Nasirabad is named after the great Baloch leader Nasir Khan Noori, the founder of the Baloch Confederation. He ruled the Kalat Khanate from 1747 to 1794.

The district was notified in 1974. For three years, from 1987 till 1990, the district was known as Tamboo. Tamboo is a small village 40 kms west from the district’s head quarters Dera Murad Jamali.

The major resource of the district is land, the basis for agriculture and livestock. No minerals are reported in the area. The table below gives the land use in the District. An important feature is that still 39.5% of the area is not yet reported. The area classifies as culturable waste is very small compared to the potential area available for cultivation. This means a limited scope for expansion of cultivation.

The total area of the district is 3,387 sq. km. The area is bifurcated by the national highway (N 65), starting near Micro Levy post after Notal to Shahi Chowki.

There is no meteorological office in Nasirabad district. Possibly accurate meteorological data can be secured from the office in Jacobabad. For meteorological data, the Agriculture Department of Nasirabad relies on data obtained from Jacobabad.

The climate of the district is in general hot. There is no cold or mild hot area in the district. The weather becomes extremely hot in summer. The harshness of summer is prolonged over the months of May, June, July, August, September and October. It is mild hot in April. The winter season is pleasant in the whole area of the district. Humidity increases in summer, particularly in the area adjacent to the Pat feeder canal.

According to the Agricultural Department’s classification of lands in Balochistan in five ecological zones, based on the altitude from sea-level, Nasirabad district falls in the lower area ranging from 635 meters (1500 feet) above sea level. The day and night temperatures vary substantially.

Dust storms are common in hot weather, in the summer season. According to the sources, because of the vegetation the dust storms are less frequent and severe than in the past. They often blow from the west and north with high speed. A dust storm may be followed by a rain. The rain fall in the district is inadequate. The ratio of rain fall is higher in July and August because of the monsoon rains. 

The soil of the Nasirabad district comprises silt, clay, silt loam, clay loam, and sandy loam. On the basis of the soil reconnaissance, soil in the command area (irrigated by canals), constituting the largest area of the Dera Murad Jamali sub-division, can be classified as sandy and loamy soil. It is more loamy soil in dense agricultural field. In the Chattar sub-division, the area is sandy and clay loam.

There is no mineral source explored in the district so far. According to the Inspectorate of Minerals the area is known for having no mineral potential.

The type of vegetation in the district include agricultural crops, forest area (which is limited to highway forestry), block plantation, canal side and road side plantation and farm forestry. The main species of trees are Eucalyptus, Acacia, Dalbergia, Zizyphis, Albizzia, Azadricha and Sesbania. The shrubs include Presepis Juliflora, Panicum antidetals, Halexylon spp, Alhagae camalorum. The area has agricultural crops which include vegetables and fruits grown on commercial basis.

There are two sources providing energy in the district. They are gas and electricity. Gas is provided to Dera Murad Jamali and two nearby villages. It is used for commercial and domestic purposes. There is a growing use of electricity for agricultural purposes. The use of electricity for cooking and heating is common in urban areas and is increasing in rural areas. There are few areas in the district without electricity. The use of kerosene and diesel is frequent in those area. For pumping water diesel engines are often used. In the rural areas still many people use wood for cooking and heating purpose. According to the forest department spokesman, it is a bottleneck in the growth of trees and bushes, as every year thousands of trees and bushes are razed to ground for fuel purposes. Coal is not often used for domestic purpose. The consumption of oil, gas, and electricity for heat purpose is little, as the area has s mild winter season. The use of illegal electricity is common in rural areas.

The use of dung cake is very common in Nasirabad district as an important source of energy for fuel and heating purpose. It is a source of saving and sometimes of income for common people of the district. Dung cake is made of the waste of draught animals and big ruminants. The dung is moulded and dried on roof tops and walls. It involves the sole labour of females, ranging from seven year old girls to old women. Men with worn-out shoes and poor cloths, coming from rural areas, are seen in D.M.Jamali to sell dung cake bags laden on donkeys, as a cheap source of energy for cooking purposes. Empty rice paddies are also used as a source of energy for heating and fuel purpose.

The blowing of dust storms brings dust pollution. Dust storms occur frequently during the hot season in Nasirabad and Chattar. They can continue for hours, clouding the sun in day light.

Soil erosion is rare, but waterlogging and salinity is a problem. Water pollution by chemicals is rare.

Water pollution in water tanks and stored water is caused by animals and insects. In rural areas, water may be polluted by ill-hygienic use of water resources and use of the source by wild and domestic animals.

The living environment in rural areas lack sanitation. The joint family system, with common use of kitchens, living room and toilet, can cause a number of diseases.

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

The proportion of the district that is potentially available for cultivation is relatively high (56%), making land a particularly valuable resource. This high percentage is mainly due to the availability of irrigation water through feeder canals from the Indus. Nasirabad is a flat area with a hot climate, making it suitable for crops as rice, wheat and cotton.

The district has no mineral potential.

Apart from gas and electricity, dung cake is still used in particular as fuel.

The environmental problems are as yet limited to dust storms and waterlogging and salinity in the irrigated areas, due to deficient drainage systems. Because there is no industry other forms of pollution are not a real issue.

The possibility exists that young girls are not included in the 1981 census. It is difficult to get a clear impression of the population composition on the basis of the present statistics. The last census has been held in 1981 and the fluctuations in growth rates over the various intervening periods complicates any forecasting. But even in the 1981 census figures, the number of girls up to the age of 10 gives the impression that the figure is unrealistic.

The average household size is 6.6 on basis of the 1981 census. The average household size is bigger in Tamboo and Chattar area. The high household size is due to poverty, close-family marriages, and no family planning. Literate families and families with marriages outside the family have smaller households.

The percentage of dependent population, based on the 1981 census, was 46.6 percent (59,826 out of the total population 128,302). It included the age group of year 1 to 14 and 70 and above.

The majority of the population in Nasirabad district lives in rural areas. According to the 1981 population census, the size of rural population then was 94,454 out of a total population of 128,302 (which is 73.6 percent). The percentage of people living in rural areas probably increased, as two towns Jat Pat and Usta Mohammad were separated from the district after the bifurcation into Jaffarabad district and Nasirabad district.

D.M Jamali is the only urban centre in Nasirabad district. The rest of the population is fairly equally distributed over the rural area.

Nasirabad district has an ethnically heterogeneous population. The major ethnic group is the Baloch. They are followed by the Jamoot (Jat), Brauhi, Sindhi and Saraiki. The leading Baloch tribe is the Umrani. Umrani tribesmen speak Sindhi and Balochi. The Umrani tribe, mostly living in the Tamboo area, is politically and financially best off. They enjoy political and feudal influence in the area. Because of their vote bank, supported by Jamoots in past, they have always retained the PB 23 seat. They speak Sindhi and Balochi.

The Jamoot, sub-divided into a number of tribes, are Sindhi and Saraiki speaking. They have numerical strength, but are less distinct as an ethnic community, being poor and politically weak. Most of them are tenants and petty-tillers on the lands owned by Umrani and other landlords. Some say that the Jamoot are not Baloch, though they claim that they are. According to the District Gazetteer (1901) they "represent a congeries neither of Muhammadans, nor Afghans, Baloch, Brahuis or Syeds. They were good cultivators and less extravagant than their Baloch neighbour". However, all Jamoots claim to be Baloch.

Many people from other parts of the country have settled in the district. They include Saraiki, Pashto and Punjabi speaking people. There is also a number of settlers from Sindh, that has claimed local status. Jamoots and Syeds are akin to Sindhi culture. They live in both provinces.

Balochi and Sindhi are the major languages. Minor languages are Brauhi and Sairaki. Urdu is used as a medium of education and as a means of communication between people with different ethnic backgrounds. There is a small number of Pashtu speaking population engaged in petty jobs.

