The Ziarat district was established in 1986 by upgrading the Ziarat sub-Tehsil of Sibi district, to the present level. It is one of the four districts of the Sibi division; the other three are: Sibi, Kohlu and Dera Bugti. Population-wise, it is the smallest district of Sibi Division.

The district derives its name from Ziarat (shrine) of Baba Kharwari, a highly esteemed saint of the area who lived here in the early eighteenth century. The shrine is located about nine km south of Ziarat town.

Ziarat district is bordered on the north by the districts of Pishin, Loralai and Killa Saifullah, on the south by Sibi district, on the east by Loralai, and to the west by Pishin and Sibi district.

The history of Ziarat during the British colonial administration is the same as that of the Sibi district of which it was a part until 1986. The area came under British colonial influence by the middle of the last century, and was made a part of British India in 1887 like the rest of the old Sibi district. Two years earlier, in 1885, the British Government had acquired land for construction of a civil station (at the present Ziarat town), on payment of Rs.1,400,000 to the Saidzai sub section of the Sarangzai tribe. Before the creation of Sibi district (in 1903), Ziarat used to be the summer headquarters of Thal and Chutiali District (Duki Sajavi Sub Division). Later when the Sibi District was created in 1903, it became Sibi District’s summer headquarters. It formed a part of Shahrigh Tehsil of Sibi District till 1974 when it was given the status of a sub-Tehsil.

Before Independence, the camp offices of the Agent to the Governor General in Baluchistan; the Revenue Commissioner, Baluchistan; the Civil Surgeon, Baluchistan; the Political Agent and the Colonisation officer, Nasirabad, used to shift to Ziarat during the summer. Following the creation of Sibi Division in 1974, the divisional offices shifted to Ziarat during the summer.

The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, spent his last days at Ziarat Residency which is now a National Monument. The local people believe that the Quaid-e-Azam had in fact breathed his last here in Ziarat, contrary to the official reports that he expired in Karachi on 11 September, 1948, the day he was shifted there from Ziarat. The residency building is a majestic piece of architecture, but people visit it primarily for its association with the Quaid-e-Azam.

The entire area in the upper parts of Ziarat district is worth visiting for its natural beauty, its enchanting juniper forests, mountain peaks, the lush green valleys, springs and streams. The popular sights are Ziarat town and surroundings the Qaid’s Residency, the shrine of Baba Kharwari, Zizri valley, Prospect point, Mana valley, Sandeman Tangi, Karvi Kach and Khilafat peak. These are briefly described below.

Ziarat is the holiday resort of the province and no visit to Quetta is complete without a trip to Ziarat. The district is famous for its ancient and magnificent juniper forest which spreads over 126,000 acres, and is the second largest in the world. Some of the trees are almost 4,000 years old.

The shrine (Ziarat) of Baba Kharwari (whose real name was Mula Tahir) is one of the most well known places in the district. Baba Kharwari rendered great services to the cause of Islam in the early 18^th century. His shrine is situated about 9 km from the town and a large number of people who visit Ziarat go to the Mazar to offer Fateha.

Zizri valley, situated on the southern edge of the district, possesses a breathtaking beauty. The road leading to the valley is kacha, rough, and tractable mainly by four wheel drive vehicles.

Six km from the town, this place offers a spectacular view of the Koshki valley. There is a local government resthouse on this spot and a wide open space for picnic/camping.

This lush green valley with its apple orchards and scintillating blue lake is a popular tourist site.

Within easy reach of the town, this narrow gorge between lofty mountains culminates in a perennial spring. This is another major tourist attraction.

This is the second highest peak in the province – 3,488 m high. For climbers it presents a real challenge.

The district is blessed with an overall natural beauty. There are many more places of interest than those mentioned above. In the summer season, thousands of tourists visit the area.

Ziarat district’s total geographical area is 95,362 hectares out of which 65,976 hectares are classified as "area reported". Different sources gave different figures for the geographical area of Ziarat district (ranging from 953 hectares to 1,902 ha), although the combined total for Ziarat district and Sibi district are the same for these sources. Ziarat used to be a part of Sibi district. In the table below the figures given in the Agriculture Statistics of Balochistan are used. According to the statistics. The figure mentioned in the outline (page iii) 1,489 sq. kms, is the figure of the Board of Revenue. Arable land constitutes 13% of the geographical area and 18% of the "reported area".

