director. Under his supervision a Development Officer and an Assistant Engineer lead the administrative and technical staff respectively.

The local government institutions were established to ensure decision-making and implementation at the grassroots level, and to help planning from bottom to top. Due to

various reasons this has never been actually the case. In the end decisions continued to be made top-down. Lack of funds is another reason for the poor performance of these institutions. The tax system and mobilisation of resources hindered its working, as envisaged during the formation of these institutions.

The functions of the local government institutions can be found in annex 4.

Union Councils are the lowest tier of the local government system. The major function of the Union Councils is to serve the people by organising them so they can better utilise their resources. Generally, a council covers a population from 10,000 to 15,000 people. Its members, the number of which varies from six to fifteen, are directly elected. These councillors select a chairman among themselves. In district Lasbela there are 19 Union Councils. For an overview of the administrative structure of the district and a list of all Union Councils see annex 1.

The major share of the Union Councils’ income comes from local tax and government funds.

Five Town Committees are functioning in Lasbela district: Town Committee Bela, Uthal, Hub, Gaddani and Dureji. Town Committee Hub is the richest in Pakistan, due to the many industrial projects at Hub. Main sources of income of Town Committees are octroi and local taxes. The income of Town Committee Hub was Rs. 123.97 million in 1995-96, and Rs. 102.31 million in 1994-95. The expenditure was Rs. 193.76 million in 1994-95 and Rs.146.63 million in 1995-96. The estimated income for 1996-97 was Rs.177.94 million, while estimated expenditure was Rs. 168.61 million.

The income of Town Committee Gaddani was Rs. 53.1 million in the year 1995-96. The expenditure was Rs. 45.3 million. The proposed budget for 1996-97 was Rs. 69.6 million, while the proposed expenditure was Rs. 61.3 million.

The income of Town Committee Uthal was Rs. 6.7 million, while expenditure was Rs. 5.7 million in 1995-96. The proposed income for 1996-97 was Rs. 8.8 million, while the proposed expenditure was Rs. 7.9 million, again showing a surplus budget.

The income of Town Committee Bela was Rs. 2.7 million in 1994-95. The expenditure in that year was Rs. 2.5 million. Income was Rs. 2.96 million and expenditure was 2.95 million in the year 1995-96. Both the years are showing a surplus budget.

No Municipal Committee exists in the district.

The District Council Lasbela performs various activities in the fields of communication, education, health, recreation, social welfare and environment. The council’s major sources of

income are Zila tax and government grants. Other sources of income are local tax, printing license fee, investment fee, tender fee, building rent and donations. A disproportional part of the District Council’s budget is spent on reoccurring expenses, such as printing charges, utility bills, purchase of furniture, repair of vehicles, travelling and daily allowances maintenance of the buildings and salaries.

The District Council had an income of Rs. 28 million during 1995-96 with an equal amount of expenditure. In the 1996-97 budget income was estimated at Rs. 37.6 million. The proposed expenditure was also Rs. 37.6 million. The income of the district council is not sufficient to carry out major development activities. They can hardly meet their non-development expenditure.

The district administration in Balochistan is directly under the control of provincial government. All districts fall under the provincial administration, where the Chief Minister is the chief executive of the province. The Home Minister and the Home Department are responsible for the overall law and order situation. Kalat division, consisting of five districts, is headed by a Commissioner, whereas the district administration is headed by a Deputy Commissioner at the district level.

The district administration comprises a Deputy Commissioner (DC), Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Assistant Commissioner (AC), Tehsildar, Naib-Tehsildar, Kanungo and Patwaries. The line departments are Home (Levies and Police), Irrigation, Health, Communication & Works, Local Government, Forestry, Agriculture, Livestock, Public Health Engineering, Qazi Courts, Excise & Taxation, Social Welfare, Fisheries, Industries and Education. They come directly under the control of the provincial government. All the heads of these Department report the progress and activities of their department to the Deputy Commissioner.

A list of government employees is given in annex 6.

The role of federal government in the district is very minor. Customs, Income Tax, Coast Guard, Intelligence Bureau, Inter service Intelligence, Military Intelligence, Highway Authority and the Election Office are the federal departments functioning in the district.

In order to maintain law and order the district is divided in to two areas: "A" and "B". Hub, Bela and Uthal areas are under the control of police department and are as such called "A" area while rural areas, known as "B" areas are controlled by the levies. They are under the control of the Assistant Commissioner and Tehsildar. Levy ranks are Sepahi, Hawaldar, Dafeedar, Jameedar and Risaldar. In the tribal system, levies are an effective force to maintain law and order in the far flung areas.

The district has two courts of law. Qazi Adalat (Court) is functioning at Uthal and the civil court resides at Hub. There is no court at Bela Town.

