1 Draught animals are horses, mules, donkeys

Up to the middle of the 18th century, when Quetta finally passed into the hands of Brahvi rulers, the history of Pishin is identical with the province of Kandahar. The earliest mention of Pishin is in the avestic writing in which Pishinorha is described as a valley in an elevated part of the country and containing a barren level plain (dasht).

Little is known of the history of Quetta Pishin up to the 13th century AD It was in 1221 that Kandahar and its dependencies passed into the hands of the Mughals. During the first half of the 15th century, Kandahar was under the rule of the Timurs’ successors and it was probably at the beginning of this century that the Tarins, who now hold Pishin, emigrated from their original homes in the Takht-i-Sulaiman and made their way into Pishin.

Between 1530 and 1545 the province of Kandahar was in the possession of Mirza Kamran the brother of the Emperor Humayun. After his death in 1556, Kandahar and its dependencies were restored to the Safavid kings of Persia and they remained under Persia until 1595, when they were again acquired by the Mughals. It is mentioned in Ain-i-Akbari that Shal and Pushang were included in the eastern division of the Kandhar Sarkar. In 1622 Kandahar was again brought under the Safavid dynasty and with the exception of a short period remained under Persia. The Safavid Monarch Shah Abbas gained possession of Kandhar in 1622. He conferred the government of Pishin and tribal dependencies upon Sher Khan the Tarin.

The end of the 17th century witnessed the rise to prominence of the Brahvis power and it is probable that Quetta and Pishin both suffered from the encroachment of Brahvis and that Quetta fell into their hands in the time of Mir Ahmed whose reign lasted 30 years, from 1666 to 1696. The Ghilzai, Mir Wais obtained possession of Kandhar in 1709 and it is curious that this feat was accomplished in connection with Pishin Brahvi history relates that around 1725 Pishin has been annexed by Mir Abdullah after an engagement with the Ghilzais near Kandahar. However, in 1733 Shah Hussain Ghilzai made a move against the Brahavis and he dismantled the fort of Pishin and garrisoned it. Moving forward, he crossed the Ghaza Bund and took Quetta. He advanced to Mastung where the Brahvai submitted. Quetta remained after that time under Kandahar and was transferred to Nadir Shah on his taking that place. Later on it is said that Ahmed Shah Durrani finally conferred it on the Brahvis after the campaign in eastern Persia in 1751, when he received gallant aid from Nasir Khan-I. Pishin meanwhile remained under the Durrani’s. Ahmed Shah is said to have given Pishin as a jagir with the condition of the supply of military services, to Pakar Khan Batezai. From the Durrani’s Pishin passed into the hands of Barakzai.

During the period of the first Afghan war, Quetta fell into British hands in 1839. After the British retired in 1842, Pishin and Shorarud were occupied by the Afghans. The first phase of the Afghan war closed with the signing of an agreement in May 1879 stating that the district of Pishin along with some other districts were to be ceded to the British government. It was in 1882 that final orders were given for the permanent retention of Pishin and British authority was extended over the little valley of Shorarud.

When Quetta district was handed over to the British government on April 1883, it was combined with Pishin into a single administrative charge and Sir H.S.Barnes was appointed the first political agent.

Before its occupation in 1878 and its subsequent assignment in 1879, Pishin always formed part of the province of Kandahar. The Batezai Tarins played important part as Governors. Before the British occupation and up to 1882 it was under an assistant to the Governor General. From 1883 onwards, when Pishin was combined with Quetta and Shorasud, together they fell under one political agent, the Deputy Commissioner.

This situation remained till the partition of the sub-continent in 1947. Till 1975 Quetta and Pishin were a single administrative unit. In 1975, Pishin was separated from Quetta and was given the status of a district. In 1993 Pishin was bifurcated into Pishin district and Killa Abdullah district. Now there are three districts Quetta, Pishin and Killa Abdullah which before partition came under one administrative division, known as Quetta Pishin.

The geographical area of the district Pishin is 585 thousand Ha (hectares). The Reported area is just 1/5th of the geographical area. This indicates structural weaknesses of the Settlement Department (Board of Revenue). The area which is not available for cultivation is 29.5 thousand Ha.

The potential area available for cultivation is 68.8 thousand Ha. This area holds potential for future development. Water scarcity is the major constraint on agricultural development. However, if flood water is properly managed for irrigation or for recharging the existing water resources, then there can be a bright future for agricultural development in Pishin.

Source: Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994/95

The principal stream is the Pishin Lora, flowing from Barshore in the north-east into the Shorarud valley near Burg Aziz Khan. Its principal affluents in Pishin are the Muchka from the north-west, the Shorarud and the Kakar Lora. The Pishin Lora flows up to Bund Khushdil Khan and some of the water finds its way towards the north. From there it flows into Afghanistan.

Another stream is the Surkhab Lora. It flows from Sher Ghundi and near Shadazai it joins the Pishin Lora. A third stream is the Kakar lora, which is composed of many small loras and streams coming from the Takato hills. The Kakar Lore irrigates Manzaki and three villages of Haiderzai.

The climate of Pishin is generally dry and on the whole temperate. None of the different parts of the district present any marked variations. Quetta and Qila Abdullah, two adjoining districts, owing to their higher elevation are cooler than Pishin.

The climate of Pishin valley is eminently suitable for the growing of fruits. The summer is the most delightful time of the year; winters can be bitterly cold. Like other parts of Balochistan, Pishin lies outside the sphere of monsoon currents. Rainfall is irregular and scanty. In winter the district is affected by storms. The dry climate is favourable for fruit production. Most of the roads in the district are shingle roads. Due to the dry climate they can be used throughout the year. However, the dry weather is not favourable for livestock, because in the absence of rains vegetation does not grow. Further, owing to irregular rainfall farmers of rainfed areas cannot plan their crops properly.

Source: Meteorological Department, GoP, Karachi

The average maximum temperature during 1983/1995 has been 24.5 ºC, ranging from -1.7 in January to 35.9 ºC in July.

Soil erosion takes place in the vicinity of Karbala, Batizai, Jlogir and the areas near Pishin lora.

Pishin is very poor in mineral resources. There are three minerals found in the district: chromite, fluorite and granite. The mining activities started in 1988 with the exploration of chromite. Fluorite and granite production started in 1992. According to the latest information from the Geological Survey of Pakistan, there are no further mineral resources in Pishin and there is no area under investigation.

Source: Directorate of Minerals G.O.B Quetta

 1.6 Vegetation

The soil of district Pishin is particularly suitable for vegetation, which grows in abundance in the spring season and provides the bulk of food for grazing animals. Some vegetation like salsolaspp and haloxylon recurvum provide forage for goats and sheep and fulfil the water and salt requirements for certain animals. Pistachia and khinjak provide supplemental fodder for sheep and goats. Some of the vegetation is used for fuel and for roofing houses, while some other vegetation is used as spices and yet others are used as eastern medicines.

According to the estimates provided by D.F.O Pishin, the different types of vegetation are as follows:

There is no data available to show import/export of energy. However, the number of consumer connections for electricity and for gas is available, i.e. for electricity there are 12,303 connections for domestic and 1,310 for commercial purposes. The number of domestic gas connections is 4126. Among other sources of energy fuel wood, kerosene oil, and animal dung are difficult to estimate in the absence of micro economic surveys / studies.

There is a wide gap between demand and supply of energy. Most of the supplies come from other provinces, except piped gas. Data limitations do not allow to compute the annual energy consumption per capita.

The district of Pishin is presently facing certain environmental problems, like deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution, vanishing of wild life species, emerging slums in urban areas, excessive use of grazing land, traffic congestion etc. The major factors responsible for this situation are mentioned below.

Rapid population growth and particularly the influx of Afghan refugees in the early 1980’s. The population growth rate is very high due to religious and cultural set-up. As a result demand for fuel wood is increasing. It has been observed that ever since their arrival, Afghan refugees damaged the forest resources in need of fuel wood. They looped trees within the first year of their migration, cut them down in the second year and pulled up the roots in the third year. Thus cutting down of forest trees was at a rate higher than their growth rate.

Another environmental threat is soil erosion, mostly in the areas adjacent to Pishin lora and Bostan. This is due to lack of flood water management and lack of plantation. Water pollution has caused widespread waterborne and water shed diseases, like intestinal diseases. Most of the infant deaths are due to infectious and parasitic diseases.

Due to cutting of trees and illegal hunting, wild life, such as suleman markhor, iIbex, houbara, bustard, chukor, see-see etc., is vanishing very rapidly.

The urban population is expanding in slum areas due to the high cost of land. This has resulted in an impoverished environment. Only a minor fraction of waste is disposed of properly. The remainder is deposited on road sides into waterways or incorporated in solid waste, thus causing an unhealthy living environment. In urban areas, solid waste is mostly collected by municipal sweepers and is taken out of the city in open trucks. In the rural areas this activity is performed by the households themselves. The collected solid waste and garbage is used as traditional manure.

Due to absence of big industries brown pollution does not exist. It is obvious from several discussion that the problem of environmental degradation is mostly a result of excessive or improper use of natural resources, which arises partly from ignorance, necessity and lack of expertise, and partly from greed or desire to make quick gains.

• It is unfortunate that district wise data particularly for Pishin is inadequate. Whatever data is available is weak, unreliable and insufficient.
• Pishin district is very poor in mineral resources but rich in vegetation.
• The use of modern energy both for light and cooking is gradually increasing, but still animal dung and fuel wood for cooking purposes are used in the rural areas.
• The growing population is a major threat to the district environment and is likely to create problems for sustainable development.

The major issues emerging from the above discussion are:

• Soil erosion, natural soil salinity
• Deforestation
• Wild life protection
• Water shed management
• Effective cultivation of unirrigated land
• Development of cheap energy resources like solar, wind and bio-gas source.

 2. Demography and Housing

The rate of population growth is one of the most important demographic measures used in planning and should form the critical basis for many policy and programme assumptions.

According to the NIPS projection, population in Pishin district is growing at the rate of 3.2% per annum. In recent years, major abnormalities in the estimates of population have been witnessed. Certain reasons have been put forth to explain this situation. One of the major reasons has been the influx of Afghan refugees. Secondly, for political and economic benefits, vested interest groups exaggerate their number. Thirdly, there is a tendency among the rural population to conceal the actual number of females. Because, in living under a tribal set-up, the strength of a family depends on the number of male persons. Fourthly, due to psychological reasons, illiterate persons feel shy to tell the number of female members. There is no proper registration system to register the birth and death rates. Although, Municipal Committees and District Councils should keep such records, in practice this does not happen.

The poor and disappointing performance of census data is mainly due to low paid enumerators, who roughly estimate the number of people. There has been no population census ever since 1981.

Source: Census Report 1961, 1972 and 1981; NIPS, 1995.

Birth and death rates are not recorded at district level. Although fertility estimates are of less direct importance in development planning than some other parameters, they are a necessary component of good projections. Information on the number of births is useful in some specific planning context and is of great importance to countries that wish to reduce their population growth rate. In district Pishin the birth rate has remained higher during 1961 - 1971, the annual growth rate was 6.1%, while during 1972-81 it was 5.1%.

According to the 1981 census the population was composed of:

Children below 15 years ( 51.9 % )

Active population 15-64 years ( 45.7% )

Aged population 65- above ( 2.4 % )

Male population ( 50.6% )

Female population ( 49.4% )

Pishin is basically a tribal and male dominated society. There is a tendency among the residents to conceal the actual number of females. Illiterate persons feel shy to report the exact number of baby girls due to psychological reasons. The statistics are not reliable because among other things the birth and death rates are not recorded properly.