The district is mostly mountainous area. It is roughly a rectangular piece of country comprising several valleys. The principal valleys are: Kach, Kawas, Ziarat, Zandra, Mangi, Mana, & Gogi Ahmadoon. The altitude ranges from 1800 - 3,488 meters.

The soil is loamy on both sides of the streams, and loamy stony in other places, varying in hardness according to proportion of clay and shingle. In most parts of the valleys, the fields are in terraces, the faces of which are carefully riveted with stones. The hill torrents are kept within bounds by well constructed spurs of timber and rush wood. In rainy seasons the flood water brought by hill torrents is diverted on to the fields. The fertile mud is beneficial for the cultivation of valuable crops.

The area is refreshingly cool in summer, from May to August. It starts getting cold in September and is extremely cold during November - March. In winter, it gets a good amount of snowfall.

Average rainfall is 20.60 mm. The range is 53.8 mm -1.3 mm. The months of January - March in winter and July – August in summer receive most of the rainfall.

In the dead of winter the temperature often falls well below zero Celsius. The temperature ranges from (-) 16⁰ to 20⁰ C.

(The Rainfall data is for the year 1994)

The soils are loamy on the sides of streams and loamy stony in other places. They account for 40% and 60% of the district’s soils, respectively.

Information on minerals in the district is not available. No mines are reported.

For cooking firewood is the principal source of energy. Gas cylinders are also used in Ziarat town, and in big villages to supplement firewood.

For lighting electricity and kerosene lamps are used.

The overall situation with respect to environment is good in the greater part of the district. The pollution in Ziarat town increases considerably during summer season due to heavy traffic flow, and the state of sanitation also deteriorates in the area due to inflow of tourists. Also in the big villages in Kawas and Ziarat area, the sanitation situation is bad. However, the overall environment in the district is still better as compared with other districts of Sibi Division.

The major development issues are to protect forests and to make increasing use of the arable land for production.

The district is blessed with a good land resource base in qualitative and quantitative terms. Some 54 percent of its total geographical area is under forests. The arable land is only 12 percent of the geographical area, and is under increasing population pressure. The land is very fertile and suitable for high value horticultural crops on account of which its value productivity is high. The potentials for expansion in arable land are however almost non-existent. The district's population is on the other hand, increasing continuously. Considerable construction activity is also going on and is expected to accelerate in future. Therefore, the land to man ratio is getting worse with time and the hazards to forests are also increasing fast.

In 1981, when the last census was conducted, the population of the area now comprising Ziarat district was 32,196. The projected figure for 1995 is 52,616. This projection is made by the National Institute of Population Studies (NIPS). Selected demographic data of the district are given below (Table 2.1).

According to the officials of the District Council, Ziarat, the district’s population in 1996 was around 116,000 which is more than twice the NIPS estimate of the district’s 1995 population. The District Councils estimate is based on data provided by the Union Councils. Authenticity of the population data provided by the Union Councils could not be verified. The NIPS estimate is, however, believed to be on the low side.

Because of the doubt raised above on the population data given in table 2.1, an objective appraisal of the district's population growth pattern is not possible. The natural growth rate in Ziarat is believed to be higher than in Sibi district and almost equal to Balochistan as a whole.

In the 1981 census of population, 16,228 males and 15,868 females were enumerated in the district. Thus females accounted for 49.60% of the total population. The male/female ratio was 1.02 i.e; 102 males per 100 females. Thus, unlike neighbouring Sibi district and the province as a whole the M/F ratio in this district is almost even.

A household, as defined in the population census, comprises persons living together and eating from the same kitchen and using the same budget, but not necessarily related to each other. In 1981, in Ziarat District a household in this sense had on average 10.5 members, according to the census conducted in that year. Although the district’s population is estimated to have increased by 63 percent during 1981-95, the average household size in 1995 would not necessarily be higher in the same proportion Because of some decline in the incidence of joint family, a large number of dwelling units have been constructed in the district during 1981 - 95. Numerous old houses have been expanded. This has facilitated the trend towards a more nuclear family oriented system.