Overall, Lasbela is one of the best districts of Balochistan in respect of revenue collection. Town Committee Hub currently receives more then 140 million rupees per year in octroi, which is the highest revenue of a Town Committee in Pakistan. On the other hand, Town Committee Bela and Uthal have limited income. Octroi and local taxes are collected by Town Committees and Union Councils. Zila tax is collected by the District Council and the provincial government is responsible for the collection of property tax and land revenue.

Legend: x is responsible for collection of revenue concerned.

In the educational institutions there are two student organisations: Baloch Students Organisation (BSO) and Jamiat-a-Tulba-e-Islam (JTI).

NGOs can play a vital role towards solving the socio-economic problems of the people at grassroots level. In district Lasbela 26 NGOs are registered, but only few of them are active. The NGOs can be activated by providing training and guidance to their representatives The Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) has a branch office at Bela and has launched various income generating programs for the poor families of the district. Many Community Base Organisations (CBO) are also functioning in the district.

The current local government system exists since 1980. Lasbela district has 19 Union Councils, two Town Committees and one District Council. Hub Town Committee is well off in terms of revenues, due to the presence of so many industrial units. Other local bodies are however far less fortunate and lack sufficient money to undertake development activities.

Not only a limited resource mobilisation but also the frequent transfers of government staff

and an excess of political interference can be seen as bottlenecks in the development process. Co-ordination among the various government institutions is another shortcoming that should receive attention. While involvement of the community should become a normal practice.

A recognised role for NGO's and CBO's and active support from the government of their efforts would be an important step to that effect.

Agriculture and industries are the major sectors of production in the district. Almost all the industrial units are located at Hub. At present 122 industrial units are functioning at Hub industrial trading estate; they are playing a vital role in manufacturing, textile, chemical leather, confectionery, automobiles and food processing sectors. These industries have provided employment opportunities to the people of the area: about 14,600 labourers are employed in the industrial sector. The exact statistics regarding women participation are not available, but it can safely be said that it is less than 5%.

Hub and Winder are important for industries. Bela and Uthal are important for agriculture and mining. The district is rich in shale, limestone, marble, serpentine and barite. In Gaddani and Sonmaini there is a lot of fisheries. Gaddani is in addition famous for ship breaking.

Agriculture is the major sector of production and 70 percent of the population, mainly the people in the centre and the north of the district, is involved in this sector

The major corps grown in rabi season are wheat, vegetable, fodder, rape seed and mustard. Crops grown in kharif season are rice, jowar, bajra, sesame, castor seed, moong, fruits, onion, vegetables, melons, chillies, fodder, guar seed and sugar cane. The main fruits grown in the district are papaya, banana, chikoo, mangoes, citrus and coconut. In vegetables, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower, ladyfinger, tinda, brinjal, bither, bottal, gourd luffa, spinach and turnip are cultivated in the area. In fodder, lucern and maize are very common.

In the agriculture sector, the labour force consists of both men and women. Women are involved in planting, harvesting and threshing crops and cleaning and packing of fruits and vegetables, but they are not paid for their labour. The total agricultural production was 114,453 tonnes in 1993-94, which increased to 167,219 tonnes in the year 1994-95, showing an increase of 46 percent in production. The area under cultivation was 19,406 hectares in 1993-94, which decreased to 16,056 hectares in 1994-95, showing a decrease of 17.3 percent. However, at the same time, production increased by 52,766 tonnes. This was probably, due to an increase in the use of fertilisers, better mechanisation etc.

The total geographical area of the district is 1,257,370 hectare. The reported area is 1,255,390 ha. which is 99.84 percent of the geographical area. The major portion of this area, i.e. 71.57 percent, is culturable waste. Only 0.16 percent area is under water logging and 9.74 percent is not available for cultivation.

The area under culturable waste is 898,815 hectares and the arable land is 74,886 ha. Thus the total potential area available for cultivation comes out at 973,701 hectares, which is 77.44 percent of the total geographical area. The arable land is 74,886 hectares, which is only 6 percent of the geographical area. The potential area could be brought under cultivation by taking appropriate measures.

According to the Assistant Director Agriculture, the total number of farms is 11,587 of which two are owned by the government. The total area of these farms is 115,352 ha (which is considerably more than the arable land area as reported in the Agricultural Statistics). Seventy percent of the total number of farms are farms with an area up to 5 hectares. Twenty-five percent has 6 to 20 hectares and 5 percent has over 20 hectares.

In District Lasbela only a few big landowners have large farms and agriculture land. The landlords give their land out on contracts to tenants. Small land owners cultivate their land themselves with the help of their family members. The big landowners hire labour on a permanent basis, but they pay very little.