The census of 1981 defines a household as a person or a group of persons living together and eating from the same kitchen and using the same budget, whether or not related to each other. According to the above definition, the average number of persons per household in 1981 was 8.6, figures ranged between 8.0 and 9.1. There were 3.6 persons per room, only 24.8% of the population was so fortunate as to have a separate room.

Due to the extended family system, the number of persons living in a household has increased, despite the fact that improvements in living conditions have been observed. Households are not headed by women, due to cultural and social values having deep roots in the society.

Dependent population includes children below 15 years and above 65 years; the dependency ratio in district Pishin is very high. This is evident from the 1981 census: there were 51.9% children below the age of 15 years and the population of those above the age of 65 years was 2.4%.

It is obvious that the dependency ratio is very high which is mainly due to a high level of fertility. It is very alarming situation having deep implications. The higher the dependency ratio, the greater the burden on society. Although one of the positive effects may be a younger, healthier and more productive labour force at a later stage. The population under 15 years of age constitutes a serious problem in the short run. For now those already born require education at all levels and assistance in the area of health. The percentage of females of 15 years old and above being married was 75.3 %. The percentage of women having children is 92.2%. Twenty-nine percent of all women of 15 years and above are not married. Divorced women and widows made up 0.1 % and 3.1% respectively of all women over 15 years old.

More than 88% of the population lives in rural areas. Women make up 49,4 percent of the rural population and 48,2 percent of the urban population.

Most of the population lives in villages. There are 282 villages in the district. The population density in 1981 was 37.5 persons per sq. km. It has increased to 53.7 as indicated in the NIPS’ projections for 1995. The villages in district Pishin are not scattered and they normally range from 30 to 300 households. Pishin bazaar and its surroundings are densely populated.

Pishin district is mostly inhabited by Pashtoon. Pashto is widely spoken. Urdu is also spoken in urban areas.

Every year in winter nomads from Afghanistan along with their livestock migrate into Pishin via Toba Kakri highlands. They stay for some time in their camps (kizhedeu) and then move towards hot areas. In summer they go back to their country. During their stay they sell livestock to buy the commodities they need.

Large scale migration was witnessed during the early 1980’s, when Afghan refugees entered Pishin district. Their registered number in the district was more than 156 thousand, while a large number of unregistered refugees also found their way into the district. It is believed that most of the registered refugees have repatriated while most of the unregistered have settled in the district.

Nomads have a traditional way of living, they dislike settled life. They are very religious. They travel along with their families and livestock. There is no major tribal feud in district Pishin, therefore migration due to this reason does not occur.

According to the population census of 1981 the labour force is defined as those working and looking for work. The population may be divided into six classes by occupation: landowners, cultivators, flock owners, traders, labourers and artisans. Among the landowners are Tareens, Kakars and Syeds. Most of them cultivate their land themselves or employ tenants and Bazgars. During recent years people have employed Afghan refugees as tenants. Flock owners may be inhabitants, refugees and nomads; Kakars, Tareens and Syeds are normally engaged in trade and commerce.

In the absence of district data on labour force it is not possible to provide time series on gender specific employment figures in different sector. However, there is some fragmentary evidence and the population census of 1981 provides some information in this regard. The labour force constitutes almost one fifth of the total population. The male and female paid labour force were 40.2 and 1.1% respectively. There is no evidence whatsoever, that women are involved in agriculture, pastoralism, mining, industries, retail trade and communication as paid labour in district Pishin.

According to the latest available information for 1993-94 the total number of employees in the private sector was 1478, out of them 1408 (95.2%) were male workers while the number of child workers was 70 (4.8%). It is interesting to note that the number of females in the private sector is zero. The other important occupational group for which fresh data is available are government service workers; their number is 7281. In mining the available data shows that during 1992 only 30 persons were employed in this sector; in 1994 this number increased to 129. It is worth mentioning that no women were employed in the mining sector. Due to socio-cultural rigidities, females are not involved in any kind of economic activity, except to some extent in handicraft.

The major economic activities are agriculture, horticulture and livestock, but no labour force survey in these sectors is available.

Housing is the basic need of society. There is a severe shortage of houses in Pishin. The housing facilities are inadequate and their quality is also below standards. Most of the houses are constructed with mud and unbaked bricks, without proper toilet and drainage facilities. The houses are constructed without any planning or design and without approval of the municipal committee. In urban areas of Pishin, due to greater increase in population and migration from rural to urban areas, the housing problem is becoming more acute. The streets are very narrow and without street lights.

In the rural areas the quality of the houses is even lower, with the difference that the houses are spacious, and they lack proper sewerage and sanitation systems.

According to the latest available 1981 census, the proportion of owner occupied houses was 80%, followed by rented houses 11%, and 9% rent free houses. During the last sixteen years, the proportion of rented houses might have increased while the proportion of rent free houses in urban areas might have declined.

According to the 1981 census, 70% of housing units used unbaked bricks and mud, and about 30% baked bricks, stones and cement as construction material. However, we have observed that the proportion of baked bricks and cement material is presently widely used.

The sources of energy for light purpose are mainly electricity, gas and kerosene oil. In 1981, the proportion of population using electricity and kerosene oil for light purpose was 40% and 60% respectively. But due to rapid electrification of villages and the provision of natural gas facilities, it is estimated that 75% of the population is using electricity and 25% are using kerosene oil and natural gas at present.

As far as energy sources for cooking are concerned, they are: gas, fuel wood, dried bushes, animal dung, cylinder gas and piped natural gas. In the recent past natural gas has been supplied to Pishin bazaar, which is one of the most populous urban areas in Pishin, through pipe lines. Therefore, almost all residents of Pishin bazaar use piped gas as the main source for cooking. That is evident from 4,126 gas connections. According to the 1981 census, 70% of the district population used fuel wood, 17% animal dung, 8% Kerosene oil and 5% cylinder gas. It can be inferred that the percentage of piped gas used and cylinder gas may have increased, while the percentage of fuel wood users may have decreased, due to the high price of wood and the availability of gas. In rural areas, animal dung, fuel wood and dry bushes are still major sources of energy for cooking.

In urban areas most of the houses have a guest room, toilet , kitchen, separate bathroom and a small courtyard. In rural areas guest houses are more spacious than other rooms, similarly courtyards are very wide, bathrooms are small and normally attached to a room. Toilets have no flush system and are located in open air.

According to the latest estimates pertaining to household characteristics in district Pishin, the average number of persons per household is 8.4. The average number of person per room is 3.6 and the percentage of fortunate people having one room is 24.8%. It has been observed that all houses in district Pishin are have one story.

The estimated population of Pishin in 1995 was 312,227. According to the Public Health Department (PHED), 40% of the total population is provided with piped water facilities. The facilities cover 88 points. These points are the most populous areas of the district.

There is no data available to show the percentage of houses using toilets with a flush system. However, flush system in some form is present in the urban areas. In recent years some international donor agencies have financially and technically assisted the community in some of the areas of Pishin district with the improvement of sanitation, particularly the toilet system.

The population of the district is increasing very rapidly. Due to religiously and culturally determined attitudes toward family planning, the majority of the people living in rural areas do not consider a large number of children as a burden. Male children are considered as an asset for the family.

The number of women is not properly recorded due to psychological and cultural reasons.

The dependency ratio is very high. It is a very alarming situation. It is likely that the proportion of dependent population will further increase with all negative effects on the already unfavourable population structure.

The future is the essence of planning. It is unfortunate that vital statistics on the population are not available, due to which projections of future planning cannot be carried out.

There is no employment for women in most of the sectors of the economy. It has been observed that job opportunities are very scarce and one of the reason is the very poor industrial base.

Most of the houses in rural and urban areas are owner occupied. They are usually constructed without future planning, thus giving rise to slums.

The accessibility and coverage of modern types of energy for cooking and light purposes have increased. Fuel wood as a source of energy has declined and gas has replaced it. Normally, men provide fuel wood for the house. In the absence of a tap, women and children fetch water.

In Pishin district the two major development issues in the field of demography and housing are non-availability of vital statistics, including statistics on population and labour force, and the lack of effective implementation of government policies.

Pishin district is mostly inhabited by Pashtoons. Major tribes include Kakar, Tareen, Syed and Achakzai. There is no ethnic differentiation among them, because they speak one common language, have the same religion and share common cultural values. Their historical background is similar. They are the descendants of Qais Abdul Rashid. All Pashtoons live more or less the same way of life.

The major sources of income are agriculture, trade and commerce. In addition, flock owning is also an important source of income. It is interesting to note that a large number of persons originating from the district of Pishin are engaged in business and transportation activities, not only in Pakistan but in other countries as well. In fact, the prosperity of Quetta in trade, commerce and transport is due to the investments made by the residents of Pishin.

The majority of the people have two meals daily, one in the morning and the other at sunset. However, with the growing affluence and interaction, some persons have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Wheat is the staple food and is used in the form of chapati, nan and takkai (a special kind of bread prepared in ashes). Chapati is normally prepared in the house, while nan is prepared by the nan seller in earthen ovens. Meat, vegetables and lentils are used along with the bread. In summer yoghurt and lassi are also part of the daily diet.

Landi, dried meat, is commonly used during winter. It is generally made of mutton or goat meat. Sheep are specially fattened and slaughtered. The animal is thoroughly cleaned and then it is salted and some special ingredients are rubbed in it. The animal is hanged and exposed to the air and is ready for use after one month. When required for eating, it is boiled for 5 hours in an earthen pot over a slow fire. It is normally eaten when it is extremely cold. Nowadays the pattern of diet is changing. People eat rice as well. Steam roast, which is cooked over a slow fire is the most favoured dish and it is the speciality of the district. Normally men eat apart from the women and children.

The majority of the male population wear turban, shalwar and kameez, both in winter and summer. A chaddar (piece of cloth) is always lying on their shoulders in both seasons. Women also wear shalwar and kameez. They also wear a shawl over their heads as they observe purdah. The basic style of the dress is always the same. However, with the spread of development and growing prosperity, dresses have become somewhat modernised.

In some cases, tribes are headed by a nawab. Sub-tribes are headed by sardars. Most of the sub-tribes live together in a village. Villages are headed by a malik. It is worth mentioning that with the advancement of education and spread of electronic media, their role and authority is dwindling.

The family is the basic unit in a sub-tribe organisation. The joint family system is prevalent. In Some cases even the extended family system (more than two generations) exists. The senior male member is the head of the family. The decision-making authority lies with him. There are some instances of nucleus family system in the district. People are prone towards nucleus family, but due to social pressure they do not dare to take the decision to live as a nucleus family.

Marriages in district Pishin are arranged. Spouses are always selected by the parents, both for men and women. Vulvar (bride price) is commonly paid to the bride’s family. The amount is determined by many factors:

(a). Family’s background of bride and bridegroom

(b). Beauty of the bride and her other qualities

(c). Whether the bride is a virgin or a widow

(d). Whether it is an exchange marriage

Every young man wants to marry as soon as he can, but often vulvar becomes a stumbling block. Therefore, in lower income groups marriages normally take place at middle age (after the age of 30). The system of exchange of girls is common among the tribes. This is known as sarai in Pashto. Nowadays, vulvar is paid back by the majority of the people in the form of a dowry. However, the poor people retain a major part of it.

Vulvar may seem a social evil and undesirable. But it should be remembered that vulvar is a hedge against divorce and tyranny of the husband and it also is an incentive for men to be an active earning family member. Sometimes a newly married woman becomes troublesome, hampering the family by demanding a separate house or trying to dominate the existing family members. It often happens that the bride brings less dowry than expected and she is taunted by the female members of the family. Such a situation may become intolerable and lead to the disintegration of the family.

Divorce is socially highly undesirable. The reasons for divorce are normally the disagreeable appearance of the woman, high temper, immorality and petty theft. The penalty for adultery is death.