In 1990, the average size of households was 11.9 for the district as a whole, according to the Census of Agriculture (1990). The corresponding figure for different categories of households are: farm households 12.8, livestock owner’s households 8.1, and non-agricultural households 6.7. The 1990 Census of Agriculture date seems to support the contention in the preceding para regarding growth of household size. As suggested by the Agriculture Census data, and as gathered from interviews with informed persons, the existing average household size would be around twelve persons.

A clear cut definition of 'dependent population’ is not available. An idea of its size can, however, be formed on the basis of data on marital status, male/female ratio, population below 15 and above – 60 years of age, and civilian labour force. It is estimated that around 25% of the districts population is married; the male/female ratio is 1.02 according to 1981 census; the population aged below 15 and above 60 years is 46%; and the civilian labour force is 30% of the total population. Civilian labour force can be taken as a good indicator in this respect. By this indicator the dependent population is estimated to be 70% of the total population.

Ziarat town is the only urban centre in the district. It has considerably expanded during 1981-95, but the expansion has not been of an order that would substantially lift the level of urbanization. Several large villages in the lower reaches of the district have, however, acquired semi-urban characteristics in terms of housing, access to electricity, growth of the off-farm sector, and development of other social and economic infrastructure. This transformation has not been documented fully and properly yet. It, however, appears to be a valid suggestion that the trend towards urbanisation has emerged and is getting stronger with time.

The district population lives in 115 villages. The average population of a village is 460 and the range is 185 to 4,600. Most of the villages have a population exceeding 250.

Ziarat district is almost an all Pathan district. The main tribes and sub tribes are:

Kakar: - Sarangzai

- Panezai

- Yasinzai

- Sanzerbhee

Ghilzai: - Dohtani

Bruhi: - Raisani

Syed: - Taran

- Aheduni

The Kakars constitute the majority, accounting for about 85 percent of the district population. Bruhis follow with ten percent, while the minor ethnic groups account for the remaining five percent of the population.

The district experiences considerable seasonal migration. Permanent immigration is none or negligible while little or no emigration is reported.

Out migration starts with the onset of winter in October/November and by the month of December nearly seventy percent of the population of Ziarat valley, Zindra, Kawas, etc, leaves for Sibi district. From the localities which receive heavy snow, almost the entire population migrates out. Many of the migrants from Ziarat own houses in Sibi district where they go to in winter. The majority of seasonal out migrants, however, lives in rented houses. They return to Ziarat in March/April.

Little or no permanent immigration is reported in the district. However, during spring and summer (April – September) thousands of tourists come to Ziarat for a short stay. The tourists come from as far as Karachi. The days of heaviest rush are holidays when hundreds of persons come to Ziarat for a day trip.

Nomads also come in a large number to various parts of the district during April – September to take up work in farms/orchards, and for casual labour. They live in tents.

It is not known whether any emigration has taken place from this district. No official report is available on this subject, nor do the officials of the union council and informed people in the district, know of any case of emigration.

Authentic and complete information on the size and composition of the labour force in the district is not available for any year. Even a rough approximation is not possible on this subject because of non-availability of reliable estimate of the district’s population. The available information on the subject is as follows.

According to the survey of labour force conducted by the Labour Department, in 1993-94 Ziarat District had 310 persons employed in private (off-farm) establishments . Included were 49 children but no women.

The corresponding official data for 1996-97 is not available. However, as indicated by the (i) a rapid reconnaissance of the Ziarat town and bazaars of the villages along side the Ziarat—Quetta road, and (ii) interviews with informed persons of the area, the existing (1996-97) number of wage workers in private establishments must be over two thousand. This is true for the months of April - October. Commercial activity in Ziarat town and around subsides a lot during November - March, but even then the number of private wage workers would be close to two thousand.

Use of full time wage labour in the farm sector is very rare. Farming is largely a domestic-labour based enterprise. Wage labourers (paid in cash and in kind) are engaged mostly at land preparation and harvesting time. A quantitative measure of the size of this kind of labour force is not available.

The public sector is an important employer. According to the District Accounts Officer, 1,436 persons are employed in the Offices of the Government of Balochistan. The number of employees paid by the Federal Government, Banks, public sector (federal) autonomous organisations is not known, but is believed to be running in hundreds (excluding defence personnel).