The number of migrants into the district since 1981 is not exactly known. Local resource persons estimate them about 50,000, slightly more men than women. They include people from Sindh, Bolan district and Afghan refugees.

The nature and extent of migration within the area is limited. In winters, Powandas (nomads) and people from hill areas come to live along the canal, looking for pasture and shelter from cold snowy weather. They depart in April or May. Migration out of the district is recorded in the area around Chattar. Shortage of rain and drinking water forces the population to migrate to other areas for their livelihood. The rich and upper class persons/families move to their own or rented houses in Quetta, Kalat and Mastung during summer seasons. There is a popular Sindhi local saying that in the area their are two factors accountable for outside migration: for the poor the reason is lack of drinking water and for the rich it is the hot weather.

According to the 1981 census, the civilian labour force (working and looking for work) constituted 39.9 percent of the total population. The statistics do not differentiate for male and female. According to the 1981 census report on Balochistan it is 60.8 and 1.4 respectively. But women are very actively engaged in household, agricultural, poultry/cattle and construction duties.

The total number of government employees getting their salaries from the treasury is 4,361. They do not include those serving in the district on federal list or paid unofficially. It is estimated that federal government employees, including FC men, are not more than 2,000. There is no statistical record in the district about the labour force. The industrial/commercial private labour force is around 1,500 workers. They include the ones employed on the industrial estate and in rice mills, ice factories, shops and restaurants. There is a Labour Office for the whole division in D. M. Jamali. Also, a new institute for vocational training has been established in D.M.Jamali (it has not started functioning yet).

According to the Labour and Industries Departments the exact number of people employed in shops, ice factories, rice shelling, floor mills, brick making, etc. is not known. A rice sheller may have 15 to 25 persons employed. A floor mill 10 to 15, an ice Factory 4 to 7 and an oil expeller 2 to 3.

The majority of houses in the district are made of clay and red (baked) bricks. Those made of baked bricks have thick mud plaster coating. The baking of bricks and the plastering is done by the villagers themselves or by those engaged in the business at low cost. An average house has two to three living rooms with a gallery. Some houses also have a barn. Flush cisterns, commodes and wash basins do not exist in rural houses. Houses in Dera Murad Jamali are similar to those in the rural areas. There are a few privately owned houses with a flush system and modern amenities, mostly in government owned houses. There is one big residential colony in D.M.Jamali belonging to the Irrigation Department. There is another one belonging to WAPDA.

There are very few old buildings in Nasirabad district. There is not any special architectural style. Most houses are 30 to 50 years old.

Fifty-four percent of the houses in the district are privately owned, 43 percent is rent free and 3 percent is rented. The rented houses in the district are limited to Dera Murad Jamali. Because of the joint family system and close family/tribal set-up, the number of rent free houses is large.

As mentioned earlier, the houses in the district are made of clay and baked bricks with thick clay or mud topping and roofing. Doors and windows are made of wood. Iron grills are rare. The use of cement, iron and tiles is not common. Mortar is used for floor boards. Joints are made of wood.

Seventy-three percent of the district has electricity. Gas is limited to D.M.Jamali and a few villages. For industrial and mechanical/agricultural purpose, electricity is the major source of energy. Both gas and electricity are used for cooking and heating purpose. The houses without electricity rely on kerosene, oil and wood. The use of dung cake is commonly used among poor people, even in areas with electricity and gas. Some people use a diesel run generator for agricultural and domestic purposes in the areas without electricity.

The houses are knit together in rural areas. The villages lie at close distance from each other. Because of the hot weather, in most houses cooking is done outside or under a shelter. The government owned houses and those belonging to rich people have separate bathrooms and kitchens.

In D.M.Jamali water and sewerage pipes do not function properly and are often blocked. In rural areas drinking water comes from tanks and canals. Traditionally the water is filtered by keeping it in a jar or drum for several hours and then poured into another one. Eighty-six percent of all houses in the district is without proper drainage, human waste disposal facilities and sewerage system.

The major development requirement is improvement of the system of drainage human waste disposal and sewerage, both in rural areas and in D.M.Jamali. The availability of safe drinking water is a necessity for the population and should get the attention of the authorities.

The society in Nasirabad district is predominantly patriarchal. Tribal affiliation remains strong. Women have hardly any influence on family and tribal affairs. The people live in close homogeneity, particularly in rural areas.

Rural and urban areas have a different family set-up. Urban families are smaller. A household comprises a husband, wife and four to eight children. People prefer to be identified with a tribe or clan rather than their family. Most families are organized in a joint family system, though the number of nuclear families is increasing in literate households.

Though male dominated, Nasirabad district is comparatively an open society. Marriages are arranged, particularly in the rural areas. In D. M. Jamali educated girls may show their willingness or unwillingness for a match. Nevertheless, they remain under the patriarchal set-up where their fates are determined by their fathers, brothers or other male relatives. It is widely observed that in the case of uneducated girls little is asked about the match-making. The women, the girl herself or her female relatives, have no influence. The age for a girl to marry, is from 14 to 18 years. Early age and adolescence marriages are more common in cases of uneducated girls. In areas with the lowest female literacy rate there are more marriages at adolescent age and more cases of girls given in marriage to elder people. Childhood marriages are common in the rural areas.

Vulvar (bride-price) is practiced in the area. Money is paid by the groom for a proposal, but the amount is not very big. The girl’s parents or guardians may spend the vulvar on buying dowry for the bride. The payment of vulvar is fixed by the female members at the time a marriage proposal is made. There are no rules about the amount of vulvar. It varies from case to case and situation to situation. It may be paid by the bridegroom, his parents/guardians or relatives. The demand for vulvar is usually raised when a proposal is repeated to the bride's side or the one proposed to is very beautiful; and the proposer is very rich and already married.

There is a system of Ata Wata (exchange marriages). The system is much practiced in the lower and middle classes of society. Under this system, a girl is married to a man in exchange for a bride for her brother. The system facilitates marriages against low costs, therefore, poor people prefer it to vulvar.

Under the vulvar and Ata Wata system, girls proposed to are left with no choice, and have to bow down their heads for marriages without their consent. After the marriage of their daughters, parents become almost indifferent towards their welfare. They remain at the mercy of their husband and in-laws. It is observed that under an exchange system of marriages, retaliation may be shown by the husband’s side against his wife in case his sister is not happy with his wife's brother. A second marriage on the side may result in marriage break-up, ill treatment of the first wife, or tit for tat in retaliation. Marriages are broken as the result of retaliation.

One form of retaliation against the wife may result in Siakari, where the woman is murdered after being accused of adultery with another man. Genuine Siakari is quite rare, but under the disguise of Siakari each year a number of persons, particularly women, are innocently put to death. Those who survive their injuries carry the label of being disdained by society for the rest of their lives. The inculpated victims of Siakari receive little protection from law and society.

Siakari literally means adultery. A Siakar is used to refer to a person who is guilty of committing it. The killing of a Siakar is a centuries old norm, still practiced in close tribal societies, where a man and a woman found in an illegal relation are put to death. In Siakari women are more often killed than men. In the first place it is hard for her to escape, as she is already confined to the four-wall boundaries of the house and dependent on male protection. Secondly, once declared a Siakar, she will find asylum nowhere.

Persons are decoyed for Siakari. A man may decoy someone by inviting him to his house during night-time and kill him accusing him of having illegal relations with his wife. The motive behind this might be that he wants to get rid of his wife for another marriage or that he owes someone a large amount of money. According to police reports, a man killed his wife as Siakar in retaliation to his father-in-law, who would not allow his daughter the land he registered in her name to protect himself against the land reforms. To slur his father-in-law’s honour, the husband killed his wife.

The society is predominantly patriarchal. The decision making is in the hands of males. The decisions made by men are binding upon women. There are no special organisations worth the name to cater for the social needs and problems of the common people, especially not for women. The appointment of Lady Health Visitors under the Prime Minister Scheme is doing some good in that direction providing counselling. Also NGOs for primary education, such as SCOPE (Society for the Organization and Community Promotion of Education) with its base in Dera Allah Yar, can be helpful. The promotion of female welfare and education needs further organisation.