Polygamy is practised among well-to-do persons. They marry either for pleasure or for the sake of offspring, particularly for male children. In a tribal society, a large number of male family members is a token of family strength. It is common among the rich and the poor to celebrate the birth of a male child with great enthusiasm.

The role of women in the decision-making process is negligible. However, in the case of marriages their opinion are taken into account. She is also authorised to make decisions pertaining to domestic activities, such as cooking or maintaining the house.

The inhabitants of Pishin district are Muslims. Yet the majority does not allow women to inherit, which is allowed to them by Islamic inheritance law. However, they are not totally ignored by the family and at the time of Eid festivals or when they are in dire need, they are helped by the family.

Decisions are usually centrally made in the Pashtoon society. Policies are formulated by the elders. Some of the decisions are taken for granted. In most cases no individual can argue and challenge the validity of the decisions made by superiors. Kinship is an important variable in the decision-making process. Political organisations are not following the democratic norms. They are organised either on tribal affinity or common religious or social background. Economic status shapes the political organisation and leadership. Welfare works done in the past by a political personality also influence the political behaviour of the masses.

The role of women at the household level is limited to certain activities such as cooking, washing, managing the house and raising the children. It is sad and unfortunate that at community level their role is negligible or marginal in social as well as in economic activities. Similarly, the women of district Pishin do not play any role whatsoever in politics. However, a very small number of women cast their vote by permission and under instruction of their husbands.

It is interesting to note that in Pishin district Khanozai is a unique area, in the sense that due to a higher literacy rate, the role of women in its social organisation has changed considerably in this area. They are playing a significant role in social development. What is more important is that the spread effect has also penetrated into adjacent villages. The advancement in female education in this area is the outcome of a tribal chief’s and his daughters’ efforts.

It is worth mentioning that in this regard, on community participation basis, the Social Welfare Department has organised women to enable them to participate in income generating activities on revolving fund basis.

5. Customs of Co-operation

Due to its tribal set-up, customs of cooperation do exist in district Pishin from time immemorial. Cooperation among the community is witnessed during sowing and harvesting. At time of need, labour is pooled and utilised for the needy person. This is known as ashar and is practised on self-help basis.

Customs of cooperation prevail among community members at times of death and marriage, and in construction and maintenance of houses and karezes. Cooperation may take the form of financial assistance or physical labour and is based on certain principle of reciprocity. The water management of Bund Khush Dil Khan is a glaring example of cooperation among water users.

Residents of district Pishin are unique in the sense that they belong to a common ethnic group, have the same religion and the same sect within the religion. Therefore, there have never been any religious conflicts since the birth of Pakistan.

Religious persons are generally respected by the masses. Those persons who do not observe Islamic principles are not valued by the community. Aged persons are respected by all.

The Pashtoon society respects the dignity of women and Islam also gives due weight to the rights of women. Therefore, women are honoured and respected. There are two major religious festivals: Eid-ul-Fiter, which is celebrated at the end of the month of fasting and Eid-ul-Azha, which is celebrated on the occasion of Haij. Moreover, Rabi ul Awal is also celebrated with great fervour.

The influence of religion in Pishin district is paramount. The crime rate is very low. Conflicts are normally resolved by the religious elders. Pishin district is mostly represented by religious political parties reflecting the religious attitude of the community. Similarly, it is mandatory for the family members to observe prayers, keep fast and to act upon other teachings of Islam. Those who do not follow are segregated, taunted and considered as inferior.

Conflicts do arise because of conflicting interests among the community members. There are different ways of resolving disputes, for example through a custom system known as nana wathi (where a group of person goes to the house of an aggrieved person to mediate). This system has no binding force behind it. In order to settle the dispute, discussions take place in which different options are considered. The option acceptable to the involved parties is adopted. It may take the shape of a penalty or simply asking for forgiveness. Hence the dispute is resolved accordingly. Further, conflicts are resolved through the legal system. Beside conciliation courts, the Ordinance of 1966 and Islamic laws of 1979 are followed. In certain cases litigants are at liberty to get their disputes resolved through an arbitrator with or without intervention of the court. It is interesting to note that Qazi Courts are not functioning in the district Pishin.

The influx of Afghan refugees in Pishin district have created many social and economic problems for Pakistan in general and for Balochistan in particular. They have brought with them lethal weapons and sold them to the locals at throw away prices. This has turned Pishin district into an arsenal. The arms were bought by two types of persons. People with rivalries and people who want arms for protection and prestige. The demonstration effect flared the intensity of greed for arms. The major types of arms found in the district are Chinese automatic rifle, kalashnikov, T.T Pistols, mousers, L.M.G.’s and sten guns. It is interesting to mention that even rocket launchers in the border area have been used in the fighting.

9. Role, position and status of Women

It is ironical to note that pashtoon society bestows honour and dignity on women, but that in reality the position of pashtoon women is miserable. When young, a women is married without her consent and vulvar is received on her behalf. As wife she has to perform many duties. All activities within the house are the sole responsibility of women. These include cleaning, child bearing, washing cloth, taking care of livestock etc. Women have no position or status in society, as status is only possible if they have a participatory role in all walks of life and if they have decision-making positions. The women are bound by socio-cultural taboos en religious restrictions. The Pashtoon society is extremely sensitive; respect for women is a part of the code of honour. All efforts are made to marry the girls off as soon as possible. The concept of educating a girl does not exist.

Women have no right to property. With the enlightenment of education and demonstration effect, some men have come to realise that their behaviour in the past with the women was contrary to the traditions and teachings of Islam. Now very few have begun to give them their share in inheritance.

Child labour is common among the poor segments of society. Due to the agrarian nature of the district and flock rearing, children are involved in these activities at family level. A large number of children from district Pishin, ranging from 8 to 15 year, move to urban areas for employment even as far as Karachi.

Apprenticeship is confined to the informal sector only. Girl child labour, outside their own homes, does not exist. Five key occupations for boys are: agriculture and flock rearing, service boy in chanaki hotels, cleaner in garages and assistant boy with trucks, different types of trade and garbage collectors.

There is homogeneity among different tribes regarding mode of living, food habits and dress. They have a common religion, language and cultural background and that is a binding force to keep them socially integrated. It has been found that religion plays a dominant role in cultural and social life.

The joint family system is mostly prevalent in the district. There are advantages, such as family strength, pooling family resources, maintenance of social interaction among family members creating a sense of affinity. The customs of co-operation in different economic and social activities are admirable. Caring and sharing problems gives rise to healthy social life, but it is also a stumbling block in the personal development of ambitious individuals. Further, it spurs the dependency ratio, which in turn negatively affects society.

Marriages are generally arranged. The customs of vulvar and sarai have degraded the status of women and have generated a number of social problems. However, it has been observed that due to advancement of education, particularly in Khanozai, the practice of vulvar and sarai is dying and the right of inheritance for women is being honoured.

The tribal system is deeply rooted because people like living together for defensive or offensive reasons. Kinship is still playing a dominant role in social and political organisation of the district. The role of the women in decision making pertaining to outdoor affairs is negligible. The issue emanating from such a situation is that kinship and tribal affiliation are stumbling blocks in rational political decision-making. Moreover, women are prevented from playing their due role in the development process.

The tradition of resolving disputes through customary laws is largely prevalent. It is economical in the sense that it saves time and money. It is also honoured due to social pressure. However, it has been noticed that poor segments within the tribe are deprived of speedy and fair justice. In recent years, a penal code and civil courts have been introduced and together they are expected to provide justice. Still, due to lack of education, adjustment will take much time.

It has been reported that sophisticated arms are brought and sold in the district easily. It has created a sense of insecurity among the masses. These weapons have found their way to other provinces as well, and this has created law and order problems.

The basic purpose of government used to be to maintain law and order and protect the geographical boundaries from foreign aggression. With the changing concept of government, the role of government organisation has extended to the welfare of society. Now, socio-economic development is one of the top priorities of government institutions.

Prior to 1975, Pishin was a part of Quetta Pishin district. For administrative reasons Pishin was separated from Quetta and was made a new district on 18th January 1975. The district consists of one tehsil, Pishin, and three sub-tehsils: Huramzai, Barshore and Karazat.

The system of local government inherited from the British Empire continued in Pishin after the partition of the sub-continent. With the passage of time, the system was re-organised. The first step in this direction was taken in 1962, through a change in the structure and function of local bodies. The local government institutions were re-organised in the form of union committees, union councils, town committees and municipalities. The tiers consisted of tehsil council and district council. The third tier was formed by the divisional councils, in which rural and urban areas were represented. This system was known as basic democracies as the role of local government was extended down to the grassroots level. In 1970, another development took place with the establishment of local government departments at provincial level.

The present local government system was introduced in 1979, with the purpose to give the local population full participation in their development schemes. Thereafter, Balochistan Local Government Ordinance (BLGO) of 1980 was implemented. Consequently Pishin town committee was replaced by a municipal committee, and a district council comprising 22 union councils was established.

In the rural areas of Pishin, there are 22 union councils. They constitute a district council, in which each union council is represented by one member in the district council. In addition, there is special representation of two women, one peasant, one worker and one non-Muslim. Thus the district council is composed of 27 members. The Deputy Commissioner and Assistant Directors of various departments are ex-officio members of the district council. The functions of local Government are given in annex 3.

The traditional decision-making structure at village level was an Arbitration Council (Jirga), the members of which were normally nominated by a government official. Mullah and tribal Malik’s were prominent members. The Jirga used to exercise semi-judicial powers and their decisions were accepted because of their social status. The decision had to be endorsed by a government official.

The union council is the basic unit of local government. There are 22 union councils in Pishin. Each union council serves a population ranging from 10 thousand to 15 thousand persons. There are two women and one peasant representatives in each union council, irrespective of the allocation of total seats, which varies from council to council. The union councils are supposed to perform development works. Their function was limited to the construction and improvement of drainage facilities and maintenance of roads in their area. At present, they are not functioning as they have been suspended by the provincial government . All union councils, except Saranan, are financially dependent on the provincial government. However, every union council is empowered to generate its own sources of revenue. Their other functions include issuance of birth and death certificates. They also resolve conflicts among the villagers. They are autonomous and independent to make any decision within their jurisdiction. However, some of the financial expenditure decisions have to be formally endorsed by the district council.

The major constraint for them is that in practice they neither are able to generate their own resources, nor do they get sufficient grants from the government. Therefore, their role in development is negligible.

There is no town committee in district Pishin.

There is one municipal committee working in the urban areas of Pishin. According to the rules of LGO, municipal committees are constituted for those towns whose population ranges from 10,000 to 100,000. Non-Muslims, peasants, workers and women are given special representation. The main functions of the municipal committee include:

• Collection of octroi. During 1994/95 Pishin Municipal Committee collected more then 46 lakh rupees as octroi
• Collection of tax on real estate
• Collection of license fees from traders and shopkeepers
• Provision of civic facilities to the community
• Maintenance of the Pishin rest house
• Protection of the public against fire

The major source of income for the municipal committee is octroi.

• The district council of Pishin has 27 members, out of whom 22 are representatives of the union councils, while special seats are allocated to representatives of non-Muslims (1), labourers (2) and women (2). The district council is concerned with rural development activities. Its major function are the collection of tax on real estate, to charge license fee on stone crushing plants and brick klins and to collect taxes from rural shopkeepers.

These taxes are spent on non-development expenditure of the district council and on improvement of shingle roads. Ever since the suspension of the district council, the Deputy Commissioner has been the council’s Administrator.