With the exception of Ziarat town, which accounts for approximately five percent of the district's population, most of the rural population lives in its own houses.

With the exception of Ziarat town, over ninety percent of the houses are "Kacha" i.e. thatched. Here and there semi- Pacca houses are also seen, but they constitute only a small percentage of the total. The roofs are slanting and made of tin. In Ziarat town, most of the houses are Pacca or semi-Pacca.

Cooking: Firewood is the principal source of energy for cooking. Animal dung is used along with firewood. LPG (gas cylinder) is also used, and is in good demand. Both firewood and gas cylinders are very expensive, and are not widely available. Therefore, there is a widespread demand for extension of Sui gas up to Ziarat town as that will provide cheaper and abundant energy for cooking as well as heating and also help reduce the out-migration that is forced by winter.

Housing characteristics vary from place to place. In the hilly parts of the district, the houses are scattered, of a small size, mostly rectangular, and fully covered by a tin roof. In the plain area, the houses are relatively bigger, with separate bedroom, sitting room (Hujra), store, cattle shed, and front/back yard.

Sanitation: The majority (over 95%) of the houses has pit-latrines inside which are meant mainly for women and children. Men go outside, and each household has a specific place for this purpose i.e. to serve as a toilet in the field. A small number of houses in rural areas, and most houses in Ziarat town, have flush latrines.

In the villages there is no drainage system. For disposal of bathroom water, a pit is dug outside the house, while the other waste water is simply dumped out in the street.

In Ziarat town the sanitation situation in better as compared with the villages. As stated above, most houses have flush latrines. Besides, a drainage system also exists for disposal of waste water. But the overall sanitation situation is not satisfactory, and it gets chaotic during the summer season when tourists come to the town in large numbers.

The district experiences large scale seasonal migration both in winter and the summer. The bulk of the population moves out and lives in Sibi District and other places during November – March, every year. This may be causing many socio-economic problems to the affected people, which need be studied to assess their nature and extent. A similar case is the inflow of tourists during April—September, and in its wake several problems including those of sanitation, drinking water, overcrowding in Ziarat city, environmental threats etc. These need be identified, and assessed for appropriate remedial action.

Extension of the Sui gas pipeline to Ziarat would be beneficial for the environment (less wood cutting), for the costs of living (less costs) and for the seasonal migration (less people would go to Sibi every winter).

Pathans are the major ethnic group in the district, accounting for about 90 percent of total population. The remaining ten percent is comprised of mainly Bruhis and Syeds. Since this is a mainly Pashtoon populated district, the study in this chapter focuses on this group's characteristics.

The joint family system is heavily dominant in the district and is a major determinant of the housing pattern. A joint family consists of husband and wife, sons, unmarried daughters, families of married sons, parents of husband, unmarried (or widowed/ divorced) brothers and sisters of the husband. Among the Pathans the joint family may extend even to greatgrandchildren. They live within four walls in Haveli type houses comprising a large number of rooms. In numerous cases as many as sixty to seventy persons can be found living in a single house. The house of course sprawls over a large area. It is also common that several houses are built within a single enclosure with a common gate. A village is normally inhabited by a single tribe. Villages with population representing several tribes are rare.

The joint family system, as described above, dominates in the district. Unlike the neighbouring districts of Sibi and Quetta, no strong tendency is observed towards the nuclear family system.

People usually marry within their own tribe.

Each community has its own headman, called the Killi Malik (village headman). Similarly each tribe (comprising several clans/communities) has a Malik. In the selection of a Malik the main determinant is heredity. This tradition is, however, not as rigidly followed by the Pathans of Ziarat, as is followed Baloch. The individual characteristics - the man's influence, qualities, wealth, etc. carry far greater importance in the selection of a headman or Malik among Pathans than among Baloch and others. The retention of influence acquired by the Malik, however, depends on external support such as that of the government rather than of the tribesmen themselves. The institution of the tribal Malik is weakening with time. Individuals and small groups prefer to have direct contacts with the government rather than approach their Malik in every matter.

Pathans are by nature individualistic. The Malik system continues to exist, like many other traditions, but is weakening gradually, as observed above, in terms of its effectiveness.

The system of communal co-operation does exist in Ziarat district but is not as strong or prominent as in the neighbouring district of Sibi. This is perhaps due to the predominance of the joint family system, which enables each family to take care of all or most of its problems on its own, and to the comparatively better economic conditions of the district due to the fruit production.