The agriculture statistics are compiled through an agricultural statistical set-up in each district. The Field Assistant at every union council collects the data he has available. He visits the area under his authority at the time of sowing to get a rough estimate of the land to be cultivated under a specific crop. This is termed as the first estimate.

Then the second estimate is prepared before the crop is actually harvested; this is done especially for the major crops grown in that area, to forecast production. Finally after the crop is harvested, a final estimate is made on the basis of average production and actual area cultivated, taking into account the flood and disease factor. Then, the Field Assistant sends the data to the Agriculture Officer at district level, who further compiles the district data and sends it to the statistical wing of the provincial Agriculture Department. The Director General of the Agriculture Department publishes all of the province’s data in the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan.

For more data on the agricultural sector see annex 7.

In Lasbela District the cropping pattern shows that during the year 1994-95 fodder occupied

the major proportion of the total production i.e. 2,529 hectares and the production was 60,560 tonnes, fruit was cultivated on 2,252 hectares and had a production of 35,669 tonnes, and wheat was produced on 3,700 hectares and had a produce of 8,270 tonnes. The average yield of wheat was 2235 kg per hectare, which is the highest in Kalat Division. The area is also producing the best quality of tropical fruits. In 1994-95, the district produced 1,128 tonnes of chikoo, 18,454 tonnes of papaya, 1,896 tonnes of mango and 1,435 tonnes of guava. The climate of other districts of Kalat Division is not suitable for the production of these kinds of fruits.

Source: Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan, 1995-96

In 1994-95, the average yield of wheat was 2,235 kg per hectare, while in Balochistan this was 2,320 Kg per hectare. The average yield of vegetable was 13,976 kg per hectare, whereas for Balochistan it was 14,064 kg per hectare. The average yield of fodder was 38,279 kg per hectare compared to 31,620 kg per hectare in Balochistan.

The average yield of mango was 11,164 kg per hectare in the district against 10,087 kg per hectare in Balochistan. The average yield of dates in the district was 8,333 kg per hectare, while it was 9,642 for Balochistan. For papaya the yield per hectare is the same as for Balochistan, which is 33,614 kg per hectare. Some of the yields that are lower in the district can be increased through mechanisation, the provision of better irrigation facilities and the use of more fertiliser.

Every farmer and landowner adopts a system according to his will and resources. The landowners hire labour on equal distribution of crops (batti). The labourers work throughout the season and after sowing, the crop is distributed equally between labour and landowner.

Some landowners hire the services of labourers on cash payment. The labourers also involve their families (women and children) at the time of harvesting and sowing of crops. In case of fruits, the farms are given on contract. The contractor himself arranges labour for picking and packing of the fruits. Women and children are also involve in these activities. Most of the tilling is done by men. Generally speaking small landowners are themselves involved in cultivation and harvesting. Most of the farming is performed by primitive methods, but some people, especially big landlords, use tractors threshers and mechanical ploughs.

The irrigated area in the district is 10,810 hectares, which is 1.1 percent of the potential area for cultivation. The main sources of irrigation in Lasbela are tube wells, karezes, and canals. In 1994-95, an area of 6,810 hectares was irrigated through tube wells, which comprises 63 percent of the total irrigated area. The other major source of irrigation are the karezes and springs which irrigated 3,100 hectares, or 28.7 percent of the total irrigated area. A small area of 2,030 hectares, only 0.16 percent of the total geographical area, is under water logging/salinity.

In 1994-95, there were 454 tube wells and 55 wells in the area. Out of this total number of tube wells, 350 (77.1 percent) were diesel operated. The remainder 104 (22.9 percent) functioned on electricity. The government owned only 63 electric tube wells, while the private sector managed 41 electric and 350 diesel tube wells. This shows that the government role in irrigation through tube wells is only 13.88 percent. Diesel engine tube wells are very expensive. But due to non-availability of electricity supply, the big Zamindars have no alternative other than tube wells running on diesel. Canals, springs and karezes are community owned. In case of community or public irrigation, the share of the water each person receives depends on the area of land he owns. Similarly, irrigation charges (lagan) are paid on the proportion of land the farmers have. The potential for the development of underground water sources is there, but the cost of the installation of tube wells is very high and beyond the range of a common landowner. Perennial and run-off irrigation schemes are also functioning in the area, but the data is not available.

In Lasbela there are seven government owned and thirty-one privately owned tractors; for harvesters the numbers are six and thirty-one respectively. In the case of threshers, one is owned by the government and one is owned privately. Mostly, big landowners (zamindars) use tractors for ploughing and sowing. For fruits and vegetables, chemicals and spray machines are also used. Some small landowners still use ploughs and animals. The use of private tractors is increasing. Except for ploughing and sowing, they are also used for

harvesting and transportation. The Agriculture Department and the Local Government and Rural Development Department also assist farmers in using modern technology. They provide tractors and threshers, etc. on rent.