With the development of the district, traditional development decreased. Traditional institutions and norms which existed in past, have either collapsed or are no longer functioning. The sense of group homogeneity and self-reliance among tribes or intra-tribe has ceased in large. There are factors accountable for that, which primarily include the people’s reliance on government for fund and support, and the fading away of the sense of common support for a problem. For example, in olden days, during the flood season, everybody would cooperate and mobilize oxen driven ploughs, family members etc., for the construction of a small protection band around a village or the construction of a pool for storing water. Now this practice exists no more. Due to the growing reliance on aid assured by the MNA/MPAs/Councillors, low per capita income, and tribal polarization, the attitude of the general masses remains indifferent towards their fellow tribesmen and others for co-operation. The primitive customs of cooperation have faded away without the development of new ones. Family and tribal cooperation in case of vendetta is limited, nonetheless, it does exist. There is a number of associations for youth and tribal welfare, such as Jamoot Qoomi Movement and Jamoot Students Association.

The majority of people living in Nasirabad district belongs to the Sunni sect of Islam. The Shia population is very small in number. The census data only include figures on the major religions, but not on sub-categories. Therefore, it is difficult to analyze the exact number of the Shia population. They are, however, less than one-tenth of the overall population. The two major festivals are Eid-Fitr and Eid-Azha. They are the occasions of great jubilation and joy. Other festivals are Eid-Miladuld Nabi, Sab-e-Barat and Muharam. Alms are given to the poor.

The Hindu population observes Diwali and Holi. The number of Hindus living in Nasirabad district has reduced since the Independence. In the past, there was a big number of Hindus living in the area, but they have migrated either to Sindh or to India. The Hindus of the area travel to Jacobabad, a city with a huge Hindu population, for religious congregations.

The population of Nasirabad district, as observed and interviewed, is less religiously conservative. The main indicators are less attendance in mosques, less routine prayers and less religious knowledge. There is great respect for Pirs (religious bigwigs) and Syeds amongst the Sindhi speaking population.

The number of religious or sectarian differences is small. There are fewer cases of sectarian violence than of family or tribal violence. Although, following the Ayodhya incident in India in 1991, when the Babri mosque was desecrated, some Hindus were killed and temples in various cities were damaged. The anti-Hindu riots did not create a serious threat to the Hindu community in Nasirabad.

The people believe in visiting the shrines of Sufi and holy men for the fulfilment of cherished desires and salvation. They promise sacrifices, food and money in the name of a saint before or after their desire is fulfilled. Famous shrines in the district are the ones of Syed Hassan Shanshah, Turk Shah, Sakhi Syed Ibrahim Shah (all in Chattar area) and Syed Hazar Shah at Tinda. Annually the Urs of Shanshah and Syed Ibrahim Shah are held. They are enthusiastically celebrated. Followers come from far away places in Sindh.

There are two major channels for conflict resolution in the district. One is the government channel and the other is private. The government channel can work through judicial decisions made by Judicial Magistrates, the Civil Judge or the Session Judge at Dera Murad Jamali. The private channel, however, has proved to be more effective in conflict resolution than the government channel. The previous government channel through the Jirga system was more effective. The Jirga was a traditional system of justice, which was actively practiced in Balochistan to settle legal cases and disputes threatening law and order. The system, which was in practice since the British rule, was modified under the Special Provision Ordinance (Criminal Provisions 11) of 1968. The system was abolished all-together in 1991. The government, however, still can form a Jirga (consisting of notables etc) for conflict resolution and give the decision, made by the Jirga, a legal status later on.

There is also a Mehr system where one of the parties in conflict can go the other party. The offer for Mehr is initiated by the offender’s side. He will beg for mercy, showing his guilt for the incident leading to dispute. He may be accompanied by a number of notables as a token of endorsement for his wish to reach a settlement and as brokers for conditions. An offer for Mehr may be accepted with or without conditions or penalties, but usually conditions are made. The offer may be rejected.

There is also a way of conflict resolution known as Biradiri system (Brotherhood), where a few close family members or fellow tribesmen, or notables can mediate and settle the dispute.

In conflict resolution there are conditions imposed on one party or on both. It can be payed in money or land, or by marrying off girls to the inflicted side. Private settlement of disputes is believed to have played a big role in bringing peace and justice to parties involved. The brokers involved in the settlement are accountable if a party does not abide by the conditions made.

A large number of weapons is in possession of the people. According to the SP office and the Levies' report, both traditional and advanced weapons are used in day to day and tribal encounters. They include traditional rifles and 12-bore shot-guns, and advanced weapons such as Kalashnikovs popular automatic weapons. The use of Rocket launchers, shakeel and mortar guns has not been reported in the past years. The advanced weapons, however, are not in possession of the common man. They in general belong to outlaws and are carried by tribal chiefs’ bodyguards. A very few of the Kalashnikovs are issued under license to influential persons by the authorities. Also, a semi-automatic weapon "Kalakov" (Chinese and Russian made) is used in the district by bodyguards and outlaws, who make the weapon almost automatic with the modification of a pin-holder. A license for a Kalakov is issued by the District Magistrate. The area was unfamiliar with advanced weapons until the aftermath of the Saur revolution of Afghanistan in 1978, which led to the pouring in of all such weapons. The Kalashnikov and Kalakov are popular because of their intensity, availability of bullets and the fact that they are so small that they can be folded beneath one's arms. Weapons are commonly used in day to day killing and tribal feuds, which can lead to the use of advanced weapons such as rocket launchers etc.

The entire society of Nasirabad district is male dominated and patriarchal. Since it is the man who has to face enemies and decides the political fate of the family and tribe, he assumes a dominant role in both community and family decision-making. The number of literate women is negligible. The role and status of women is ultimately subordinate to male chauvinism. Because of illiteracy and unawareness, women enjoy fewer civil amenities or fundamental rights. Violation of human rights is more frequent and of a more serious nature for females.

Women have a minor role in decision-making or any other matter. A woman bears part of the economic burden of the family, as she contributes to the household and productive work outside the house in fields, nonetheless, her household work is not considered an economic contribution, and seldom credit is given to her by her husband or elders for her significant contribution.

Throughout the district’s rural areas women look after the horses, camels and sheep, assist in cultivation and do traditional embroidery. The societal trends constrain them to remain illiterate and to endure problems related to polygamy, vulvar and a generally low social status.

Politically women are without any say. Their voting bank however has gained influence in the district. Special care has been taken in the last elections by the candidates to gain women’s votes. There is an increase in the percentage of votes cast by females since the first elections in 1985. There are 14 polling stations for women, 17 polling stations for men and 17 combined polling stations. There were two female members on the District Council, two on the Municipal Committee and two on each but one of the 13 Union Councils.

In the rural areas of Nasirabad polygamy is widely practiced. The first wife’s consent is not considered for the second marriage. A change in the female status in this respect is observed in the areas with more female literacy. Educated women have a stronger position in decision-making. The need amongst women to be educated is growing, but there are not enough schools. This can be indicated by the number of girls in boys schools. Women play an important role in household and agricultural affairs. Keeping household duties such as fetching drinking water, collecting animal waste for making dung cakes, and being a family asset with relation to the bride-price and exchange marriages are all considered as part of being a woman. The observance of the veil (purdah) is flexible in the district. The majority of the rural women do not cover their faces with a veil.

Child labour exists in both rural and urban areas, but under different circumstances. Because the district has hardly any industry, only a limited number of children works in industry. However, a large number of children is employed on tea-stalls, hotels, shops and stores on daily, weekly and monthly wages. In a number of cases the wages are received by the parents or guardians. The absolute majority of the children that work, belongs to poor and needy families, without any formal education. Both boys and girls have jobs like grazing cattle, cutting fodder and gathering of wood around.