Almost all inhabitants of Ziarat district are Muslims and practice the Sunni faith. Men as well as women offer prayers five times a day, fully fast in the month of Ramzan-ul-Mubarak and celebrate all religious festivals with fervour. Women strictly observe purdah, and normally stay inside the house. Most of the young boys and girls attend mosques to learn the Holy Quran. The district has about fifteen madrassa’s (religious schools) where boys come for religious education from far and near places.

Conflicts within a tribe or between two tribes are in the first instance attempted to be solved in the traditional way through Jirgas, through the sub tribe's Malik or tribal Malik, as the case may be. If no settlement is reached, the matter is referred to the court. In some cases - approximately only two percent of the total, disputes are settled also by the Qazi Courts.

Almost all arms holders have arm licenses. Unlicensed arms are rare. The arms are not displayed in public.

Women of the relatively well-to-do and also of middle income families attend only to household work. Their participation in farm activities is not reported. Those belonging to low income households are heavily engaged in domestic work and also assist their men in several farming activities, especially livestock care. In the daily matters of life, women have little or no decision making role. They are restricted to the household and they can go out side only under strict guard of men. They are not given a share in inheritance nor do they claim any although the Islamic law of inheritance allows women a share in property. Even in such a vital matter as marriage, their consent is not taken.

The women have a subordinate position mainly because in Pashtoon society women are considered as a code of honour of men. Hence one way of protecting their honour is to confine them to the homes, keep them uneducated so they do not stand up against men, ignore their consent in all matters so they do not disgrace them by choosing against their will.

Child labour is almost non-existent in the district according to the local people and government officials. No children (below 10 years of age) were seen working in shops, restaurants, workshops etc. The number of apprentices could not be ascertained. Apprentices are, however, reported to be found in every artisan's shop, workshop, etc.

Ziarat district was registered in July, 1986. The district has only one Sub-Division (Ziarat) and one Tehsil (Ziarat). Thus Ziarat town is headquarters of the district of the Sub division, and also of the tehsil. The administrative set up is as under:

All nation building departments (also called the line departments), except Irrigation, Public Health, and Food, have district level officers posted in Ziarat district. The aforementioned three departments are controlled by these department's Sibi district heads.

Before acquiring status of a district in July, 1986, the areas now covered by Ziarat district were included in Sibi district. Therefore, it shares the history of local government with Sibi district. Thus relevant information is reproduced from Sibi profile as below and is to be taken to apply to Ziarat.

Before 1947 the local government system in Sibi district was governed by the Bazar Regulations introduced in 1910 by the British Government. The members of local bodies were nominated members and they were administrated by Deputy Commissioners. During 1947-58, local bodies stayed inactive in Sibi district like in the rest of the Province. Local bodies were activated in 1958 with the introduction of the Basic Democracies Order of 1959 issued by the martial law regime of General Muhammad Ayub Khan. The B.D. System had four tiers. These were 1) Union council, Tehsil council, District council, Divisional council, in the case of rural areas, and 2) Town committee, Municipal committee, District council, and Divisional council in the case of urban areas. Thus district council and divisional council were common to rural and urban local bodies.

The Basic Democracies system was amended and superseded by the present system introduced through Balochistan Local Government Ordinance of 1980. It is a two tier system comprising union councils and district councils for rural areas, and town committees/municipal committees and district council for urban areas. See Annex 4 for the functions of the Local Government institutions.

The Ziarat district has one district council, four union councils and one municipal committee. Membership of a Union Council is by election, through universal adult franchise. The same applies to the municipal committee. The members of the district council are drawn from elected members of union councils. The elected chairman of the municipal committee is ex-officio member of the district council.

The local government administration in the district has two major components:

1. The Local Government Department headed by an Assistant Director
2. Local Government Institutions i.e. municipal committee, union councils, and district council.

The Assistant Director, Local Government (ADLG) communicates with the District Council (representing the rural areas) and the Municipal Committee Ziarat. Functions to be performed by local bodies are laid down in Baluchistan Local Government Ordinance, 1980. A detailed list of these functions is given in Annex-4. The list is quite long. It includes most things that need to be done to improve the quality of life, and selectively contribute to socio-economic amelioration of the rural and urban centres in the jurisdiction of local bodies. The major concerns of local bodies, as listed in the 1980 Ordinance are: agriculture development, economic welfare, cultural activities, education, livestock and dairy development, public health, public safety, public works, and rural development.