Seed and fertilisers are the main input in agriculture. In addition chemicals are used to get good results and to control the diseases. The supply of seeds, fertiliser and pesticides is generally provided by middlemen or dealers. In 1994-95, 4,024.60 tonnes chemical fertiliser; 4,180 tonnes Urea and 24.60 tonnes D.A.P. were used in the district Lasbela. In the previous year, 840.85 tonnes chemical fertiliser, 760.0 tonnes Urea and 29.60 tonnes DAP were used in the area. It shows that the use of chemical fertiliser and Urea increased by 3363.75 and 3420 tonnes respectively. While the use of DPA decreased by 5 tones. This shows the awareness of the landowner and farmers regarding the use of fertiliser to have good production results. Mostly, landowners store their own seeds and use it at the time of sowing in the next season. Some buy it on the local market at the time of harvesting.

The Agriculture Department and Local Government and Rural Development Department also supply seeds, fertiliser and technical assistance.

The control of marketing is in the hands of the private sector. The government is also involved in purchasing crops from farmers, but its involvement is very little. The Food Department purchases wheat and rice. The biggest grain markets in the district are in Bela and Hub, but mostly people sell their grain in the Karachi Market. Commission agents and contractors also contact the farmer to purchase the products, particularly in the case of fruits. During the growing season, the fruit orchards are given on contract to the interested parties. The contractor is responsible for picking, packaging and marketing of the produce. The farmers are responsible only for the management of irrigation.

From farms to the RCD highway there are only shingle roads and because of bad road conditions the supply of agricultural production cannot reach to the main market in the rainy season. Cold storage facilities are available at Hub and Winder.

There is no formal procedure to control the price of corps. Government announces the price each season, but it is not effective. The professional commission agents fix the prices. Sometimes, landowners purchase the crops from the farmers on cheaper rates and sells its onward with more profit when the prices shoot up in the market. Sometimes, prices are fixed on the basis of supply and demand and on the basis of Karachi market prices. Some big

landowners and contractors store their fruit and vegetables in cold storage during the season and sell it at high prices during the off-season.

The level of income from agriculture is very low. Only few landowners have high income from

the revenue of their crops. The middlemen earn a reasonable commission. The lack of awareness regarding marketing and lack of adequate communication are the main hurdles in raising the income of the agriculturists. The per capita agricultural production value in the district was Rs. 31,000 (1995), which is very little as compared to other districts of Balochistan: in Kharan it was Rs. 36,000, in Khuzdar Rs. 64,000, in Kalat Rs. 68,000 and in Mastung it was Rs. 98,000. Income could be increased if more use were made of technology and better inputs.

At the district level, the Department of Agriculture (Extension) has an Assistant Director and an extra Assistant Director to facilitate agricultural production. Two model farms with coconuts, mangoes and oil seeds have been established at Uthal and Wiari. The Department is also improving the irrigation facilities in the area. The Department has two research farms at Uthal and Bela.

The Department provides assistance and guidance to the farmers by imparting technical know-how, modern techniques of farming and other necessary information about agriculture, horticulture etc. The Department’s On Farm Water Management project is also executed in Lasbela district.

Legend: - No involvement

* Minor involvement

** Substantial involvement

*** Major involvement

The district has vast virgin land available, but shortage of water is the main constraint for agriculture development. The underground water resources have not been properly tapped.

The per hectare yield could also be increased through provision of better seeds, fertiliser, pesticides and use of modern technology.

Provision of loans to small landowners will also help to increase agricultural production. The area has vast potential for crops and fruits grown in a tropical climate.

By improving the infrastructural facilities and reducing the role of middlemen, the marketing system could be improved. This will help in boosting the agriculture production also.

Despite the growth of the agriculture sector, the livestock sector has not lost its importance. It is the second biggest sector after agriculture. The total number of livestock was 551,357 in the year 1976, which increased to 591,336 in 1986, showing a growth rate of 7.3 percent. Subsequently it rose to 649,539 in the year 1996, showing an increase of 17.8 percent compared to the 1976 figure.

The sector provides valuable food, such as milk, meat, butter, cheese, ghee and curd. The nomadic population resides mostly in the northern part of the district and it is mainly dependent on the livestock sector. Women and children herd the animals. Women also help in feeding the animals at house if fodder is available and look after the animals within the house. The work of the women and children is considered family labour and is unpaid. The children who are involved in livestock activities, are deprived of going to school. The statistics provided by the Livestock Department do not cover all the domestic animals possessed by the nomadic families.

More data on the livestock sector are given in annex 8.