Girls in rural areas are exclusively engaged in household duties. In areas without drinking water facilities, girls fetch water in goat-skin bags on donkey back from far away. From a sociological point of view it is a kind of child abuse when a child is engaged in household duties, the making of dung cakes and grazing without going to school. A large number of children is engaged in household duties instead of going to school. A large number of them has dropped out of school.

There is a lack of government support for apprenticeship. The most frequent places of apprenticeship for boys are private motor workshops, tailors, carpenters and bicycle repair shops where they receive informal training. Girls learn traditional embroidery work at home. The government sector and NGOs can play an important role in the promotion of apprenticeship for children, so that they can get professional qualifications to help them later on in life.

The society is rather open. The tribes living in the district are not engaged in bloody tribal feuds. There are wealthy landowners in Tamboo and D.M. Jamali sub-divisions, but their influence is small. The Sardari system is nominal. The old customs of cooperation are not much in use anymore, though Biradari, under which relatives or neighbours are politically, and morally supported on occasions of marriages, child-birth, death and calamity, still exist. The people are not strictly religious. Fasting is not very common during Ramadan. The percentage of adults having performed "Haj" (pilgrimage to Mecca) is small.

Nasirabad’s headquarters are at Dera Murad Jamali. Its original name was Temple Dera, named after Captain H. M. Temple, a career British civil servant, who served as the Political Agent for Sibi from 1891 to 1892. Among the local population it is still known as Tipel, a corruption of the word ‘temple’.

The district was notified in 1974. For three years, from July 1987 to December 1990, it was known as Tamboo district. Tamboo is a small village 40 km west of Dera Murad Jamali.

The district has two sub-divisions, D.M. Jamali and Chattar and 1 tehsil, Tamboo. Furhter it is divided into 163 sub-tehsils and 14 mozas. One moza exists of 1 to 5 villages.

The origin of the local government system can be traced back to the Basic Democratic System founded by late President Ayub Khan. The institutions built by him were dissolved after Z. A. Bhutto stepped into power in 1970, but reactivated again by President Zia throughout the country to elect the following tiers of the Local Councils. Elections for the local bodies in Balochistan were held in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991. Local government institutions were dissolved in December 1996 throughout Balochistan.

The Local government administration at the district level is headed by an Assistant Director (AD). Under the AD come Development Officers (DO), one at each sub-division, a civil engineer and clerical staff. A Chief Officer (BPS 17) runs the daily affairs of the District Council. If there is a Municipal Committee (as happens to be the case in Nasirabad) there is a separate Chief Officer for the Municipal Committee.

Local Government Administration functions in mutual cooperation with the Chairman’s Office of the District Council. The District Council funds are channelled through the AD Office. All officials of local bodies at the district level fall under the Divisional Director (BPS 18-19).

The Union Council is the lowest tier of all local government bodies. In total there are 14 Union Councils in Nasirabad. Each Union Council represents 12,000 to 17,000 people from the district. All members are elected, directly by people or indirectly by sitting members. There is a peasants’ and a women’s representative in each Union Council. The number of Council members varies from 4 to 13.

There is no Town Committee in Nasirabad district.

There is one Municipal Committee in the district headquarters Dera Murad Jamali. The committee has 12 members, 8 elected, one minority, two women and one labour representative. The Municipal Committee played an important role until its funds were stopped in 1993. Since them it just raises some income, to cover its recurrent expenditures. The Committee has a separate office building, with a Chief Officer from local government side, but hardly any services are rendered.

The District Council of Nasirabad has 19 members, including the Chairman and representatives of minorities, peasants and workers who are represented by one member each, and two women representatives. The District Council renders hardly any services. The income-expenditure pattern of the District Council is even worse in comparison to that of the Municipal Committee. For the last few years the income of the District Council was in the range of Rs.0.1 to 1.9 mln only.

As in all other districts, there are two categories of government administration at the district level: federal and provincial. Local Government comes under the Provincial Government. The role of provincial government is substantial in the management of district affairs. Federal government administration has a smaller role. The total strength of provincial government employees in the district is 4,361. There are a total of 56 departments.

The district administration comprises a Deputy Commissioner (DC), Additional DC, Assistant Commissioner or Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar. Important departments under the jurisdiction of provincial government are Levy, Police and anti-corruption, Irrigation, Construction and Works (C & W), Livestock (Animal Husbandry), Lobar, Jail, Public Health & Engineering, Local Government, Health, Social Welfare, Forest and Wildlife, Excise and Taxation, Treasury Office, and Education.

Institutions under the federal government administration are the Elections Office, WAPDA, Post Office and Railways. The WAPDA plays a substantial role in the electrification of urban and rural areas. It is doing a major job in the widening of Pat Feeder canal. The Gas office (Southern Sui Gas) is also a federal department. So are the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and Inter Service Intelligence (ISI), but they function more invisible.

Nasirabad district, like many other districts in Balochistan, is divided into "A" and "B" areas. The "A" area is where regular or reserve police force has jurisdiction. The "B" area is where no police rule exists. The "B" area is controlled by levies. The "A" area is limited to 8 km around police stations. The police station in Dera Murad Jamali was opened in 1991. The area comprising "A" area is limited to the urban towns and highways. Thus the role of police is limited in the district.

Travelling on highways across the district is safe, even at nights. Foreigners are allowed to travel on highways in daylight without needing permission for camping. Travelling for them is restricted in "B" areas only. Travelling parallel to the canal in Nasirabad area unto Dera Bugti is safe. For foreigners, however, it is not allowed without escort. Travelling into Tamboo and Manjoo Suri is also safe ("B" area).

There is one Superintendent of Police Office at Dera Murad Jamali. Assisted by a Deputy or Assistant Superintendent of Police, he controls the "A" area of Jhall Magsi at Gandawa, Bolan district, and Nasirabad. The total number of police force under SP office is 571. They are divided into four police stations: Dera Murad Jamali, Dhadar, Gandawa and Bhag. The police force present in Nasirabad is 221, but it can be increased in case of disturbance of peace or when any V.I.P (such as the Prime Minister, President etc.) visits the area. The only police station in the district at Dera Murad Jamali is the biggest of the four police stations under SP Nasirabad. The S.P. office comes under the Deputy Inspector General office at Sibi.

Levy is a conventional force for keeping law and order. Established during the British days, levies are recruited on tribal or clan lines, where every tribe receives a fixed quota. They fall under the direct command of the Deputy Commissioner with his powers delegated to the Assistant Commissioners, Tehsildars etc. Levy ranks in Nasirabad district are classified into Sepoy/Constable (228), Jameedar (13), Dafeedar (18), Hawaldar (4) and Risaldar (1). There are Trackers (11) who are traditionally trained in tracing foot-prints of those who committed crimes. Trackers from two tribes: Khosa and Jhatak are traditionally good in the art. The Risaldar is the head of the force; he comes under the direct command of Tehsildar. There are five Micro Levies and seven Levy drivers. The Levy force is less advanced in training and not effective in situations of major tribal feuds. In case of a major law and order situation, the Frontier Corps (FC), a para-military force, coming under the Federal Home Department, can be called by the District Magistrate with the consent of Divisional Commissioner, Home Department, and Sibi Scouts (depends on norms and situation in a district) from Sibi (Sibi Scouts) or Dera Bugti (Bamboor Rifles). There is a wing of Sibi Scouts at Dera Murad Jamali (71 Wing) to give protection to Chinese and other foreigners engaged in the extension of the feeder canal. The role of the FC has gained in importance due to worsening of law and order situation in the area.

There is one district jail at Dera Murad Jamali. It has the capacity of 70 inmates but holding 97 at present. According to the jail sources, it can go upto 200 inmates. Normally it ranges from 90 to 120. There are 6 barracks, including one for female and one for juvenile prisoners. All under trial or serving minor sentences are kept here. Those with death sentences or life imprisonment are moved to Mach jail. The district jail is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Prison, who is assisted by a Assistant Superintendent of Prison. It comes under the Prison Department. Those wanted by Levy force in different cases are kept there. An accused can be kept unto to a maximum of 14 days in Levy lock up. A remand may be secured by the Assistant Commissioner or Sub-Divisional Magistrate by renewing detention for a maximum of 14 days. There is a small Levy-Lock up at Chattar.