The functions actually performed are, however, not as extensive as the list in Annex-4 might suggest. The local bodies main involvement is with water supply, sanitation, public safety (fire fighting), street/path improvement and cultural activities. Their overall performance in these areas is, however, not quite satisfactory, chiefly due to lack of finances.

The union council is the lowest tier in the local government system. The district has four union councils. They have no development program of their own nor funds for this purpose. However, they perform a role in attracting government attention to local development problems by communicating these to the appropriate forum.

There is no town committee in this district.

There is only one municipal committee in the district - the Ziarat M.C. Its average annual income during 1991-92 through 1995-96 was Rs. 0.58 million; Rs. 0.65 million in 1995-96. The chief sources of income are octroi and taxes levied by the municipal committee which accounted for almost 85% of income of the committee during 1995-96. During 1991-96 it received grants totalling Rs. 1,075,000 from the government to meet its deficits; Rs. 800,000 in 1992-93 and Rs. 275,000 in 1995-96. Its official functions are the same as given in Annex-4, and briefly described earlier in this chapter, but in reality its activities are confined to sanitation, street/ path improvement, fire fighting, etc.

The Ziarat district council's office is located at Ziarat town. Its jurisdiction extends to all areas under the district's union councils i.e. all rural areas of Ziarat district. Its members are elected from rural and urban local bodies, as described earlier in this chapter. Officially assigned functions of the district council are given in detail in Annex-4. Its actual activities are far fewer. Its only source of income was the Zila (district) tax, which has been abolished. The district council, however, plays an important role as linkage between the union councils and the district/division/provincial administration and as a venue where the different union councils representatives meet.

There is no particular law and order problem in this district. The people are generally law abiding, peaceful, and blood feuds are rare. There is fierce litigation mostly on water and land, but this is not widespread. The district is reputed to be the most peaceful place in Pakistan.

For maintenance of law and order the district has police and levies. The police force is responsible for carrying out this function in Zone-A (Ziarat town) while the levies are responsible for Zone-B (covering the whole district minus Ziarat town). The present strength of levies, but also of police is considered quite insufficient by the district administration.

The provincial government's revenue administration is headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The local government institutions are involved in this sphere within the localities under their jurisdiction. Provincial and federal level agencies are also involved in this respect as shown below:

Legend: x is responsible for collection of revenue concerned

The important political parties are Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP),Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N),Balochistan National Movement (BNM) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Six NGOs are registered with the District Social Welfare Department. They are engaged in welfare activities of various kinds such as: welfare of children, women, and youth; patients welfare; training and rehabilitation of the destitute women; vocational training etc.

The local and provincial government organizations in this district are facing a number of problems. The problem of insufficiency of funds is common to all departments, especially to union councils and other local bodies. Proper office space is not available, and government officials from outside Ziarat are facing serious problems of residential accommodation.

In the winter season most of the government officials are not found in their seats. The exceptions are the Deputy Commissioner, the Police, and other officials who are directly under the Deputy Commissioner/Police Chief or who are supposed to be in close liaison with them. There is a lack of working relations between the local bodies and the government departments on the one hand, and also between the various government departments on the other hand. The Deputy Commissioner is supposed to be the overall administrator of the district and co-ordinator of all government and local government organizations. He, however, does not have the necessary administrative authority over the line departments and the police. Therefore, the government departments in the district are not working as efficiently as they should. However, their overall performance is still fairly satisfactory.

Thus the major issues in this district are lack of funds for government/local bodies, problems of inadequate offices and residential facilities; lack of co-ordination between government and non-government agencies, and a decrease in the authority of the Deputy Commissioner.

Women are completely out of any kind of public or political activity. This is a major concern from a development perspective.

The agricultural sector - concentrating almost entirely on fruit production, is one of the major sources of income and employment in this district. It is estimated that in 1994-95 the gross value of agricultural production was Rs. 283,400/ hectare, the highest in Sibi division of which Ziarat is one of districts.