The total area of the district is 1,257,370 hectares. With a small population and limited means of communication, people depend on camels, horses, mules and oxen for draught and transport, especially in the rural areas. In 1976, the number of cattle was 39,513, in 1986 it was 57,502 and in 1996 it increased to 61,737. It shows that from 1986 to 1996 the increase in the number of cattle was 7.36 percent. The growth rate in the number of buffaloes was 42 percent during 1986-1996. The growth rate in the number of camels was 22.1 percent during the same period.

People mostly raise cows and buffaloes for their milk and bullocks and camels for farming as well as nutritional purposes.

Almost 1,482 animals were slaughtered in slaughter houses during 1995-96, which is probably a small number compared to the cattle slaughtered outside the slaughter houses. Hides and skins are sold on the markets of Bela, Hub, Uthal and Karachi. Sometimes middlemen purchase the cattle to sell it on the market with a good profit.

The average productivity of small ruminants is far below its potential. It can be increased by taking appropriate measures. Herds comprise 60 to 120 goats and sheep. Sheep and goats are grown for their meat and dairy. Prices are fixed on the principle of supply and demand. People sell their ruminants on the market. Sometimes they seek the assistance of middlemen in fixing the prices.

The poultry sector in the district is flourishing. There are more than 500 poultry farms in Hub, Winder, Uthal and Bela. Government poultry farms produce approximately 60,000 eggs per year. The private sector produces more then 500,000 eggs per year. The production of broilers fulfils the requirement of Lasbela district and the Karachi districts.

Women are involved in keeping local birds (dasi). At domestic level, poultry birds are raised to meet the domestic needs for eggs and meat. It also supplements the family income.

Hydro, ganbro, rani khait and new castle are the common poultry diseases. To control these diseases, one day old chickens are vaccinated. The cattle diseases occurring in the area are HSP (homoglobil), B.Q. (black quanter) and rinder pest. Among goats and sheep intotrasmia, inthrees, pluralnama, liver fever lungs worm and haurir are very common.

In the rural areas, both poultry and livestock mortality rates are higher than in urban areas, due to lack of awareness regarding the livestock diseases and non-availability of timely treatment. The veterinary hospitals, dispensaries and mobile units of the Livestock Department carry out a vaccination programme twice a year according to their schedule. Vaccination facilities are available in the centres throughout the year. It has been observed that animals suffer from various diseases due to unhygienic conditions. In case of diseases of poultry and animals, women also take care of them by giving them domestic herbal medicines.

The district has three veterinary hospitals: one at Bela, the other at Hub and the third at Uthal. In addition there are 16 dispensaries, two Artificial Insemination Centres (AIC) at Bela and one Disease Investigation Laboratory (DIL) unit. In the past, veterinary services were delivered free of charge. Now there are some nominal charges for treatment and vaccination for livestock and poultry. It is for this reason that then number of beneficiaries has declined.

At the district level, livestock services are delivered under the authority of an Assistant Director of the Livestock Department. The Department has very limited staff and funds. It covers only 5 percent of the service needs of the area. The rest is covered by the private sector. The dairy and poultry activities of the government sector is very limited. This can be increased by providing funds to the Department.

Legend: - No involvement

* Minor Involvement

** Substantial Involvement

*** Major Involvement.

The livestock sector has much potential in the district. People are not familiar with the latest techniques of herd keeping. Lack of basic facilities, proper and timely vaccination and adequate nutrition, guidance regarding marketing and transportation of livestock are the major issues to be addressed. The Livestock Department at district level is facing problems regarding funds, medicine and transport facilities to provide livestock services in the far flung areas. Necessary training to the people on how to keep and grow ruminants and domestic poultry will also be beneficial. By providing loans on easy instalments to men and women, this sector can be boosted which will contribute to the socio-economic uplift of the area. Women can play a vital role, even without going outside the home, by keeping poultry and animals.

The entire stretch along Lasbela and Gwader coast consists of alluvial sand, mud and sometimes sand stones. There is no obstruction for the sea water to enter into sub-soils of the coastal areas. Therefore, in the coastal areas, agricultural activity is impossible due to saline and barren lands. Since centuries, the coastal communities are left with no option but to resort to the profession of marine fishing. Fishing is the mainstay of the economy of the coastal communities of Lasbela and Gwader.

The fishing industry ranks high among those sectors in the national economy with great potential. Fish is one of the important export items and fetches considerable foreign exchange for the country. The entire coastal area of Lasbela district has rich commercial fishing areas. After catching the fish, it is sent to the Karachi market, from where it is for a large part exported abroad after it has been packed. Few women are involve in the packing process; of fish, their number is less then one percent. The wages paid to the women are very low. In 1996, the production of fish was 15,771.20 metric tonnes, which had a value of Rs.182,090,434/-.

See also annex 9.