There is no Qazi court in the district. The civil judiciary comprises a Session Judge and Additional Session Judge, a Senior Civil Judge (vacant) and a Judicial Magistrate. The Assistant Commissioner and the Additional Deputy Commissioner still have the judicial powers exercised under Chapters 8, 9, 11, 12 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). After Ordinance 2 (Jirga Laws) was abolished in Balochistan, the judicial power of DM/DC, (also delegated to AC/SDM) to decide on murder cases has been taken away. The AC can punish an accused with a maximum prison sentence of 3 years or a fine with a maximum of 5,000 Rs.

The role of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is based on the support given by the Jamali family. However, the personal, social and financial status of candidates cannot be ruled out. Nabi Bakhsh and Zafrullah Jamali are financially and tribally influential men. Zafrullah Jamali has been a Federal Minister and Chief Minister.

In 1996, a new political party was established by Gul Hasan Manjoo: the Jamoot Qoomi Movement (JQM). The party is established on an ethnic basis, appealing to Jamoot tribesmen. If votes are cast on ethnic lines, the JQM can win. The Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and Jamoohri Watan Party (JWP) are active in the district politics by nominating their candidates on PB 22 and PB 23, and NA 203. Zahoor Khosa (JWP) has been elected for PB22 since 1985, owing his victories to his personal influence rather than his political colour. Fateh Ali Umrani also owed his victory over his rival Sadiq Umrami to his personal influence. Party support in winning the elections was minimal.

There are eight NGOs working in Nasirabad, playing a very limited role.

Maintenance of law and order is in the hands of Levies and police. The role of the police is restricted to the A area of Dera Murad Jamali. The Levies fall under the control of the Assistant Commissioner. The Frontier Corps (FC) is also deployed in the district for the protection of the Chinese and other foreignors working on the Pat Feeder and Utch projects.

The political parties active in the district are Jamoohri Watan Party (JWP), Balochistan National Movement-Hayee (BNM-H), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Balochistan National Party (BNP). However, political elections are determined by tribal and personal factors more than party affiliation.

District Jail Dera Murad Jamali

Levy men Nasirabad

Agriculturally the Nasirabad district is one of the most developed districts in Balochistan. The area, which is fed by Pat Feeder canal (known as Command Area) is irrigated for the most part, and is productive from an agricultural point of view. The major crops grown in the canal fed area are rice, wheat, oil seed, pulses and cotton. The horticulture sector is less developed, but it is improving. Promotion of orchards (citrus, mango, guava) will improve the horticulture sector.

Chattar sub-division, which lacks irrigation water, is less developed agriculturally. The major crops grown here are wheat, fodder, and oil seeds. Chattar depends on rainfall and in years with enough rain, the area can give good production.

The largest crop market for the area is Jacobabad.

The total land of the district is 338,717 Ha. Sixty and a half percent of the area, 205,000 Ha. is the area reported. The land actually under cultivation is 182,890 Ha, which includes Khariff, Rabi and horticultural cultivation; 7,445 Ha is cultivable waste. Not available for cultivation is 14,665 Ha. See also paragraph 1.1.

The area is controlled by "Zamindari" (landlords). They are big landlords. The size of land they own individually may be small, as it is divided amongst his family members and tenants to cover himself against land reforms, nonetheless, his hold over the land is supreme. The lands owned by landlords is cultivated by tenants. These tenants do not have the choice but to grow crops as decided by the owner. There are two kinds of tenants: seasonal and permanent. The role of permanent tenants in agricultural matters is more important than the role of the seasonal ones. The number of permanent tenants is bigger than the number of seasonal tenants in Nasirabad district.

Sources: Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994-95, Quetta

Rice paddies being cleaned in Nasirabad

Making "Bhang"

The two dominant systems are single crop and fallow system. The single crop system includes rice, wheat, pulse and fodder. The fallow up system is not very common in the canal and rain fed area of the district. On average about 20 percent of the cultivable land is left fallow every year.

Nasirabad is one of the main wheat and rice producing districts in Balochistan. The average yield of wheat is 2,670 kg per Ha.. Although Nasirabad is a major rice producing district, its average yield of 1,807 kg. per Ha. is not satisfactory as yet.

The landlords control the land. A landlord has a number of tenants who are supported by tillers. Some of the permanent tenants have some influence in decision-making on production and farming.

The agricultural and horticultural farming system is traditional, nonetheless, the use of machinery is growing.

The major sources for irrigation in the district are Pat Feeder canal, Khirther and Uch canal. The Pat feeder canal irrigation system was constructed as part of the Guddu Barrage project by WAPDA and came into operation in 1969. The canal has a capacity of 90 cumecs (3,178 cusees) at its point of entry into Balochistan. At present it commands a cultivable area of about 191.000 Ha.. Its length is 166 km. Khirther canal branches from N.W. Canal. The Sukkar barrage was originally constructed in 1932 with a capacity of 1,164 cusecs for irrigation of 134,500 Ha. in Sindh and Balochistan. 

The most required agricultural input is fertilizer. Various kinds of fertilizers are used: Urea and D.A.P, Potassium, S.O.P., S.S.P and N.P.K. They are bought from the Agricultural Department or from the private sector. In the private sector, fertilizers are supplied by middle man. The use of chemical fertilizer was 96 tons in 1995. The area irrigated by canal water requires a lot of fertilizer.

The major input for horticultural is root stock, which is available at expensive rates from Punjab and Sindh. Plants like citrus, guava and mango are smudged in winter, to protect them from dew. The use of fertilizers is common in horticulture.

Marketing is in the hands of private enterprise. The involvement of government in marketing is still minor, however, its role is growing. The Agricultural Marketing Regulation Act 1991, which is designed to reduce the middle men’s role and to fix the commodities’ prices, is in function since June 1996, but the system is not fully operative. Middle men play an important role, because the producers themselves have only little commercial and marketing knowledge. They find it easier to sell their crops to middle men or take them to Jacobabad and Sukkar, two nearby big grain markets.

Price control is in the hands of the middle men, known as "dalal" or commission agents. They are professionals in the art of settling prices between growers and buyers. The role of middle men, however, is limited in Nasirabad urban areas, because of the existence of a Market Committee. But still, due to the non-availability of funds for the producers and their poor financial position in the last months before harvesting, many of them sell the crops early on loans from commission agents.

No statistics exist on the levels of income. However, if the agricultural production is taken at average whole sale prices of Quetta, than the agricultural value per capita is about Rs. 10,900 per year on basis of the 1994-1995 agricultural production figures.

At the district level, the Department of Agriculture comes under the Deputy Director, who is responsible for the whole divisional agricultural sector. There are one Extra-Assistant Director, three Agricultural Officers, 43 Field Assistants, and two Statistical Officers. The Pat Feeder Command area has its own staff.

The Department of Agricultural extension service in each district is headed by an Extra-Assistant or Assistant Director. The role of agricultural extension has increased in Nasirabad district, as the excessive growth of rice has damaged the land, and promotion of other crops, particularly cotton, is badly needed. However, the cultivation of cotton is handicapped by the non-availability of a nearby cotton market or textile mill. Farmers in Tamboo and D.M. Jamali sub-divisions used to grow sugar cane as an agricultural extension. However, as there is no sugar mill nearby, sugar cane cultivation has been abandoned. It is said that, if there were a sugar mill in Nasirabad district, farmers would shift to sugar cane instead of rice. In the past, huge funds made available for a sugar mill. Construction was started but never finished due to shortage of funds. The pillars can still be seen a few kilometres from D. M. Jamali city towards Dera Allah Yar.