The provincial government administration at the district level is headed by the Deputy Commissioner, the Chief Executive of the District. He is assisted by Assistant Commissioners, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Tehsidar, Naib Tehsildars and others. Other functionaries of the District include:

• the District and Session Judge, who controls the judicial organisation
• the District Health Officer, who controls all health activities
• the Superintendent of Police, assisting the Deputy Commissioner in the maintenance of law and order
• the District Education Officer, who controls and supervises the education institutions of the District
• the Extra Assistant Director of Agriculture, who implements the policies of the government pertaining to agriculture.

All the line departments are represented at district level.

The hierarchy at the divisional level starts with the Commissioner, D.I.G Police, Director Health, Director Education, Director Agriculture etc.

Similarly, at provincial level the Chief Secretary controls the over-all administration, except the judiciary, which has its own administrative set-up. The Chief Minster is the Chief Executive of the Province. The Deputy Commissioner is the Chief Executive at the District level. His main functions include maintenance of law and order and revenue collection. He is also the controlling authority for Police and Levies. He is the Political Agent of the Government.

The Deputy Commissioner is the chairman of the co-ordination committee for development at the district level, when the district council and the municipal committee are suspended. He is also one of the members of the divisional co-ordination committee. Sometimes the Deputy Commissioner is assigned a special task to monitor and report about the activities of a particular development project. Being the Chief Executive of the District, he is also supposed to have a close relationship with the M.P.A’s, M.N.A’s and Senators. He provides a supportive role in connection with development schemes financed by funds allocated to them.

To maintain law & order is the main function of the district administration. The judiciary, police and levies are three components who perform this task. As far as the judiciary is concerned, in recent years a Session Judge was appointed to supervise the judiciary work. There are an additional Judge, a Civil Judge and a Judicial Magistrate working under the Session Judge. As a result of separation of the judiciary from the executive, a Judicial Magistrate and Civil Judges were appointed in the District. This would result in quick and less costly justice for the community. Before, under the Jirga system, the Deputy Commissioner was the final authority to make decisions. People had to wait for years to settle their disputes and rivalries under this previous set-up.

In general, security in district Pishin is satisfactory. According to the police information about crime rates in Pishin during 1992/95, the total number of crimes has declined. The number of heinous crimes such as murder and dacoity is negligible. There is complete freedom of travelling in rural and urban areas in day time. In some of the areas adjoining the Afghan border, due to free availability of arms, travelling is somewhat risky, particularly at night time. Circumstances are not such that travelling by convoy is needed for neither Pakistani nor foreigners.

There are no restrictions for the locals to visit either side of the border. However, foreigners and visitors from other provinces need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Revenue collection is differently administered by federal, provincial and local government. Every organisation collects different taxes, e.g. collection of water charges is the responsibility of those organisations who provide water. In district Pishin the municipal committee and PHED both supply water and they both collect water charges from the users. Sanitation fee, octroi, property tax and business license tax are imposed and collected by the municipal committee. Livestock cess, agriculture cess and land tax, property tax and registration vehicle tax, and coal mining royalties are collected through the provincial government. Income tax and custom duty are collected by the federal government.

The role of women in political parties is negligible, mainly due to the social and tribal set-up. Their role is confined to casting their votes. Student organisations of different parties exist at college level. They work for their parties and also try to solve their educational problems through their organisations. Small branches of labour unions do exist, but their role is not significant, due to their low numbers.

In Pishin district, there are 42 registered Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) involved in various socio-economic and cultural activities, such as adult education, women and child welfare, sports, drug abuse control and family welfare.

Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO) is a leading foreign support organisation for NGOs in Pishin. It helps those community organisations which are involved in poverty alleviation, gender development and environment protection. There are three NGOs actively involved in the welfare of women. These are the Idara-Taraqiat-Niswan Bostan, Welfare Organisation Karazat Barshore and Training and Rehabilitation Centres For Poor Women. The latter NGO provides credit facilities for industrial home activities without any interest. Another NGO worth mentioning is the Society for Community Support for Primary Education in Balochistan ( SCSPEB ). This society provides primary education for girls through community support with help of the government.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

• Local government institutions can play a significant role in the socio-political and economic development of Pishin. They promote the development process at grassroots level.
• Public administration has been reformed by separating the judiciary from the executive. Revenue is mostly collected by the federal and provincial government, while a meagre amount is collected by local government institutions.
• Religion and tribal affiliations play a crucial role in the politics of Pishin.
• Women do not have a role in the decision-making process, neither administrative nor political. This marginalisation needs to be addressed.
• Poor coordination between government departments, insufficient professional staff, political interference and financial constraints hamper the planning and implementation of development schemes.
• Lengthy bureaucratic procedure delay the implementation of development schemes and also gives rise to corruption in the form of commission.
• Frequent transfers of Heads of Department have adversely affected implementation of development schemes.
• Efficiency of local government is very poor because decision-making is highly centralised. Further, financial constraints hamper local government institutions in their activities. Therefore, their institutional capacity has to be strengthened in terms of financial, technical and human resources.
• The concept of non-government organisation is not familiar to the people. Their existence has to be made known to them through well-considered efforts.

The economy of Pishin District is multi-sectoral in nature. Agriculture is dominant and flourishing. Horticulture is the leading sub-sector within agriculture, mostly producing apples. The livestock sector is also important. On the one hand it is a source of income for the local people and on the other hand it meets the nutritional requirements of other provinces. Due to vast grazing lands, hilly tracks and the presence of enough vegetation, livestock rearing and flock owning is gaining momentum.

Another source of income is trade and commerce. The people of Pishin are engaged in these activities not only in the district, but also in other parts of the country. Main activities in trade revolve around transport, business, hotel industries, flour mills, snuff grinding, construction work and cloth trading. People also deal in cars and property.

Government employment is yet another contributing factor to the growing prosperity of Pishin District. It is well-known that Khanozai, where the literacy rate is about 95%, is the citadel of learning in the district. As a result there is a growing number of teachers, doctors, engineers and government employees.

By contrast, the industrial base is weak. Only a few small industries are operational. The snuff grinding mills are comparatively large in number. Snuff trading is an important business activity. The district is not rich in minerals. In recent years chromite, fluorite and granite have been found in small quantities. In different parts of the district the informal sector (petty traders, street wanderers, Chanky Hotels, shops, manual labour etc) is playing a significant role in generating income and employment.

There is no special set of governmental policies for the district, though provincial policies are prepared within the framework of federal policies. These policies mainly focus on the provision of physical infrastructure, such as roads, delay action dams, agricultural support, etc.

There are two cropping seasons in Pishin valley: Kharif and Rabi. Kharif crops are sown in summer and harvested in late summer or early winter, while Rabi crops are sown in winter, or during early summer and harvested in summer. Important Rabi crops are wheat, barley, cumin, vegetables and fodder. Crops grown during Kharif are fruits, melons, vegetables, tobacco, potato, fodder, onion etc. It is interesting to note that almost all the crops grown during Kharif season are cash crops. This indicates that the farmers of Pishin are commercial minded. It is worth mentioning that fodder and melons are the only crops which are sown both on irrigated and unirrigated plots. The farmers use scarce water resources in an efficient and effective manner.

Pashtoon women are involved in the agricultural activities within the walls of their houses. Some aged women do take part in agricultural activities, but they are not paid. At the times of sowing and reaping, the demand for seasonal labour increases and male labour is employed on daily wages for this purpose. It is worth mentioning that rural male labourers from Pishin have migrated to urban areas in search of better wages and

that they have been replaced by skilled Afghan refugees, who are hard working and submissive.

The total geographical area of district Pishin is 585,000 hectares. However, only 118,840 hectares have been reported, which is 20.3% of the total area. Arable land which is suitable for ploughing and for crop production, net sown or left fallow for two years is 57,372 Ha. The area under culturalble waste is 10,400, which is a significant proportion of potential area available for cultivation. According to the Agricultural statistics 1994/95, 51,707 Ha. of land were under cultivation, of which 78,7 % or 40,730 Ha. was irrigated.

As far as land ownership in district Pishin is concerned, the cultivated area is under personal ownership, while pasture land and those lands which have not been brought under administrative record belong to the tribe residing in the area. Cultivation is normally done by owners with the help of labourers or by means of share cropping, with the labourers on cash tenancy for an agricultural year.

It is unfortunate that separate data for Pishin and Killa Abdullah district are not available. However, the Agriculture Census of 1990, which is the latest available, provides information for Pishin district (before Killa Abdullah was separated). The analysis for aggregated data can be applied mutatis mutandis in the case of district Pishin. The total number of farms in old Pishin district was 20,871. All farms are private farms. The total area under these farms was 132,205 Ha., the cultivated area during the census year was 72,125 Ha., which was 55% of the farm areas. The average size of the farm area was 22.5 Ha., while the average size of cultivated area was 3.4 Ha. Small farms up to 5.0 Ha. made up 65% of the total number of farms, while the area under these farms was 32,260 Ha., which was 24.4% of the total area. There were 3,739 medium farms, which was 18% of the total number of farms, and the area under these farms was 26,256 Ha., which was 25% of the total farm area. The large farms were 3,428 in number and they made up 17% of the total number of farms, but the interesting point is that they had 56% of the farm area under them, which comes to 73,689 Ha..

Out of the 20,871 farms in the district, more than 20 thousand or 96% were owner farms, 3% were tenant farms and 1% were owner cum tenant farms. Ninety-six percent of the owner farmers had 94% of the area, while 3% of the tenant farms and 1% of the owner cum tenant farms each had 3%.

Looking at the table below, it can be noted that the major portion of the area is under fruit production, followed by wheat production. During Rabi season, wheat is both a food crop and a cash crop.

It would be a futile exercise to explain cropping trends from the given statistics, as they seem unreliable and cannot be supported by theoretical evidence. For example, during 1989/90 the area under fruit production was just 6,058 Ha.. During 1990/91 it went up to 6,104, during 1991/92 there was a further increase of 30%, which can be justified to some extent. However, in 1992/93 again the area used for fruit production increased by another 20% to 9,457. But it is surprising that during 1993/94 the increase in fruit area was 65% to 15,571 and the latest figures for 1995/96, which has been collected personally from the concerned authorities, show that the area under fruit production for Pishin district increased to 39,182, which shows an increase of 146% compared to the previous year. Such an increase cannot be explained with whatever assumptions taken into consideration.

Note: Separate figures for Pishin and Killah Abdullah are not available, except for 1994/95 and 1995/96. However, if the separate figures for 1994/95 are added, they do not tally with the combined published government figures. The figures in this table include the production of Qila Abdullah.

Fruit production is very important and dominant in district Pishin: 63% of the irrigated area was under fruit production and if we add the area under melon production, then the proportion of fruit area comes to 76%. Within fruits, apples and grapes can be singled out as the major district’s fruits. Pishin is unique in the sense that it is also the major tobacco producing district of Balochistan, although tobacco is economically not very important (compared to fruit production ).

It is interesting that Pishin district does not bother to produce subsistence crops. Moreover, those crops, whose water requirement is very high compared to their market price, are ignored. During the Rabi season wheat occupies the major share of the irrigated area, followed by barley, cumin, vegetables and fodder. In the Kharif season, the major share is taken by different kinds of fruits, followed by vegetables and tobacco. Potatoes and onions are also important Kharif crops. The farmers of Pishin mostly produce market crops. This shows that the farmers are highly commercialised. They have diversified their cropping pattern over the years from subsistence to high valued cash crops.

Area wise, wheat is the first major crop ( 43.17% ), followed by fruits (30.97% ) and melons (7.53%). Next in ranking come vegetables (4.38%), followed by barley (3,40%) and tobacco (3,25%). At the lower end come potatoes (2.91%) and cumin (2.31%), leaving 2.08 percent for the remainder of crops grown in the district.

 The district’s growth rate of average yields and total production of wheat, tobacco, fruits, and potato are given below, in comparison with the provincial and the national economy.