The district is almost a single crop region. Little or nothing is grown in Rabi season. In Kharif season, only fruit is produced. Barring a small area of not more than 200 hectares under wheat, fodder, and vegetables, almost the entire cropped area of the district was accounted for by fruit during 1990-95. The fruits grown are apple, almond, apricot, peaches, plum, pear, pomegranate, cherry etc. Apple is the most important fruit.

The district's total geographical area is 95,362 hectares (see remarks in paragraph 1.1). Land use statistics are available for 65,976 hectares (being the total reported area). Cultivated area of the district is 12,065 hectares, (Table 5.1.1). The cultivated area accounts for 12.65% of the district's total area. Cropped (net sown) area is only 3.55% of the latter. Forest covers 54% area.

The total area measured by the revenue department was 9,627 hectares. The land use classification of this area is shown in the table. The statistics of the revenue department and those of agriculture department are, however, not consistent. The analysis of the agriculture sector is based on agriculture department's statistics.

The last land settlement (in terms of ownership of the district's land) can be classified into i) state land and ii) private land. All private holdings have been measured and cadastral maps are available. Proper records are maintained by the revenue department showing the names of the owners and the land parcel owned by them. The system of individual proprietary holding is in practice.

Fruits are the major crop of the district. Orchard owners lease their orchards out for cash to contractors when the fruit trees are in the flowering stage. The contractors are responsible for all subsequent operations including packing, transportation and sale of the fruit.

Agricultural statistics are collected, compiled and published by the statistics wing of the Directorate General of the Agriculture Department of the Government of Balochistan. The data is collected by the statistical staff in the district, and compiled at the Quetta headquarters. Considerable scepticism is found regarding the accuracy of the data. The crop area, especially of fruit and vegetables, is said (by district officers) to be under reported. Similarly, production statistics are thought to be based on rough estimates rather than scientific surveys.

Area, total production, and average yield of the crops are given in the annex 6 for the years 1990-91 to 1994-95. It will be seen in the table that practically the entire cropped area was under fruits. The other crops are wheat, potato, fodder, etc, but they occupied only a fraction of the total area under crops.

There is not much to report about the cropping pattern in this district. As reported above, all but a fraction of the total cropped area is under fruit. Among the fruits, apple dominates. In 1994-95 out of the total of 3,369 ha of fruit trees, apple accounted for 2,403 ha (71%). The remaining 29% were accounted for by almond, cherry, apricot, peaches, plum, pomegranate and peas.

The district produced 37,135 tonnes of fruit and other crops annually on average during 1990-95. Apple accounted for the bulk of this output.

Farming is almost entirely a private enterprise and is managed at household level. In the 1990 census of Agriculture only a small percentage were Governments farms.

Both family members and hired workers participate in farming. Use of hired labour is more extensive in this district as compared with the neighbouring Sibi district. In so far as family workers are concerned, they include both men and women.

The entire cereal and vegetable production is consumed locally. The district‘s surplus is in fruit production which finds its way mostly to markets in other provinces besides Quetta city.

Almost the entire cultivated area is irrigated. The sources of irrigation are open wells, tube wells, karezes / springs and small dams. The area irrigated by these sources is given for the years 1990-1995 in annex 6. The data for 1994-95 (for the area under crops) is given in the table below.

Accurate recent data on the number of tractors is not available. According to the 1994-95 agricultural statistics 327 tractors were registered in the district, of which 6 were government owned. Only 3 threshers were registered, all of them privately owned. In the same year; 1,091 tube wells were reported, almost all of them privately owned and diesel operated. In general it can be concluded that the use of the agricultural machinery has increased over the years.

All agricultural inputs - seed, fertilizers, insecticides, etc., are supplied by the private sector. Farmers buy these mostly locally and also obtain parts or supplies, if the need arises, from Quetta city. In 1994-95 88.20 tonnes of chemical fertilizer was used in the district.

A marketable surplus is produced only in the case of fruit, and this is substantial. The dominant practice, as also stated before, is to lease out the orchard to contractors at the flowering stage. The price is paid in full when the orchard is leased out. The lease is mostly for one season.

After the orchard is leased out it is managed by the contractor until the lease is over. The contractor looks after the fruit plants, arranges for picking, grading, packing, transportation and all subsequent marketing operations.