The area of Tamboo and D.M.Jamali sub-division are faced with the problem of water logging and salinity. The promotion of cotton and sugar-cane cultivation may contribute to the recovery of the lands ruined by excessive rice cultivation. However, lack of facilities to process these crops makes it unattractive for farmers to grow cotton or sugar-cane.

The Pat feeder canal project will increase the annual aggregate cropping intensity to 96%. In addition, it will increase a more equitable distribution of water. The project was to be completed by December 1996. The objectives of the project are to create new employment opportunities for the people and increase of income through an integrated approach for development by means of irrigation, drainage, road infrastructure and on farm improvements, so that constraints on agriculture in the project area will be removed.

Livestock data are not available for Nasirabad district only. Census data and even the latest livestock projections are covering both Jaffarabad and Nasirabad district. The livestock data in the table are drawn from a livestock consultancy report of April 1997, in which the data on both districts are multiplied with the factor 0.5, based on the distribution of livestock over the districts. 

In urban areas, cattle is not much used for draught and transport purposes. In the rural areas of D.M.Jamali sub-division, they are used along with tractors, motor-cycles/cycles. In Chattar sub-division cattle is frequently used as a means of transport. In rural areas, donkeys are commonly used to fetch luggage and water.

People are fond of growing small ruminants, including sheep and goats. It is the major source of livelihood in Chattar. An average herd comprises seventy to hundred goats. According to the Livestock Department, the use of goat for dairy purpose is common in rain fed areas. In the command area people mostly have cows instead of goats or sheep for dairy purposes.

The private poultry sector has grown. There are around 40 poultry farms in the district. It is a source of income for people from the lower and middle classes. The poultry sector could increase more, if loans were made available to the farmers. Many rural households, one out of seven, are engaged in poultry-farming. Poultry-farming is a woman’s job. She looks after the poultry and sells eggs and chickens on nearby markets or to middle men. The total number of poultry units in the district is 341,887.

People breed pigeons and quails as a hobby.

The most common diseases are two viral diseases: Black water quarter and Anthra. There are three kinds of parasites, liver fluke, wire worm and lung worm, who live in both large and small ruminants. Diseases like enterotximia, caprice pneumonia and sheep pox are common in small ruminants. A common disease in poultry is New Castle, which can result in the death of a large number of chickens. A New Castle attack is more likely on "farmi" (both broiler and layer) than Desi (domestic) chickens. In general the public has little knowledge on how to prevent diseases.

There is a separate Veterinary Officer for disease control in Nasirabad. In total there are 18 veterinary dispensaries, but 9 of them are not functioning due to lack of staff and proper buildings. There are two Management Extension Officers.

The Livestock Department at the district level is headed by an Assistant Director in BPS 18. There are three veterinary doctors: one for disease control, one for artificial insemination, and one in charge of the veterinary hospital in Dera Murad Jamali. The Deputy Director Office is located in D. M. Jamali.

Because of livestock potential, NGO-donor agencies, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) have shown support for the promotion of the sector.

In the development of livestock in the canal command areas of Jaffarabad and Nasirabad the role of Pat Feeder Canal Area Development Project looks promising. The project has funds for the livestock sector to promote vaccinations and disease treatment; the establishment of 19 dispensaries and livestock development for 150 villages. The project also will extend the functioning of mobile camps.

The fishing potential in the district is not developed. There is no river running through the district, so fishing is possible only in Pat Feeder canal and its branches. According to the Fisheries Department, fishing in the canal is not easy, as the water flows very fast and there are dips. Fishing potential can be increased by the construction of fish ponds, of which there are already a few.

There are four fish species found in the canal and fish ponds in Nasirabad: rohu (labeo rohita), morkhi (carrihina mirgla), thella (catla) and mali (wallago attu). They weigh from one kilo to two kilo. According to the Fisheries Department, they belong to the group of fish found in hot area. They are found throughout the year.

Fishing is prohibited from June 1 to August 31 each year because of the breeding season. The fish caught in the canal is auctioned by the Deputy Commissioner Office, yielding 60,000 to 100,000 Rs per year.

Fish is caught with traditional techniques with hooks and nets. There are two kinds of netting: cost nets and gill nets. They both are permitted during the catch season under license issued by the Fisheries Department in Dera Murad Jamali. Netting is not possible in the canal, because of the fast flowing water.

The fish caught is sold in the bazaar and sometimes exported to other areas in Balochistan and Sindh.

The Fisheries Department is headed by an Assistant Director. Under him are Fishery Officers, Watchmen and Sub and Assistant Inspectors. The Fisheries Department is located in D.M.Jamali near the canal.

The forestry in the district is very limited. Before the establishment of canals the area consisted of unirrigated plains. After the construction of the canals, people are still not inclined to grow trees. The district has no state forest. Most planting is done on road sides and along the canals.

Actual data on forestry are not available. Different sources quote different figures.

There is no forestry reserve in the district.

There is no commercial forestry from either government side or private enterprise. The area has potential for commercial forestry as it can grow bamboo, tali kikar and eucalyptus. Eucalyptus and kikar are already grown around the highway. In addition, trees could be used as boundary demarcation or wind break.

Under a USAID funded project from 1986 to 1994, incentives were given for the cultivation of trees, by providing farmers with trees at the cost of Rs. 1.25 per plant, but the overall result was below expectation.

The natural forest in the command area along the canals has been reduced as parts of it have been cut for the cultivation of rice and wheat. Trees and bushes are cut by people for fuel consumption. Landlords illegally occupy parts of forest areas.

The major vegetation in the area other than agricultural area is classified into forest area, which comprises block plantation, canal and road side plantation and farm forestry. Major species are: eucalyptus, acacia, dalbergia, zizyphis, albizzia, azadricha and sesbania. Alkagae camalerum, kikar (acadia arabica), kandi, tamarix and tali are rare. The growth of meskat is common in the canal area with water logging and salinity.

The cutting, marketing and processing of trees is largely done by private enterprise. According to Forestry Department sources, the government auctioning of forest trees takes place through private contractors, specially during the widening of the canal. Illegal cutting is common in rural areas. It mostly concerns small trees and bushes that are used for household fuel consumption.

The district authorities on forestry come under a Divisional Forest Officer at D. M. Jamali, who is assisted by three Range Officers, two Foresters, twenty Forest Guards, gardeners, watchmen and clerical staff. There are three game watchers. The Deputy Director Office is at Dera Murad Jamali.

Wildlife in the area includes migratory and non-migratory species. Migratory birds include ducks and houbaras. In mustard seeds season, wild pigeons are common. Non-migratory birds include brown partridges. Brown partridges used to be common in the area, but their number has decreased, because of excessive shooting, poaching and netting by professional hunters. Netting and poaching of chickens is common. Quails migrate in the beginning of winter. Ducks are commonly found in marsh areas around the canal command area. The game watchers are responsible for the preservation of wild-life. Wild-life includes wolves and jackals, but not as much as there used to be.

Bee-keeping is an uncommon feature in the district. Honey is secured from natural sources of honey hives. The area has potential for bee-keeping, as there is plenty of vegetation and agricultural crops, but the population show not much interest.

So far, no minerals have been found in the area. The OGDC (Oil and Gas Development Corporation) will shortly start surveying the area for exploration of oil and gas.

Industrial development in the district is a sad tale of development, about which not much is mentioned in government reports. Nasirabad district is one of the few districts where steps have been taken and funds have been allocated for the promotion of the industrial sector. In 1986/87, 40 Ha. were reserved for an Industrial Estate at Dera Murad Jamali. The area was divided into 235 plots of 1000 and 1250 sq.mt. For forty-eight units a No Objection Certificate (NOC) has been issued, but only five of them, three involved in rice husking and two producing RCC pipes, have started production. The rest have not started because of lack of facilities provided to the owners. Another factor mentioned was the lack of industrial culture and will among those who were issued a NOC.