For more figures on yields and values of crops see annexure – 5

Female labour involvement in the agriculture and horticulture sector is negligible. Due to the tribal set-up, female labour is not involved either in Rabi or Kahrif season. Agricultural production decisions are made by the male members of the household. During peak season, when the need for additional labour arises, men are hired on daily wages or on a special contract for the entire time period. In district Pishin most of the agricultural work is done through mechanisation, i.e. tractors are used for the ploughing of land and tube-wells are used for watering the fields. Therefore, the need for manual labour has been reduced to a great extent.

There are three types of tenancy contracts prevailing in Pishin district.

• Share tenancy: under this system the owner of the land bears the cost of inputs and the production is divided according to a set formula.
• Cash tenancy: under this the owner of the land gives his land for an agricultural year on lump-sum amount.
• Crop sharing system: The land owner gives his land to the cultivator and all cost of production have to be born by him and normally 1/5th of the production is given to the owner of the land.

The nature of agricultural production is changing rapidly in Pishin with the passage of time and advancement of technology. From bullock to tractor and from manual harvesting to thresher, from traditional manure to the use of chemical fertilisers and from subsistence crops to cash crops. Traditional agriculture is transformed into modern agriculture, changing the style of living as well.

The major source of irrigation during the last quarter of the 19th century was through karezes. The construction of karezes and their maintenance was an expensive business. The expenses for digging and maintaining karezes used to be shared by their users, in proportion to the share in land and water held by each. The work used to be carried out by a mirab. With the construction of Bund Khush Dil Khan and Shebo Head

works in district Pishin, the work of the mirab increased, as he also started collecting water charges in kind for the Irrigation Department. Nowadays, tube-wells have become the major source of irrigation, because time and the quantity of water can be controlled, which is more efficient and effective. Maintenance of privately owned tube-wells is the responsibility of the owner himself, while maintenance of government owned tube-wells is the responsibility of the Irrigation Department. The Karezes, springs and canals are maintained by means of community participation.

Two important sources of irrigation in the district are of historical importance and they date back to 1883, when they were constructed by the British. These two schemes are Khush Dil Khan reservoir and Shebo canal. Numerous small irrigation schemes have been completed since then. These schemes include perennial irrigation and flood irrigation schemes. They are operated through the Irrigation Department. It has also been found that farmers have established karazes for their own benefits.

There are two types of drainage schemes in the district: ten flood protection bunds and five flood protection wells. The drainage facilities in the district can be classified according to the rural and urban areas. As far as rural areas are concerned, traditional drainage facilities exist. The drained flood water find its way into Pishin Lora. However, Khanozai, due to higher literacy rate and comparatively higher living standard, has a more modern drainage system. They dispose of their waste in septic tanks. In urban areas, like Pishin Bazaar and Saranan, water is drained through cemented outlets into Pishin Lora.

There is ample evidence in literature that the productivity per hectare of irrigated areas exceeds the productivity per hectare of rainfed areas by far. In the case of food crops, the difference in productivity is more then 100%, while in the case of fodder the difference is at least 300 %. Another major difference between production and cultivation under rain-fed and other sources of irrigation, is that the farmer producing on rain-fed areas is not able to plan his production.

According to the information supplied by the Executive Engineer of the Irrigation

Department, Pishin has the following various sources of irrigation:

Source: Irrigation Department

In the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994/95, Pishin and Qila Abdullah are taken together, which presents a quite different picture.

According to the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994/95, the total number of tube-wells in Pishin district were 2592, out of them 63% were electric tube-wells while the rest was diesel fuelled. The proportion of tube-wells owned by government was less than 3%. Tube-wells and open surface wells are mostly privately owned, whereas the rights of ownership of canals, karezes and springs are vested in the community. The cost of maintaining such channels is borne in proportion to the land holdings. Potential for exploiting more water resources is present. According to estimates provided by the Irrigation Department, 1,538 Ha. have been surveyed so far, while 12,140 Ha. are yet to be surveyed, but due to lack of funds the work has not been carried out.

There are seventy tube-wells which are not operational. The reason is that these tube-wells are located in areas where the water level has dropped, due to surplus uplift or mechanical breakdown.

A number of irrigation schemes in the district have been sponsored by different donor agencies. Some of them are under tendering process, others have already been completed and yet others are in the process of implementation. These schemes have been funded by the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the Kuwait Fund. O.D.A (U.K), JICA (Japan) and the German Aid Programme. These schemes were initiated for different purposes, like flood irrigation, perennial irrigation, and small delay action dams and flood protection work.

Worth mentioning is the Bund Khushdil Khan irrigation scheme. This scheme was initiated in 1886-87 and was completed in 1891. The tank is about 5 km. long and 2 km. wide, having a central depth of 100 metres. Its original capacity was 73.9 million cubic feet of water. This water reservoir is entirely dependent on rain and snow fall. There is a distribution system for irrigation purposes. However, with the passage of time, its capacity to irrigate has declined, as the reservoir has not been properly maintained, which has resulted in deposits of silt. Further, people have encroached upon the land adjacent to the reservoir. There is need to rehabilitate this reservoir so that it again can irrigate its catchment area of 1469 hectare.

Since 1996, the World Bank provided a sum of Rs. 24 million, with the help of which 4 schemes have been completed. Seven schemes are almost completed, costing approximately Rs. 21 million. The Asian Development Bank has funded 4 irrigation schemes which are under the process of implementation and the Bank has invited tenders for 11 other schemes; these latter schemes will cost Rs. 24 million.

The Irrigation Department is supposed to develop irrigation facilities within its administrative boundaries. The department performs a number of functions, such as:

1. Increasing the yield for agriculture
1. Protecting cultivated land
1. Exploiting underground water resources
1. Recharging ground water
1. Drinking water supply schemes
1. Safeguarding orchards and villages situated near river banks
1. Exploring new water resources

According to the Agricultural Statistics of Balochistan 1994/95, most of the tube-wells (63%) were electric tube wells, while the remaining were diesel fuelled. In the district there were 546 tractors, 96.5% of which were privately owned, while 3.5% belonged to the government. The number of threshers was 111 and almost 94% of them belonged to private persons. In addition there were one harvester and one reaper, both privately owned.

According to the Agricultural Census of 1990, 80% of the reported farms, together having, 87,790 Ha. used only tractors, while 3,198 farms, having 17,398 Ha, used both tractors and draught animals. It could be argued that buying of tractors is not justified in the case of very small farmers and even some of the middle class farmers are not financially able to purchase them. In general, tractors are individually owned. Those who are not able to do this, hire tractor services. Usually tractors are hired on a per hour basis. In some areas payments are made on a per hectare basis. Tractors are multi-purpose machines. Besides ploughing, transporting and commercial use, they are also used for extracting water where electricity is not available, e.g. in Toba Kakari and Toba Achakzai.

Similarly, tube-well hire services for irrigation purpose are available on hourly basis. The rates differ depending on whether they run on diesel or electricity.

Fertilisers are supplied through a network. The retailer gets his supplies from the wholesale dealer who is normally a distributor within a district. Certified seeds are normally distributed by the concerned Agriculture Department of the District. Ordinary seeds are available from local shops.

  Source: Development statistics of Balochistan 1994/95

Marketing of all agriculture produce is a private sector activity. The government’s responsibilities are confined to regulation and development functions only. The process of marketing starts from the time when the produce is sold to the pre-harvest contractor when the orchard is at blossom. He manages the orchard till harvesting time. In most production chains there is a dominant business force and in the case of fruits it is a commission agent. He works like a bank providing credit to farmers, pre-harvest contractors and wholesale dealers. By providing credit, he is guaranteed that the produce will be marketed through him.

Agricultural prices are a key element in the decision-making process of many institutions. Government agencies asses the welfare of both producers and consumers and then plan price support programs. Farmers need good price data to be able to make good management decisions and plan crop marketing.

The Agricultural Price Commission (APC) is responsible for recommending support prices for agricultural commodities. The main purpose is to safeguard the interest of the farmer; in practice, however, the consumer and producer prices are determined by the market mechanism.

The main reason of fluctuation between APC and market prices is that prices fixed by APC do not reflect the marginal costs of the crop. PASSCO is responsible for buying agricultural crops from the farmers at rates fixed by APC, but in fact the prices for crops are normally higher than the APC price. Therefore, the role of PASSCO in District Pishin is negligible.

Change in level of agricultural incomes cannot be worked out without estimating costs of production for specific crops. District level data is not available for this purpose. However, agricultural prices of almost all the crops have increased over time. Yield per Ha. and production of crops have also increased. The cost of agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, water, etc., have gone up as well. Despite all this, the remunerative price relationship between input and output has remained in favour of farmers. Therefore it can be inferred that agricultural income has increased.

There are three important sections in the Department of Agriculture at district level: Agricultural Research, Agricultural Engineering and Agricultural Extension. The objective of agricultural extension is to disseminate the results of the research done. It provides subsidised seeds and through its extension field staff introduces the application of new technology (optimum use of water, NPK fertilizer, seeds, etc) to farmers.

The department, with collaboration and financial assistance from donor agencies, is also working on specific projects in the district, e.g. under On Farm Water Management (OFWM) water tanks and channels are constructed; 3/4th of the costs are paid by the agency and 1/4 is borne by the farmers. Another example is the Precision Land Levelling (PLL) project. The demand for agricultural credit is far higher than its supply through institutional sources.

1. Agricultural extension
2. Marketing
3. Price setting
4. Irrigation development and its operation and maintenance
5. Agricultural Mechanisation
6. Collection of Agricultural statistics
7. Agricultural research / education.

Local government does not play any role in the agricultural development. Federal government by its policies influence the agriculture sector through price setting, provision of agricultural credit through ADBP and Commercial Banks. The role of NGOs does not exist in this context. International donors are involved in the provision of input supplies and training facilities for the project staff. Moreover in the development of irrigation schemes many international donors are involved in the district.

Private enterprise is also involved in the provision of almost all agricultural services, with the exception of agricultural statistics, research, training and education.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

5.1.16 Conclusion and major Development Issues 

• The agricultural sector is the most dominant sector in district Pishin. Horticulture within agriculture sector is the backbone of the economy;
• The district holds the potential for high valued cash crops like fruits, vegetables, tobacco, potato etc;
• The farmers are commercial farmers; they mainly produce for the market;
• Because of social and cultural factors female involvement in the agricultural sector is insignificant;
• Water resources are scanty. Major sources of irrigation are tube-wells, the installation of which, due to a low water table, is very expensive;
• Private enterprise and provincial government play a significant role in the provision of agricultural inputs and services;
• The district is a major producer of fruits and has vast potential for fruit and vegetable processing industries and fresh fruit juice industry.

The major issues confronting the agricultural sector in the district are:

• Poor access to institutional credit;
• Water management problems;
• Lack of effective co-ordination among different agricultural institutions providing agricultural services;
• Lack of reliable and adequate agricultural data;
• Load shedding and fluctuations in supply of electricity.

Livestock is an important source of livelihood for the majority of the rural population. It not only generates income for flock owners, but is also a major source of nutrition for the population. Livestock is exported to other provinces. It is an important source of milk, wool, hides and skins. Livestock is also used in certain agro-based industries. Further, animals are an important source of transportation, particularly in those areas where motorised transport is not available or for those areas with hilly tracts.

In the district, most of the people are engaged in livestock grazing activities. It should be remembered that, traditionally, nomads, along with their flocks, regularly visit Pishin district when the weather is not favourable in Afghanistan. Mostly sheep and goats are reared. Some rear it for domestic purpose, while others for commercial purposes.