In the coastal area of Sonmiani six main fish species are found: sowan, bam, pomferets, muska, dotar mangla and small size chuki. They are found in deep water. Palmfrate is a very tasty, though the most expensive species of fish caught in Lasbela district. Its price goes up to Rs. 400 per kilogram.

The fish catching time is from September to May. October is the peak period. The fishermen go for a period of one to three weeks as far as Iran, U.E.A and India. The weight of fish caught varies from half a tonne to five tonnes per haul.

The fish is caught with launcher and fish net. On the launcher, a team of fishermen, consisting of six to ten persons, goes out to deep sea water where they throw out the net and pull it back in by the pulley with the help of a generator. Sometimes they cross the border into neighbouring territorial waters.

The main market of fishery is at Karachi. The fish caught is sold through commission agents and sometimes directly to shopkeepers. During the catching period, fishermen also sell the fish at open sea. Prices are fixed by the middlemen. Except at sea, where the fishermen decide on the price themselves. In 1996, 14,482.38 metric tonnes of fish was exported.

The Department has a very limited staff existing of five persons, excluding the Inspector of Fisheries and lower staff. In Lasbela district the Assistant Director of Fisheries is stationed at Hub. The office issues licenses to fishermen on payment of a nominal fee, varying between Rs. 40 and Rs. 200, depending on the size of the launcher. No transport facilities are available to supervise the fishing activities.

Fisheries is an important export sector and earns considerable foreign exchange for the country yet, this sector has been neglected. The income of the Fisheries Department is very limited. The fishermen pay the Department only 40 to 200 rupees per year for registration fees. The Department does not have any scientific statistics regarding the production of fish. The involvement of the Department is very limited. It only issues licenses to the fishermen. If the Department would provide technical training for fish catching and other facilities, production could be increased. By increasing the charges for license fees, the income of the Department could also be increased and this income can subsequently be utilised for the development and production of fisheries. If cold storage, packing processing units are established at Somiani and Gaddani it will increase the fishing activities in the district. This will also provide job opportunities to the local population. The potential could further be exploited by providing credit. Improvements in the fisheries sector will improve the socio-economic conditions for the people as well as increase the foreign exchange earnings.

The terrain of the district is favourable for forestry, the rainfall is reasonable and the climate is good. Bushes are found abundantly in the district. The grazing rights as well as other privileges like right of way, access to water points, collection of fire wood and temporary cultivation by local residents are recognised. At district level, the district Forest Officer supervises the activities of forestry and wildlife. This sector has much potential, but lack of funds and political influence in cutting trees and hunting are the main hurdles in the development of forestry.

An area of 159,120 hectares is under forest, which is 13 percent of the total geographical area of the district. In 1984, 40.5 hectare of land had been reserved for reforestation near the Hub dam. About 60,000 plants were planted in the area. Other reforestation projects have been executed in Bela and Lakhara. National and International NGOs and other agencies such as PARC, IUCN, Southern Gas Company and Hub Co Power Project are also involved in reforestation in the district.

Government has not launched any commercial forestry scheme, due to lack of funds and staff. But various schemes are under consideration to develop commercial forestry in the district. In the private sector very limited commercial forestry is functioning at Bela and Lakran.

The area has a variety of bushes and trees. The vegetation in Lasbela is very scanty and consists of desolate shrubs. The woody, thorny under-shrubs are usually not above a foot in height and have a few leaves with stiff and prickly branches. The common trees found are kirri (tamarix articulata), kand or jand (prosopis spicigera), wilayati kikar mesquil (prosops glandulosa), acacia arabic (babal kikar), salvadora (pilo) and zizy phus (ber).

Cutting, marketing and processing is carried out by the private sector. Marketing of fire wood is common in the district. People cut the wood themselves and carry it on camels, trolleys and trucks to sell it in the market, in Lasbela or Karachi. They also sell woods on the roadside. At

the Government level no marketing/processing system exists. Women are rarely involved in the cutting of trees.

At district level, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) is responsible to look after the forestry activities. During the last decade, the department has become active by planting and supplying plants to the public and raising awareness. Staff, transportation and other resources are too limited to cover the forestry activities of the entire district.

According to the information provided by the DFO, the ibex (wild goat), deer, reptiles (snakes, lizards, etc.), foxes jackals, sessees, partridges, titers, sand grouses, houbaras, bustards (migratory), mallards, ducks (migratory) and pelicans (migratory) are found in the district.

The tiger and cheeta used to be found in the Lasbela district. However, because of excessive hunting they have disappeared. The population of other wildlife such as wild sheep, deer, sessees and ducks is also decreasing in the area.

Honey production is confined to natural production. No artificial bee-keeping has been introduced in the area. It is roughly estimated that about 2 to 3 tonnes of honey is produced in the district annually.