Nasirabad has good potential for the development of an agro-industrial sector, as land, road and rail links, water and electricity were made available. Since 1985, about Rs. 7.26 billion has been spent on the development of the industrial sector, including two big packages of Rs. 7.27 million and Rs. 3.38 million in 1992-93. Funds for a sugar-mill at D. M. Jamali were sanctioned but they were usurped and the mill has never been completed. 

The only manufacturing in the district are the business involved in RCC pipes and rice husk.

Nasirabad is not involved in import and export trade.

Nasirabad area has no tourism potential. The highway passing through the district is without beautiful scenery. No tourism hut or restaurant exists along or near the highway. The only place for picnics and outdoor visits is the Pat Feeder Canal area, but the widening of canal has reduced the number of trees, making it less attractive. The district does not have archaeological sites worth mentioning.

Handicrafts include embroidery work, which is traditionally designed by women at home. Women are actively involved in needlework and other crafts, including mat and sheet designing. All work is done on household level and only very little of the produce is marketed.

There is no Directorate of Small Industries active in Nasirabad.

Apart from the National Highway there is a total of 28 kilometres metalled road. This road is not covered in the B & R record. It was not constructed by B & R, but on the personal initiative of Sadiq Umrani as provincial minister. It is a metalled road starting from Faizabad bridge (a division between Nasirabad and Jaffarabad district) to Tamboo village and Mirwah village through Tinda village - Sadiq Umrani’s hometown. The high-way stretches through the district at a length of 35 km.

The interior of district is linked through shingle roads which come under the supervision of the B & R (C & W) Department. The condition of the shingle roads is not good. Many of them are neither flat nor covered with rounded pebbles. The roads along the Pat Feeder canal are a muddle. The roads from D.M.Jamali to Chattar, D.M.Jamali to Mirway and to Manjhoo Shori are difficult to drive on on rainy days. 

The railway track, passing parallel to the highway, is 39 kilometres from the Micro post before the Notal railways station to Shahi Chowki. There are three railway stations: Notal, Mangoli and Dera Murad Jamali. The regular stop for passengers express trains is at Dera Murad Jamali. Some trains also stop at Notal. Occasionally, passenger trains stop at Mangoli for the convenience of passengers. The station has partial shelter for passengers waiting. The arrival of a train on the station is indicated by the traditional Neil Block Token instrument adapted in 1932 by the British. Poor people travelling from Nasirabad to Jacobabad (40 km) and Sukkar in the South and Sibi in the north prefer trains to buses because of the lower fare, possibility of travelling without buying a ticket, and space available for luggage.

The railway track in the district comes under the Sukkar Railways Division.

Nasirabad has a place for helicopter landings, but there is no regular airway service. The nearest airport is in Jacobabad (35 km).

TV broadcast comes through the TV booster in Shikarpur. No radio station or TV station exists in the district, however, radios are a major source of entertainment. TV sets are commonly indicated by the antennas, even in remote villages where there is electricity. The number of TV dish antennas is growing. The use of dish antenna is becoming common in restaurants. No record exists on the number of the TV sets in the district, but the number is growing rapidly.

There is one telephone sub-division for the two districts of Nasirabad and Jaffarabad at D.M.Jamali. For the micro, there are three micro repeaters with a tower of 60 metres at D.M.Jamali, Belpat, and Lindsay. The telephone system through VHF facilitates working connection manual exchanges (OTC) at Chattar, Puleji, Kot Hameed, Kot Mengal and Tamboo. Dera Murad Jamali is linked to the direct dialling system.

The main post office is located in D.M. Jamali. There are 13 extra-departmental branches at the villages of Chattar, Azizabad, Doulatgari, Goth Abdul Hameed, Goth Abdul Majeed, Poulaji, Juma Khan Umrani, Goth Sad Khan, Mir Hassan, Manjo Shuri, Goth Mahtab Shah, Kot Mengal and Imdad Hussain Khosa. Those who take care of them are not regular post office employees. An extra-departmental branch may be held e.g. in a shop, someone's house or store. The hours of business of extra departmental branches are irregular, nonetheless, they cater to the need for postal services in remote areas. They are occasionally visited by the post office supervisor. Those who take care of the branch are paid 590 Rs. a month. The branches provide postal service, stamps and registration and they deliver mail.

The postal department in Nasirabad district comes under the Superintendent of Post Offices at Sibi.

The only courier service in the district is provided by SMS.

The total number of banks in the district is four: National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Habib Bank, United Bank Limited (UBL) and Agricultural Bank of Pakistan (ADBP). They are all located in D.M. Jamali. ADBP and NBP are government owned banks. ADBP is designed to give farmers loans for agricultural purpose. Government transactions are usually done through NBP. In D.M. Jamali there is also a National Saving Centre. Most people do not keep their money in banks.

Electricity is distributed from Giddu and gas from Sui. There are grids at Usta Mohammad, Dera Murad Jamali and Rojhan Jamali. There are two transformers in Nasirabad of 6 MVA and 5 MVA. Usta Mohammed has the largest capacity. The one at Usta Mohammad supplies to the area around Tamboo. A new grid at Jhall Magsi can provide electricity to parts of the district in the future. Nasirabad and Jaffarabad come under one Electricity Sub-Division at D.M.Jamali.

Travelling on horseback is still common

Beating drums

In the period from January 1992 to November 1996, a total of thirty-one villages were electrified by WAPDA. Considering the number of household connections in relation to the average household size, ten percent of the population is supplied with electricity.

Gas supply in Nasirabad district is limited to Dera Murad Jamali town. Gas supply to four other villages has been sanctioned, but only one of them, Jumma Khan Umrani village, has actually been connected so far. Tinda and Tamboo are connected to the gas line in Usta Mohammad in Jaffarabad, as a special preference for Sadiq Umrani as PPP provincial minister. The villagers demand for gas as a condition to give their votes in elections.

There is only one rest house, the one of the Irrigation Department at D. M. Jamali, available for tourists and visitors. Other government rest house are not available for this purpose. There is a nice furnished rest house in the WAPDA colony, which is only to lodge special guests at the request from upper authorities. There is a temporary officer mess for the Frontier Corps (FC) in Chinese Camp. There is no rest house in any other part of the district. There are a few hotels in D. M. Jamali, but they are not very comfortable.

The communication system has improved with the expansion of the telephone system and electricity. Gas is needed by people for fuel purpose, but its expansion is very slow.

Many people find trains the cheapest source of transport, particularly those with luggage. Travelling without a valid ticket to intermediate stations happens quite frequent.

Water is available in the district because of the canal, except for Chattar. The canal is the major source of water for drinking, domestic and agricultural use. People in the rural areas fetch water mostly from the canal, its branches or water storage. There is an acute shortage of water only during the period when the canal is closed for cleaning, which is done once a year for 45 days. According to the Public Health Engineering Department, 70 percent of the urban area of the district is supplied with water for drinking and other purposes by communal tanks. In rural areas only 10 of the population make use of a community tank system.

Fresh drinking water is available only to the population of D.M.Jamali. As mentioned, the majority of the population in the district relies on canal or stored water. The water is brackish and contains clay and silt particles. The water tank’s capacity varies with the size of the population. A tank is designed to serve 10 gallons per person per day. The drinking water is not potable. Filter units to clean tank water exist in Mir Wah, Mango Suri and D.M. Jamali.

It comprises a Sub Divisional Officer at D.M.Jamali. Under him are 3 sub-engineers, operators, helpers and clerical staff. The SDO office is responsible for the supply of drinking water in the district. There is a PHED Executive Engineer in Jaffarabad.

There is hardly any ground water exploitation in the district, as most people in the command area use surface water from the canals. There are 32 tube wells registered for ground water exploitation, most of them are located outside the command area.

Sanitation is traditionally the responsibility of local government, but it is not adequately taken care of. The PHE does not take care of the sector either.

The Public Health Engineering Department comes under the Executive Engineer Office at Dera Allay Yar. In D.M. Jamali it comes under a S.D.O.