It is very difficult to estimate the growth rate for 1986 and 1996 figures, because the earlier figures were available for Pishin and Qila Abdullah on joint basis, while 1996 figures are available on a separate basis. However, for the sake of comparison we have combined the 1996 figures both for Pishin and district Qila Abdullah. The results indicate that the number of sheep has declined by 43.35%. Similarly, data on goats show a decline of 58.56% , cattle shows a decline of 5.76%. The buffalo is the only animal showing an increase of 10.42%, donkeys and camels have reduced to 74% of their earlier number. Poultry also shows a negative growth of 13.46%.

Number of livestock

There is no meat processing plant neither in the district nor in the province. Livestock markets exist in different towns of the district like Yaro, Saranan, Barshore and Pishin bazaar. Livestock prices are subject to fluctuation. There are many factors, which influence the prices of livestock in the district. First is the arrival of nomads from Afghanistan. Due to oversupply the price should decline. However, consumers do not benefit, because the prices of meat remain unaltered. It is interesting to mention that during drought years the prices of livestock drop, because the herd owners cannot afford the expenses of feeding the animals. Moreover at the time of Eid-ul- Azha the prices are normally very high and they shoot up even after Eid. This is due to the slaughtering of a large number of animals. Similarly in the winter season the prices go up due to higher demand, whereas in spring and summer the prices of livestock come slightly down.

Hide production takes place, but they are not further processed in the district. They are only dried and salted. There is one government owned dairy farm, supplying milk and butter to the surrounding population at reasonable prices.

Livestock is not only a major source of income for the rural population, but to own a flock is also considered as a token of prestige. Therefore, in Pishin district traditional people keep livestock. Small ruminants can be observed in all households in every village. Price fluctuations are normally witnessed during winter when the vegetation for grazing is not available. Further, due to the high cost of feed and fodder for small ruminants, prices decline.

Wool as a by-product is marketed to other provinces for its final use in carpet and blanket industries. The private sector is engaged in the marketing of wool and skins. Wool is collected by the women of the household and sold to intermediaries, who finally send them to other provinces. A minor part of the wool is used for family requirements.

Keeping poultry is an important income generating activity of rural women in the district. Rural women keep hens for eggs, because the income emanating from this activity belongs to her. Most of the eggs and chickens are consumed by the family itself for nutrition, but also for ceremonial purposes. Chickens and eggs produced under a free rang system are called ‘dessi’ and they fetch a premium price in the local market. The limited data available does not allow an estimation of the production figures for the free rang category. Nevertheless, it has been observed that a major proportion of local demand is met from this source.

There are a number of privately owned poultry farms in the district, e.g. in Surkhab (15), Bostan (2) and in Pishin Bazaar (1). There is one government poultry farm containing nearly 500 layers for egg production.

The most prevalent diseases among the livestock in district Pishin are:

1. Foot and mouth disease
2. New Castle disease
3. Round worms
4. Ticks
5. Tetanus

There is a network of government veterinary institutions in Pishin. Through this network the disease effected animals are treated and vaccinated. During 1994/95, 40,272 livestock units were treated and more than 156,000 animals were vaccinated in preventive care. Data about livestock dips are not available.

There is a network of veterinary institutions, which include hospitals, dispensaries, Artificial Insemination (A.I.) Centers and a Disease Investigation Laboratories ( D.I.L. units). The number of veterinary hospitals was two in 1989/90 and has remained the same till today. The number of dispensaries has increased from 29 in 1989/90 to 33 in 1994/95. The number of A.I. Centers has grown from 4 to 7 during the same period. The D.I.L. unit has been established only recently. In addition to these government funded centres, there are also a large number of privately managed veterinary clinics.

Veterinary drugs are available in the market and also in the government veterinary hospitals. It is interesting to note that in the early years these drugs were highly subsidised. With the passage of time the subsidy decreased more and more, and now the full cost of the medicine is recovered from the sick animal’s owner. On the market, smuggled veterinary medicines, particularly from Iran, are available at a much cheaper rate than the rate which is charged by the government institutions. Therefore, people normally take their animals to government centres for diagnosis, but buy the required medicines from the market.

It is unfortunate that detailed statistics for this vital sector are not available. However, some crude estimates about the treatment expenditure per year show that for small animals it ranges from Rs. 10 to 15 and for large animals from Rs. 150 to 200.

The Livestoc department at district level is headed by an Assistant Director Livestock, Veterinary Doctor with supporting staff including comuder and Stock Assistant.

The dairy and poultry farms are headed by a manager with supporting staff.

Dairy development services are provided by the provincial government and by international donors to some extent, but it is mostly in the hands of the private sector. It is very unfortunate that none of the above mentioned agencies provides credit facilities to this vital sector of the economy. As far as collection of livestock statistics is concerned, data are collected by the provincial government and are further processed by the federal government.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

The district has a vast potential to increase its production of small ruminants. The productivity and quantity of small ruminants can be increased through public investment by providing certain facilities to this sector.

It has been observed that the majority of the population living in rural areas cannot afford to rear flocks on commercial basis. There is complete absence of credit facilities, particularly in the livestock sector. Supply of feed and fodder is inadequate.

There is a dire need to educate farmers through livestock extension services.

It is essential to synchronise the policies of local, provincial and federal government, international donors and the private sector for livestock development. Moreover, like in other districts, NGOs can play their due role in this district.

It has been observed that most of the beneficiaries of government and international donors livestock development schemes are rich and influential persons of the community, while the poor people neither have access nor the knowledge and courage to benefit from these services. Therefore, the poor need to be organised through NGOs on community participation basis, so that they may be able to share the fruits of development.

To create a favourable environment for livestock owners it is essential, that livestock shows like the Sibi mellah will be organised.

It has been noticed that wool and skins are produced in large quantity. However they are not processed due to lack of technical know-how. There is need for a processing plant for this purpose.

Another problem is the limited institutional capacity of the Livestock Department. There is a shortage of data on livestock activities and people have complained that veterinary staff rarely visit the villages for curative and preventive purposes.

These reserves comprise 19,384 hectares. Moreover, there is an additional artificial forest reserve situated at Bund Khush Dil Khan comprising 475 hectare. It is worth mentioning that Surkhab natural forest reserve has been cut and used as fuel by Afghan refugees. During the early 1980s, Surkhab was one of the largest refugee camps, where more than 156 thousand registered refugees were living along with a large number of unregistered refugees. During their stay, they used wood as fuel, which has resulted in deforestation.

In the absence of provincial and national forest growth rates for two consecutive years, the current size of land under forest is hard to determine. The rural women are not at all interested in planting trees. The Forest Department in Pishin has 10 labourers on daily wages. In planting periods additional daily-wagers are hired. Thus, labour involvement in forestry activities in district Pishin is minimal.

According to the estimates provided by the District Authorities, during 1994/95 the forest reserve area comprised 20,421 Ha. and 25 avenue miles in plantation. It is interesting to note that the area of coniferous forests has remained the same since 1974/75 with 16,794 Ha. However, other forest than coniferous forests have decreased from 3,597 Ha. to 475 Ha.. Consequently range land has increased from zero to 3,122 Ha. It is interesting that the plantation has increased to 30 Ha. and 25 avenue miles during the same period.

As far as plantation by private sector is concerned, it is almost zero. There is no tradition of commercial forestry in the district, therefore all plantation efforts can be associated with government involvement.

Pishin district is endowed with a large variety of vegetation. Many areas are covered with bushes of artemisia (tarkha sperah) and haloxgon grifithic (Shorai). In the winter their roots are used as fuel in the villages and their twiggy branches are used as feed for small ruminants. Taramix gallica is used for fuel and for roofing houses. Other plants occurring in the district are ephadra intermedia (Huma), sophora alopecuroides (ghurezah), menthe sylvestris (shin shob), eremurus aucherianus (shezgi), achillea sanlolina (Zawal), carum bulbo castanum (zira siyah), alhagi camelorum (zoz), susymrium sophia (khakshir), arnebia cornuta ( kharorak ), caragana ambigna (makhi), scirpus wardianus (lokhae), saceharum ciliare (sarghasae), andro pogon annuatus (murgha), thymus (spina maurai ), shkrae plantago major (barang).

Out of the above mentioned flora, carum bulbo castanum (zira siyah) is used as spice and fetches high value in the market. Further, ephedra (huma) and sisymbrium (khakshir ) are found in large quantity and have medicinal value. A major proportion of the above mentioned vegetation is marketed, e.g. according to the Forest Authorities in 1995/96 3,023 tonnes of ephedra was sold. These plants having medicinal value and are largely used by villagers as they believe that there are no negative side effects and moreover, they are easily available and cheap. Wood is not available for timber purpose. The only types of wood available for fire are juniper in Surghund, pistachia khinjuk in Gawal and temarex in Surkhab.

In the district wood obtained from the forests is mainly used for fuel purposes, because other sources of fuel either are not available or, if available, are too expensive. There is no data available about the quantity of exploited wood. Historically, nomads have been involved in the exploitation of wood. In the recent past, refugees from Afghanistan have exploited this resource mercilessly.

The Forest Department in the District is administratively controlled by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), who comes under the Conservator Of Forest. The Conservator Of Forest comes under the command of the Chief Conservator of Forest in the province. There are two Range Forest Officers, whose main responsibilities are to control and manage the affairs pertaining to forests in the district. There are two Deputy Rangers to assist the Range Forest Officer. Further, there is one Forester, 26 Forest Guards and 12 game-watchers to assist in protection and development of the forests.

The wild animals, wolf, fox and jackal, are the same as those found in other districts. A few ravine deer and horses can be seen as well. Mountain sheep, rabbits and markhors are rare in the northern hills. Common game birds include chikoors, see-sees, sand grouses, bustards, pigeons and ducks.

There are no statistics available to indicate the number of wildlife prevailing in district Pishin. With the passage of time, their number has declined for several reasons. First, there is no clear-cut government policy for the protection of wildlife. Second, due to the influx of 156 thousand Afghan refugees in the area, a lot of trees have been cut. Third, illegal hunting has caused a decline in the number of birds. Fourth, the rapid population growth in the district has been an important reason of the decline in wildlife.

It is surprising that, though Pishin district is one of the most important horticultural areas of Balochistan, bee-keeping is not an economic activity. The main reason put forward by the people, was that bees produce honey only in warm areas. Bees cannot survive the district’s cold weather.

Provincial government is involved in tree planting and looks after wildlife and game-ranches. Federal government also encourages tree plantation as a major environment policy issue. International donor agencies like Word Wildlife Fund (W.W.F) are involved in saving wildlife. The role of NGOs does not exist in any of the forestry services. As far as the private sector is concerned, they do not have any role on the commercial side

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

• Area under forest reserves in district Pishin is very low. The proportion of the planted forest vis a vis natural forest is even lower. Judging from the international standard, forest reserves are rare.
• Female involvement in the forest activities is rare and limited to some jobs like collecting herbs, bushes and shrubs. Sometimes they also collect fuel wood.
• In the development of forestry, the participation of local and federal government and NGOs is very low.
• Forest reserve has depleted due to non-availability of cheap sources of fuel energy other then wood.
• Wildlife management is very poor and needs substantial improvement
• The environmental and ecological balance is impaired due to soil erosion, depletion of range land and population pressure.
• The institutional capacity of Forestry Department needs restructuring. Management needs vigour, so that effective control on the degradation of over all environment will be possible.

District Pishin is very poor in mineral resources. Only chromite, fluorite, granite and a little antimony have been explored. The production of chromite has increased from 151 tonnes in 1990/91 to 640 tones in 1994/95. Fluorite has remained constant at 10 tonnes during this period, while the production of granite decreased from 10 to 6 tonnes. Only male labour is involved in the mining sector. Production of chromite started in 1988/89 while the production of fluorite and granite started in 1992/93. The total number of employees was 30 in 1992 and 129 in 1994.