Forestry has much potential in Lasbela, but due to lack of water availability, technical know-how and awareness about commercial forestry, the sector has not been properly developed so far.

Trees and bushes are cut by the local people mainly for private use. Women are involved in the collection of fuel wood for cooking and heating purposes.

The number of game birds is decreasing and unless strict measures will be taken to safeguard these birds, they will disappear. Government does not pay much attention to the protection of wildlife. The present district forest staff is not sufficient to control and look after the area of 159,120 hectares. The local staff and forest guards are also influenced by the local leaders and tribal chiefs. Mass media may be used to create awareness among the people regarding the protection of forests and wildlife.

District Lasbela has been generously endowed with mineral wealth. Minerals found are shale, marble, limestone, serpentine, barite, basalt, quartzite, magnesium, building stone and red ocher. The district has much potential in the mineral sector, but due to the lack of exploration, and transportation facilities it is still underdeveloped.

Source: Directorate of Minerals, GoB, Quetta.

Source: Directorate of Minerals, GoB, Quetta

Shale, marble, serpentine, barite and limestone are the major minerals in the district Red ocher and best quality of china borana and botee sena have been unearthed near Khannar towards Khuzdar. In addition small quantities of chromite, lead and zinc have been found, but further research is required to learn whether it will be feasible to exploit them.

Mining is done in traditional ways. Mostly, labourers collect the minerals with the help of a trolley, pickaxe and hoe, and use a generator for pulling and loading. Very few mine owners use the latest technology. The produce is transported to Karachi where it is processed in the

factories. The factory owners directly purchase the minerals from the mine owners. Prices are settled by bargaining.

During the last five years overall production of minerals have increased, but the production of basalt, quartzite, red ocher and building stone has been totally stopped because it is too uneconomical; the cost of production and transportation is higher than the price. About 4,869 people were employed in this sector in 1992, which increased to 5,783 in 1994.

The production of marble has increased from 6,314 tonnes in 1990-91 to 43,903 tonnes in 1994-95. Although the production of the minerals shale and limestone has increased, they get a very low price in the market, as they are found everywhere.

The Directorate of Mineral Development of the above mentioned Department is headed by a Director and a Joint Director. At the district level they have their offices only in two districts, namely Lasbela and Loralai, with posts of a Deputy Director, an Assistant Director and support staff.

The administrative process in mining is as follows. In the initial stage, the Department issues prospecting licenses for one year, extendible up to three years, charging Rs. 4 per acre. After converting the prospecting into a mining lease, Rs.2 per acre is charged per annum. At the time of application Rs.100 is charged. Royalties are Rs.20 per tonne for sulphur, Rs. 25 per tonne for granite and Rs. 110 per tonne for marble.

Although District Lasbela has a clear potential for mining, most of the area is as yet unexplored. Two factors are the main bottlenecks for exploitation and development of minerals: lack of infrastructure and the high cost of estimating the reserves and of preparation of the feasibility reports.

Most of the minerals are exported in raw form. No value added processing is done at the provincial level and therefore the employment and income generation is limited in this sector. Due to lack of a proper market, mine owners often do not get a fair price. Tribal and political interference are a major issue.

Before 1970, there was no industry worth mentioning in the province. Although enough raw material like minerals, agricultural crops, fruits, vegetables and fish were available. After 1970, the provincial government started to pay attention to the industrial development of the province. Two industrial estate were set up, one at Quetta, and the other at Uthal in Lasbela district. But the results were not encouraging at first. Later, after setting up of Lasbela Industrial Estate Development Authority (LIEDA), many industrial units were established at Hub. Hub is near to Karachi and disposes of the necessary facilities, including skilled labour available from Karachi.

In 1996, a total number of about 13,500 people were employed at Hub, Winder and Uthal Industrial Estates. The ratio of local population employed in these industrial estates during 1996 was 10 percent of management positions, 21 percent of the skilled jobs, 32 percent of the semi-skilled jobs and 75 percent of the un-skilled jobs.

More than 166 industrial units are functioning in the industrial estate of Hub, Winder and Uthal. LIEDA is taking proper interest in providing technical know-how to establishing the industrial units in the area. Ship breaking industries are also functioning at Gaddani.

For more information on the industrial units and small industries establishments, see annex 10.

Note: a) The Department of Industries compile data on manufacturing units only.

No data is being compiled on retail, wholesale, trade (inter-district), transport companies etc.

b) Not all of the 166 industrial units are taken up in the table.

Source: Directory of industrial Establishments, Balochistan, (1994)

Industries, Commerce and Mineral development Department, GoB, Quetta

There is much potential for small enterprises in the district. Small enterprise in the district includes Balochi embroidery. Caps are manufactured on a small scale at Uthal and Bela. Small enterprises are involved in trades like shoes, caps, mattresses, carpets, bakery, tailor, general stores and other shops.