Sanitation is a development issue, both in urban and rural areas. It is not covered by the PHE department so far. There is no proper sewerage system.

Fetching Water

Fetching Water from Well

The population of the district largely depends on government run hospital, dispensaries, BHU etc. for free medical service. The medical resources in the district are inadequate for the rural areas. There is only one hospital in Dera Murad Jamali with some advanced medical services. The hospital has a chest and a children specialist. Posts for other specialists are vacant. The hospital capacity is not adequate.

The district has a number of private doctors practising on Dera Murad Jamali bazaar. They hold MBBS from Sindh. Those looking for medical aid find them helpful. Their charges are reasonable. Complicated cases are referred to Quetta or Sukkar. Others travel to Jacobabad for medical aid. 

Source: Directorate of Health, GoB, Quetta.

*others include Health Auxilaries, Mobile Dispensaries and School Health.

There is no special health service in the district.

The district health administration comes under the District Health Officer. There is an office of Director of Health in Dera Murad Jamali. The hospital at Dera Murad Jamali comes under the Medical Superintendent.

The health sector in the district needs development. The services rendered at the hospital are not satisfactory. The dispensaries and BHUs outside the headquarters are faced with lack of staff. The rate of diseases has increased during the past years, because of the growth of the population and inadequate medical services available.

The people are inclined to go to Hakims and other traditional healers for common and complicated cases such as hypertension, tuberculosis, malaria, impotency and childlessness and diarrhoea. Hakims are traditionally educated and do not have any official degree in medicine. There are a few homeopathists in the area. In rural areas, persons with basic qualifications for dispenser and medical technician run small first aid practices.

The absolute majority of the schools in the district are government run schools. They come under the direct supervision of the District Education Officers, one male and one female. The female District Education Officer is responsible for both Nasirabad and Jaffarabad district. There are three levels of government run schools: primary, middle and high schools. There used to be Mosque schools in the district, but they have been merged into government schools since 1993. 

There is no vocational school in the district.

A middle school comprises four classes, from 5th to 8th grade. There is only one middle school for girls in Chattar, established in 1996. There are 16 middle schools for boys. All middle schools are government owned, but not all of them have been contracted according to the standards, e.g. a number of schools do not have the required boundary wall.

There is an increase in the incidence of cheating in secondary and middle examinations.

There are seven high schools for boys and one for girls. The number of students in high school has increased over the last few years. There are 40 girls students studying in boys’ high schools, because of the lack of high schools for girls. There are 3,103 boys and 426 girls in high school.

There is one boys’ intermediate college in D.M.Jamali. The number of students has grown to 400.

The school administration comes under a headmaster or head-mistress. A headmaster or head-mistress is supported by a number of teachers, drawing masters, science teacher, clerk etc. The number and variety of staff may vary from school to school.

The school buildings belong to the government of Balochistan. Private school buildings are privately owned. Primary school buildings are donated by MPA funds, but they have become the property of Balochistan government. There is little consistency in construction and style of school buildings. They are all made of red bricks. The majority of schools lack playing grounds, boundary walls and latrines.

The number of middle and high schools for girls are not enough. The high drop out rate in primary and middle school is a result of poverty and social unawareness of the parents, particularly in case of girls. Drop out decreased after the government and NGOs started distributing books and cooking oil for regularly attending students.

The schools are short of qualified teachers, particularly science and maths teachers. It has been observed that primary school teachers teach in high school classes.

Two games, cricket and football are common among youngsters. There are three regular grounds in D. M. Jamali: Ghaffar Shaeed Cricket ground, Railway ground and Dinar Stadium. The one in the college is utilized for sports too. The grounds are not properly managed and do not have grass. Particularly when football is played, the grounds are dusty.

The office of the Sports Officer exists at D. M. Jamali in the Commissioner's Office. He accounts for the whole division, but is without funds. An officer club exists in D. M. Jamali. It has tennis, squash and badminton facilities. There is a well furnished club in the WAPDA colony catering to the needs of foreigners employed in projects in the area. Both clubs have indoor games arrangements. Rights of admission is reserved and restricted.

The traditional games like wrestling and horse-racing are observed in the rural areas. Playing of snooker is common in a few shops in D. M. Jamali. People play cards as vocation and for a bet.

Legend - no involvement

x minor involvement

xxx major involvement

The intention was to collect data in order to reconstruct the moneyflows within and in and out of the district. Attempts in this direction did not prove to be fruitful. One of the reasons was that so many different kinds of resources and so many different kinds and places of expenditures were involved.

But even the incomplete picture demonstrates that the district is by no means self sufficient. Even for the recurrent expenditures the local government bodies need outside transfers to make ends meet. It goes without saying that for development expenditures the district can not do without assistance form higher levels of government.

Earlier conclusions and the previous paragraph have clearly indicated that Nasirabad district is no exception among the districts in the province in its dependency on outside funds for any significant development activity. The most important source is the provincial Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), which is funded by both provincial resources and foreign donors.

The revised total PSDP-allocation for projects in Nasirabad in the PSDP 1995-96 was Rs. 41.594 million for 8 schemes, without any foreign assistance. Inn 1996-97 this amount decreased to Rs. 17.5 million, again all local funds, for three projects.

The PSDP 1997-98 shows a sharp increase to Rs. 38.150 million for 20 projects, including a foreign assistance component of Rs. 3.202 million. For the SAP-sectors 24% of the total amount is earmarked, while the non-SAP sectors would receive 76%. Irrigation is the biggest sector with 51.5%, at a distance followed by health (SAP) with 14.7% and industries with 13.1%.

Since it is not at all sure that the government can avail of the necessary funds to finance the PSDP, these figures should be seen as provisional.

9. The District in comparison to Balochistan

The most important objective of the series of District Profiles is to provide district specific information on all the 26 districts of Balochistan. Only a secondary objective is to obtain some more insight in the relative position of each of the districts in comparison to each other and in comparison to the province as a whole. In order to provide such insight, 32 indicators have been selected on which the districts can be compared. These indicators, and more, can be found on the next two pages. The relative position of Nasirabad is reflected in the diagram on the third page. The diagram gives the ranking of the district among the other district. It is a bottom-up ranking: position nr. 1 means that the district has the lowest score on that particular indicator, while position nr. 26 implies that it has the highest score. An overall ranking of districts is not given because that would require attaching a certain weight to each of the indicators.

The following observations can be made as far as Nasirabad is concerned.

With its 3,387 square kilometer Nasirabad is one of the smaller districts in the province (fifth from the bottom). The size of the population (estimated to be 270,327 in 1995), that gives the district a position in the middle on that indicator, combined with the relatively small area, makes that Nasirabad is one of the most densely populated districts (three from the top).

• Due to the fact that the area is one of the few tropical areas in Balochistan combined with the fact that it has access to irrigation water through feeder canals from the Indus, the agricultural production is the fourth highest in the province (from crops like rice, wheat, pulses and cotton, not so much from fruits). It has a relatively high per capita value of agricultural production.
• Compared to agriculture, Nasirabad scores generally lower on livestock indicators, although the projections for 1996 suggest that the density of livestock units is the third highest in Balochistan. This would imply that expansion of this sector should be sought in more intensive production methods, rather than in an increase of the flocks.
• The situation in education is relatively unfavourable, especially so for girls. The position of Nasirabad as far as enrolment in primary education is concerned is fourth lowest for girls and seventh lowest for boys, while the girls/teachers ratio is comparatively high with position nr. 20.
• Also the, very rough, health care indicators are not flattering for the district. The population per bed is seventh highest among the 26 districts and the population per doctor is sixth highest. Only the male/female ratio among doctors is relatively favourable.
• Although the data on water supply coverage is often sketchy and hard to compare, the available information suggests that Nasirabad is also in this social sector not well off (ninth lowest).
• The national highway running through the district gives Nasirabad a position in the middle on density of metalled roads. The score on shingle roads is a little bit higher.