Source: Directorate of Minerals, GoB, Quetta

Note: Data for the years 1991 and 1995 are not available from the department

The use of technology in the mining sector depends upon the scale of operation and the type of mineral. For granite, sophisticated and expensive machinery is used, while for fluorite and chromite simple technology is used. Where the mining operation is on a small scale, the use of machinery is minimal. Mechanised pulleys have not been introduced so far, due to small-scale production. Chromite is the only mineral resource lying beneath the surface of the earth. Granite and fluorite are found above the surface.

The license structure for mining takes two forms. Initially, a prospecting license is given for one year, renewable for another two years. If minerals are found, then the Mineral Department converts the prospecting license into a mining lease. The period of the lease ranges from 10-30 years for different minerals. The one who gets the prospecting license may exploit the mine himself, or sublet the lease. There is no mineral processing industry in the district. The minerals are marketed to other parts of the country.

The Department of Mineral Development looks after the activities of the mining industry of Balochistan. Its main functions and responsibilities include: 

1. to grant concessions for minerals in Balochistan;
2. to regulate mining concessions rules promulgated in 1970;
3. to realise royalty and rent etc. from mining concessionaires;
4. to extend technical advise to the mine owners;
5. to ensure scientific exploitation of minerals.

At present, provincial government and private enterprise provide mining and transportation facilities. Local and federal government and NGOs do not play any role in the provision of mining services. International donors provide some assistance on provincial level, however not in Pishin district.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

There are 4 types of fees/taxes collected from the mineral sector. When a prospecting license is awarded to any party, annual fees on advance basis are charged on a per hectare basis. The minimum fee is Rs.1000. When the prospecting license is converted into a mining lease a rent on half yearly basis is charged. When actual production begins then royalty is charged. This is different for different minerals. Sometimes a demarcation fee can be charged as well.

There are 11 Mineral Development check posts of the Department in the province. There is also a mobile squad to check irregularities.

District Pishin is very poor in mineral resources. Despite this fact, there is some scope for improvement of mineral development. The efforts have not been successful so far in this regard. The stumbling blocks in the way of mineral development are lack of finance and infrastructure facilities.

The district is basically dependent on agriculture, livestock, commerce and trade. There are few factories in the district, out of them three are ice factories and one concrete pole factory at Saranan. The district lacks entrepreneurial skills. Mostly retail shops are present. The concentration of small industries is confined to Pishin Bazaar, where a few small semi-manufacturing units are working. The contribution of industry and manufacturing is very low . Retail trade is the major economic activity. The number of retail, wholesale and semi-manufacturing units is 732, employing 1478 workers. The proportion of children in total number of workers is 4.7%. The ratio of female workers in industry and manufacturing is negligible. However, handicrafts are done by the women in their homes. There is a potential for home industry in this regard.

Embroidery is the prominent economic activity for women. Carpentry activities at minor scale have been observed. There is no leather manufacturing activity in the district.

There is no data available on specific imports or exports. Pishin lies adjacent to Afghanistan, therefore smuggling takes place. Especially wheat, sugar and edible oil are smuggled into Afghanistan, while spices, dry fruit, skin, wool and a number of merchandised items of foreign origin are smuggled into Pishin. The economic effects of these activities are, that there is normally a shortage of wheat and edible oil, in Pishin and adjoining districts. Furthermore, the smuggling has discouraged industrial development.

The district has inadequate tourist infrastructure, due to which the number of tourist visiting Pishin is very low. A few hotels and restaurants are present in Pishin, but non of them can be considered satisfactory. As far as attractive areas and camping sites are concerned the district is full of them. There is a vast scope to develop these tourist spots, e.g. D.C Rest House. Bund Khush Dil Khan, particularly in summer, presents a very attractive view to the visitors. The Tourist Department has not yet taken pains to introduce this area to tourists.

The traditional handicrafts include embroidery work on kameez and shalwar of children and women, on caps, on bed and pillow covers, etc. Traditional handicrafts activities also include making sweaters from sheep’s wool.

The Social Welfare Department initiated a training programme for girls and women. The objective was to popularise the traditional handicrafts in this area. The programme also included a carpet weaving centre, but due to financial and administrative problems the programme was ended. Those women who are engaged in embroidery work bring their finished work to local shopkeepers. There is no opportunity for them to sell It outside the district.

The Department of Small Industries is functioning in Pishin district since 1958. The main objectives of this department are: 

• To provide training to the local people in the field of traditional crafts.
• Creating employment opportunities for trained and skilled workers, both men and women.
• Taking appropriate steps to enhance the income level of craftsmen through organising the marketing of their products, so as to eliminate the middlemen.
• Taking various steps to eliminate the exploitation of craftsmen by the private sector.
• To extend all sorts of financial and technical assistance to the craftsmen, particularly the women.
• To preserve, protect, develop and also explore local handicrafts.

Local government and NGOs are not involved in providing any type of commercial services. International donors have provided some assistance in the form of revolving funds, particularly for women. This has created a climate of inducement and incentives for the rural women. Provincial government has substantial involvement in the provision of all the commercial services to small industries. Federal government is involved only to the extent of credit facilities through banks. The role of private enterprise comprises vocational training, credit and marketing services.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

• The role of industry in the economy of district Pishin is not significant .
• Female involvement in the industrial sector, excluding embroidery, is negligible.
• Most private sector businesses are small enterprises.
• Pishin, due to its scenic beauty, holds potential for tourism. But it cannot be exploited unless and until federal and provincial government take keen interest in the promotion of tourism.
• It has been observed that the marginal efficiency of capital in district Pishin is low. Therefore, even the inhabitants of the district have not invested in the industrial sector of the district.
• The major issue in the way of industrial development is the non-availability of local entrepreneurs and skilled labour.
• Lack of capital is another problem impeding the development of small enterprises.
• Industrial estates are essential for industrial development. There is no industrial estate in Pishin. Bostan has been declared as industrial state, but no industrial infrastructure has been provided so far.
• Smuggling is another stumbling block in the way of industrial development of Pishin. This activity is very attractive for those who are engaged in this business, because of high earning with less revolving capital and more turn over.
• Institutional arrangements for the development of micro enterprises are lacking. For productive employment it is necessary to train the young people for particular enterprises, such as engineering workshops, carpentry, electronics, automobiles or mechanics.

Economic infrastructure and communication play a vital role in accelerating the pace of development , indeed their presence is essential for expanding the size of the market.

Mobilisation of labour from one location to another is handicapped in the absence of roads. Transportation of goods is also limited. With the construction of roads, towns, develop rapidly and prosperity flourishes rapidly.

The district Pishin is well linked by roads, rail and telephone with other parts of the country, through Kutchlak and Quetta. It has 200 km of metalled and 1,357 km of shingle road. The important linking roads include:-

1. Pishin - Yaru - Quetta road
1. Pishin - Saranan - Chaman road
1. Pishin - Surkhab - Khanozai road
1. Pishin - Barshore road
1. Dub-Khano-zai - Killa Abullah road

Pishin is linked with Quetta by road and then it is linked to all the provinces through road, rail and air. Quetta - Pishin road was developed by the British during the late 19th century for geo-strategic reasons.

Road maintenance is the responsibility of C & W department, headed by an XEN at district level. There is a network of SDO’s, Overseers and others. The table shows the roads in district Pishin. It is evident that metalled and shingle roads cover a total length of 1557 km., out of that 1,357 km. is shingle and 200 km. is metalled road. It is worth mentioning that Pishin district has the highest shingle road density in the province with 0.232 km road per sq. km.

There is no data available to show the number of beneficiaries. However it can be safely concluded that a large percentage of the district area is covered by shingle or metalled roads. Therefore, the entire population living in that area is getting benefit from the roads.

The vehicle registration system in Pishin district is the same as in other districts of Balochistan. The procedure for imported vehicles is somewhat different from the Pakistani manufactured or assembled vehicles. For imported vehicles the following documents have to be produced before the authorities: Bill of Entry, Import Permit, Octroi Receipt, K.P.T Receipt and Bill of Landing. For Pakistani manufactured vehicles the invoice of the firm and the sale certificate from the distributor should be brought.

There is no estimate on the number of non-registered vehicles and motor cycles available. However, due to the proximity of the Afghan border many types of vehicles can be found. This is mainly due to the price difference between the smuggled and the imported vehicles. Therefore, people prefer to keep unregistered vehicles.

Source: Development Statistics, BoS, GoB

The bus service in district Pishin is linked with almost all the main towns and villages. It is difficult to estimate the exact number of passengers per day per week etc. However, the common observation is that the buses are normally overloaded. Every day 25 buses go from Quetta to Pishin and from Pishin to Quetta.

The total length of the railway track through the district is 42 km. There are 3 railway stations: Bostan, Yaro and Saranan. The train goes up to Chaman on alternate days. The train from Quetta to Chaman departs every morning and returns the same day at night time.

There is no airport in district Pishin. There is a concrete runway, which was used long ago by the British. This runway can be converted into a small airport.

Radio is very popular in villages and remote areas. It provides the cheapest recreation. Besides, radio is used to provide educational programmes. The programs produced by different stations in Quetta are mostly in local languages. There is no data available on the number of television sets. The only proxy available is the number of issued tv- licenses, though many people do not register their radio or tv.

There is a very good network of telecommunication in the district. There are more privately owned public call offices (PCOs) than government PCOs. The number of private public call offices is 11. The number of household and commercial telephones is 3,639. A large number of people directly or indirectly benefit from these services.

Postal services are much important because of population growth, rapid industrialisation, fast urbanisation and commercialisation of the society. Post offices provide not only postal services, but also services like registration, collection of token fees of vehicles and ammunition etc. There are 18 post offices in district Pishin. The General Post Office (GPO) is in Pishin bazaar, which has links with all other post offices in the district. In far flung areas, where it is not possible to open a post office at full scale, arrangements are made with the school teachers to act as part time post master. He is paid Rs. 550 per month. Thus the postal service network is operational in the district. It may be that it is not speedy in the case of rural areas. There is no courier service available in Pishin.

There are six banks in the district, five of which are Commercial Banks: Muslim Commercial Bank (1 Branch), Habib Bank Ltd (2 Branches), National Bank of Pakistan (1 Branch), United Bank Ltd (1 Branch), Allied Bank Ltd (1 Branch). There is one specialised credit institution, the Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, having one branch. Information about volume of credit and turnover of banks is not available.

Electricity is the most important source of energy. Economic growth and power generation usually go together. To gauge the economic development of a country the criteria of per capita energy consumption is applied. Electricity has multi-dimensional uses. It could be used in the agricultural sector to run the tube-wells. In the industrial sector it is vital for running the machinery. For households it facilitates life to a great extent. Electricity is not produced locally but at Giddu and Terballa and transmitted via Quetta to Pishin. There are four grid stations in district Pishin: Pishin, Yaro, Alizai and Khanozai. There is no power house in the district. There are 15,590 electric connections, out of which 136 are for the industrial sector, 1,841 are for the agriculture sector, 1,310 for commercial use and 12,303 are for domestic consumers. Different rates are charged to the above mentioned categories for different units consumed e.g. for domestic consumers the lower is the consumption, the lower is the rate, with successive higher units higher rates are charged. The commercial consumers pay higher price for using electricity than domestic consumers. Industries and agricultural consumers pay according to the type of machines used.

According to the higher authorities of WAPDA, that is responsible for and manages electricity provision, 80% of the population has been provided with electricity connections. According to the official source, 25% of the consumers pay their bills. WAPDA faces the following constraints in the recovery of bills and the administration of connections. Firstly, due to poor administrative ability, WAPDA is unable to deliver and recover its bills in time. Secondly, most consumers are in the habit of using free electricity, because in the past they were not forced to pay their dues. Now, if WAPDA authorities with the help of district administration want to recover the dues, the problem of law and order arises. Thirdly, the accumulated bills payment becomes very difficult for the consumers.