Mostly, men are employed in these enterprises. Some women have got shops in rural areas, next to their houses. However, mostly women are confined to their homes doing embroidery, tailoring and carpet weaving. The marketing of such cottage industry is not well facilitated.

Although no license is required to establish small enterprise, an exception is made for some units like medical stores or tobacco trades.

There is one technical centre at Hub which gives training in welding, automobiles, electronics and other fields. The purpose of this technical training centre is to provide skilled and semi-skilled workers for the industrial units of the district and to promote self-employment.

There are 166 manufacturing units in the district. Most of the 36 companies in-listed in Karachi Stock Exchange are located in Lasbela district. The major industrial estates in the district are Hub and Winder. The main industries are textile, auto parts, Uthal Electric Cables and chemicals & plastics. The production of these industries not only fulfil the demand for these products in Pakistan, but are also exported and as such a source of foreign exchange earning.

The number of workers employed in factories dropped form 14,789 in 1993-94 to 13,233 in 1995, while the number of factories increased from 139 to 166. The drop in factory work force can be explained by the increasing use of modern technology.

Imported products are all sorts of household consumption goods, and machinery and raw materials for industrialists. Export products are plastic goods, leather items, textile, ready made garments and other goods. As the items are exported through various channels there are no exact records on export available.

Lasbela has a number of historical places which attract people and tourists. Important historical places are the tomb of General Muhammad-Ibn-Haroon at Bela who accompanied

Muhammad Bin-Qasim and the tombs of sir Robert Sandeman and Kumbh Shirine.

The tourism industry is underdeveloped and there are very few tourist resorts. There are a few hotels, which are of sub-standard. Infrastructure and other facilities for the promotion of tourism do not exist. There are no air or rail links with other parts of the country. However, a potential for tourism along the sea coast exists.

In Lasbela district, handicrafts like embroidery work on women’s dresses, jackets and cotton chadars are very common. Women and girls do the embroidery work at home to pass their leisure time, and to assist their family by creating some additional income. However, due to lack of proper marketing, middlemen gets the major profit.

The Industries Department has two directorates at the provincial level, one for Industries and one for Small Industries. The Directorate of Small Industries is responsible for the carpet training centres, and embroidery and tailoring centres.

Uthal and Bela each have a carpet centre. These centres were established to provide training and loans to boys and girls, so as to enable them to establish their own units of carpet weaving at their homes. The project has totally failed in its objective.

Legend - No involvement

* Minor involvement

** Substantial involvement

*** Major involvement

Balochistan is comparatively at a disadvantageous position as far as the industrial sector is concerned. Prerequisites are provision of infrastructure, markets, skilled and semi-skilled labour and financial institutions. However, industrial development has been possible in Lasbela being adjacent to Karachi.

Another problem in the industrial sector is the law and order situation, security, non-stability of

the government and rapid changes in the government policy.

Women’s handicrafts are not properly promoted. Lack of marketing facilities and exhibition

centres are at the women’s disadvantage, while they possess such fine skills on which they spend a lot of time and effort. There is scope for home industry in this regard. However, it is feared that handicrafts, being part of the domestic tradition of different ethnic groups, will disappear due to changes in life pattern and modernisation.

District Lasbela has national highway roads and provincial roads. The major road is the national highway which links Karachi with Hub, Uthal, Bela, Khuzdar, Kalat and Quetta. There is no link via railway and air.

In total there is 322 km of black topped road. The major part of the roads (1095 km) are shingle roads. All parts of the district are accessible throughout the year. Telecommunication facility is also available in all the towns of the area.

Lasbela’s major life line is the National Highway from Quetta to Karachi, a distance of some 689 Kilometres, of which 215 kilometres run through Lasbela. Seventy percent of the traffic using this road consists of heavy trucks, tankers and buses. The highway is maintained by the federal government. The other black top road in the district is only 52.29 kilometres long and is maintained by the B&R, Department, Government of Balochistan. The Lasbela Industries & State Development Authority constructed a road in the industrial areas of Hub and Winder. A road from Bela to Awaran is under construction.

In Lasbela district the Vehicle Excise Registration Office is located in Hub. According to the record of registration up to 1994-95, the total number of registered vehicles in that year was 9,551. It is estimated that as many as five times the registered number of vehicles are driving around without a registration number.

Every five minutes a coach leaves from Hub for Karachi, Gaddani, Somiani and industrial areas, and every 20 minutes a coach leaves for Uthal and Bela. These coaches are registered at Karachi.

According to the registration record, only 69 motor cycles are registered in the district, which is only an part of all motor cycles in the district.

No registration record of camel/ horse/ donkey carts, tractors and bicycles is available.

Source: Development Statistics, BoS, GoB