Gas is the biggest source of energy nowadays and it is a substitute for coal and petrol. The importance of gas as a source of fuel is important. There are three types of gas consumers: industrial, commercial and domestic consumers. Till 1994/95 Pishin district was not provided with gas at all. However, from 1995/96 gas connections began to be provided. In February 1996 more then 2,000 consumers were provided gas connections, 2,126 of which were domestic consumers. There was no industrial consumer. The number of commercial consumers were 4 (four). It has been estimated that in 1996/97 2,050 new connections will be installed: 50 would be for commercial purposes and 2,000 for domestic purposes.

There are two important rest houses in the district. One of these is D.C Rest House situated in Pishin Bazaar. It is of historical importance. It used to be the political rest house. Attached to this rest house is a very fine garden laid out in 1883. It covers about 11 Ha. It produces vegetables and very fine fruit, including grapes, apricot, plums peaches and almonds. The garden is full of trees. The rest house has scenic beauty and lush green grass which remains green throughout the year. It is not only important from a historical point of view, but also for nature lovers and those having aesthetic sense, it is a place worth to be seen. The rest house is managed and looked after by the Deputy Commissioner. The second rest house is situated at Bund Khushdil Khan and is also of historic importance. Tourists visit and stay there. In addition, Pishin has four Hotel/ Restaurants which provide lodging and boarding facilities.

The federal government is involved in almost all the major economic infrastructure services, particularly where large investment is needed. The provincial government also plays a dominant role particularly in road works. The role of NGOs does not exist in any of the economic infrastructure activities. Local government and international donors have been found involved in road works. The private sector is also actively involved in the provision of certain economic infrastructure facilities, particularly in transport and in the provision of gas cylinders.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

• Economic infrastructure promotes economic growth. There is a strong positive relationship between infrastructure facilities and economic development. The provision of other services depends on the availability of roads. Pishin district is lucky in the sense that it has a fairly good network of roads, but rural roads are still inadequate and require improvements. Traffic pressure has increased during the last decade and the roads are not able to sustain that traffic.
• The major issue regarding the provision of electricity seems to be the gap between demand and supply, giving rise to the load shedding problem which consequently affects agriculture negatively.
• The rapid population growth, and in the recent past the influx of Afghan refugees, have badly damaged the existing economic infrastructure which needs vast improvement.
• Due to urban development, the demand for economic infrastructure services is increasing. This has been observed particularly in the case of transport. Due to lack of seating capacity in the buses people have no option but to sit on the roofs of the buses
• There is a tendency on the part of the rural public utility users to be reluctant to pay for the provision of electricity and gas.

Water is a basic need and essential for human survival. In Pishin district water is supplied through different sources: tube-wells, hand pumps, wells, karezes and springs. Tube-wells by far have become the major source of water supply. Because PVC pipes are better than iron pipes, the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) is using them for distribution of water in district Pishin. According to the estimates provided by PHED authorities, 40% of the total population is provided with piped drinking water facilities. These facilities have been provided in 88 densely populated areas in district Pishin. All the schemes run by PHED are 100% piped schemes. Of all connections, 90% are for households and 10% are for commercial purpose.

The ground water present in the mountains, rocky hills, gravelly pediment fans and aprons and piedmont plains is most likely safe for irrigation, domestic and livestock consumption. The water from saline basins (e.g. Karbala, Khudaidad zai) is not suitable for drinking and irrigation.

Of the district’s total population, 40% has access to potable water supplied by PHED. Out of the 88 PHED water schemes, 38 have been handed over to the community . Some have been given to contractors. The reasons are that PHED wants to reduce the size of its losses: when schemes were in custody of PHED the consumers were not paying even the recurrent charges needed to keep the schemes operational. Contractors are in a better position to receive the money or cut the connections of defaulters. Despite massive coverage by PHED, people still fetch potable water from far-flung areas. Normally children and women are involved in water fetching activity.

The following constraints have been pointed out by the community, in connection to the PHED schemes. Firstly, people complain about excessive billing, particularly the first bill, which comes after a very long period and is very high. Secondly, some people are not prepared to pay their utility bills. Sometimes, it is even the whole community that refuses to pay. This is due to lack of social responsibility.

The benefits of piped water supply are many, e.g. better health due to clean water, the convenience for women and children, who save a lot of time as they no longer have to walk to fetch water.

Management of water supply is the sole responsibility of PHED, leaving aside Pishin Municipal area. The consumers who wish to get benefit from the scheme have to be registered and pay the building costs for the connection from the main pipe into their houses. There have been cases of illegal connections in the district.

Local government is not involved in the management of water supply. Forty-three percent of the 88 PHED schemes have been handed over to the community and the operation and maintenance is their responsibility. In case of major faults PHED is responsible. The remaining 57% schemes are administered by contractors and by PHED.

1. Ground water sub-sector

In district Pishin the quality of ground water varies from place to place. In Karazat sub-tehsil from Kily Qasim Bostan to Choormian, the water is of very good quality, whereas in Pishin bazaar and its surroundings the quality of water is poor.

In other areas like Saranan, Hackalzai, Khudai-dad-zai, Karbla, Shadazai and Davian the quality of water is very poor, (saline / brackish) and is not potable. The chemical quality of the water can be gauged from the chemical analysis. The World Health Organisation (W.H.O) has set some standard parameters such as the quantity of calcium, magnesium, sodium sulphate and nitrate etc., to differentiate potable water from non-potable. According to the PHED authorities the water found in the above mentioned areas entirely satisfies the criteria laid down by W.H.O.

There have been few studies which have indicated that there is potential for exploiting water in the Pishin valley but due to the very low water table it will be very expensive to utilise that water in future. The underground potential needs to be recharged and this could be done through construction of delay action dams.

The hygienic conditions prevalent in the district are not satisfactory. The urban areas have grown without any planning, therefore they lack proper sewerage systems. Modern toilet and drainage facilities are quit inadequate. There is no data available to show the waste disposal method of different households. However, it has been observed that a growing number of households have linked their flush systems with septic tanks. This has been observed mainly in Pishin and Khanozai town.

Similarly the waste water from the houses is disposed of through open drainage system and then it moves into the Pishin Nala. The hygienic conditions are even worse in the rural areas of district Pishin. The streets are unpaved and have no drains at all. Waste water remains stagnant outside the houses giving rise to flies and mosquitoes, thus creating health hazards. PHED is not yet involved in sanitation. Local government, through their Municipal Committee and town committee, are involved in the disposal of waste and in the provision of sanitation facilities.

7.1.5 Public Health Engineering Department

The Public Health Engineering Department was created in 1987. The main objective of this department was to plan, implement and manage water supply schemes throughout Balochistan excluding Quetta city. One of the objectives was to provide piped water in sufficient quantities to households for domestic use. It was also planned to improve the sewerage system and sanitary conditions. PHED is not yet involved in sanitation works in Pishin. They intend to do so in the near future. In the urban areas of the district, water supply is the responsibility of the Municipal Committee e.g. in Pishin Bazaar. However, where the Municipal Committee is not operational the task is performed by PHED. Similarly, in towns with a Municipal Committee, sanitation is administered by the employees of the Committee. Whereas in small towns the task of sanitation is organised by the Union Councils.

In water development, particularly in the coverage of water supply services PHED is actively involved. Federal government and NGOs have not been involved in sanitation or water development. Private enterprise and international donors are involved to some extent in the above mentioned activities.

Legend: - no involvement

x minor involvement

xx substantial involvement

xxx major involvement

• Government has made tremendous efforts in the provision of safe piped drinking water facilities.
• Scarcity of water due to lower water table indicates that water may become a scarce factor in district Pishin.
• It is unfortunate that the beneficiaries of PHED schemes, in some cases are not paying utility bills.
• The hygienic conditions in the district are very poor, as there are no proper drainage systems.
• The major problem in the development of water supply facilities has been noticed is the political interference. Water supply schemes are sanctioned on political grounds rather than on real needs.
• Illegal water connections have created hygienic as well as financial problems for the PHED.
• Bills should be sent out on a more regular basis.
• Water is becoming scarce because every year the water table drops lower. This will badly affect the ecological balance and agricultural development in the district.

The health status of the women in district Pishin is poor compared to the health condition of men. Women first feed the male members of her family and her children; the women themselves come last. The health status of migrant female is worst. There is no data available regarding calories intake. The quality of food which is used by migrants (in particular Afghan female refugees) is often very poor.

Hakeem and eastern doctors are present in the district. Due to their low fee, people often visit them. Homeopathic, doctors are present too. In addition there are some quacks and as people are uneducated, they cannot differentiate between a good doctor and a quack.

The health services present in the district in 1995-96 are shown in the accompanying table. The total population in district Pishin in 1995 was 312,227. The first health service indicator, population per doctor indicates that it was 6,122 which shows that the district is very poor in terms of availability of doctors. Similarly, gauging it from the population per bed criteria, it is found that there is only one bed for every 3,286 people. Looking at other indicators given in the chart it shows that indeed government facilities in the district are quite inadequate. Looking at the other side of the picture it can be noted that the private facilities are also insufficient, e.g. there are 6 private clinics, the number of Hakeem and medical practitioners is less than (10), while the number of medical stores was found to be 75.

Exact data on maternal and infant mortality are not available, as frequently, the number of newly born children or those who die at the time of delivery are not recorded. Therefore, what ever figures are available are suspicious But the impression exist that infant mortality – and maternal mortality rates are very high. Health services are of great important for the women in our country. A vast majority of our women command a very miserable and poor health standard, leading their lives in stress and strain. If good health care is not provided to them the number of deaths in childbirth and infant mortality will increase.

As far as family planning services are concerned, they are being provided in all D.H.O offices and also in the civil hospital. Because family planning is perceived to be against the tenets of Islam, it cannot easily be practised in the district Pishin.

As far as the civil hospital of the district is concerned, about 50 to 55 thousand patients, male and female, were treated in 1995. In the same year about 564,000 patients were treated in D.H.O centres. The data limitation does not allow the calculation of the exact cost per patient, as the vital data for the cost of medicines, which are distributed among the districts according to prescribed quotes, are not available. The total expenditure incurred by D.H.O and M.S of the district on the provision of health services excluding medicines gives a rough estimate of Rs. 34.0 per patient per contact. Certainly it is an underestimate of the actual average cost per patient/contacts.

Most common diseases are respiratory diseases, anaemia, skin infections, renal diseases, worm infections, diarrhoea, dysentery, malaria and hepatitis.

There are a number of special health services provided by the provincial government to improve or facilitate health programmes, one of which being the Prime Minister Health Care Programme, a primary health care programme. International donors like WFP, UNHCR and WHO are also involved in the programme The objective is to provide health services to the community at a rate which they can afford. It caters for the needs of mother and child care, providing them with nutritious food. It also provides information regarding methods of family planning and subsidised family planning medicines and contraceptives. The programme also aims at immunisation, the prevention and control of infectious diseases, and the provision of essential drugs. It also provides health education.

Another special health programme is the training of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). In the rural sector middle aged women traditionally work as birth attendants without having any formal training. But now most of them are trained by the Health Department. The number of TBAs in is 54. They are paid by the Health Department as well as by those who get their services at home.

The Essential Drug Programme (EDP) is a special health service to assure the quality of drugs. There is only one drug officer, who visits the local medical stores and checks the quality of the drugs.

At district level, the District Health Officer (DHO) supervises all the health services in the district, like Basic Health Units, Dispensaries, vaccination programmes and drug control. The DHO is supported by doctors, nurses, paramedical staff and other supporting staff. The Medical Superintendent (MS) is in charge of the district hospital.