In the case of diffused (scattered) fruit plants, the farmers themselves manage picking and packing. The fruit is sold to Beopari (contractors) visiting the village. The Beopari arrange transport and further marketing operations.

Data on whole sale and retail prices of fruits; the major crop of the district, is not available. Prices are determined by the market.

No authentic information is available on levels of agricultural income over time. Considering, however, the fact that the total production of fruit (which is all that the agriculture sector produces in this district) has been increasing continuously during 1990-95 and also as fruit prices have maintained a steady rise during this period, the per hectare gross as well as net revenue (and income) must be rising too.

The following offices of the Department of Agriculture exist in Ziarat district.

1. Extra Assistant Director of Agriculture (Extension)

2. Extra Assistant Director of On-Farm Water Management.

3. Assistant Director, Fruit Development Experimental Station

4. Agricultural Officer, Trickle Irrigation.

Farming is an entirely private enterprise in which the farmer and his household members are the main actors. Various GO/NGO and private enterprises, however, provide agriculture support services. The services provided by them and the extent of their involvement are shown below.

The agricultural sector is nearly a single crop sector: the area under cultivation is almost entirely producing fruits, with a dominating position for apples (71%). The remaining production (cereals, vegetables) is consumed locally. In case of fruits there is of course a marketable surplus. The fruit is sold to contractors that visit the villages. The income of the farmers in Ziarat could probably be increased by bypassing or at least reviewing the role of these contractors.

An issue is the role of the Department of Agriculture, in particular the extension provided by that Department. According to experts the fruit production can be increased substantially without further increasing the area under cultivation and without higher water requirements. More modern cultivation methods, an efficient use of irrigation water and use of improved seeds would be important steps forward. The introduction of such improvements

requires a skilled and well organized extension service which is trusted by the growers. Here lies a challenge for the Department of Agriculture.

The livestock sector makes an important contribution to income and employment in Ziarat district. The important livestock species are goats, sheep, donkeys and cattle (in that order). Goats and sheep constitute the bulk of the district's total livestock units.

Results of the 1996 census of livestock are not yet available, nor does the livestock department have any estimate of its own as to the LUs and kind wise number in 1996 or a recent year. The most recent official data are provided by the Pakistan Census of Agriculture, 1990. According to this source, in 1990 the district had 10,435 sheep, 31,979 goats, 1,041 donkeys, and 577 other animals. The total LUs were 22,305. In 1996 the total number of livestock would be about five to seven percent more than 1990, as ascertained from discussion with the Livestock Departments officials, farmers and other persons in the district. The proportion of sheep is reported to be increasing, and that of goats declining, in the total livestock population.

Women play a major role in raising livestock; they are involved in preparing the feed, cleaning of shelters, medication, milk processing etc.

Cattle are found only in small numbers in this district. In 1990 the district had 476 cattle. And the figure for 1997 would not be very different as there are no reports of any significant change in this respect after 1990.

The small ruminants - goats and sheep, account for the bulk of livestock population in the district. In 1990, there were 42,414 goats and sheep, which accounted for 96% of total livestock units in the district. In terms of LUs, goats and sheep were equal to 21,207 (LUs), while the total livestock units in the district were 22,305 in 1990.

The existing (1997) situation in this respect is not known, but is not thought to be materially different from that in 1990. Goat and sheep keeping is gradually receiving commercial orientation. This enterprise supplements farm income, and is a good supplementary source of income to small farmers and land-less persons. Livestock also provides a welcome supplement to the diet.

During 1993-96 a total of 8,125 animals were slaughtered in the district annually on average. Almost 98 percent of these were sheep and goats. The total number has been falling steeply since 1993-94, in this year 9,417 animals were slaughtered. The corresponding figure is 6,038 for 1995-96.

There is a government poultry farm in the district, but it is not working presently. It had 4,732 poultry birds in 1992-93. The number fell drastically over the years till 1994-95, and thereafter the farm was closed.

Poultry at household level is very common in this area.

Women are very much involved with this activity. Eggs and chicken are sold on the local market.

The district has a fairly good governmental set up for livestock disease control. It has one hospital and eleven veterinary dispensaries. In 1995-96, the veterinary system treated 18,170 animals while 22,791 animals and birds were vaccinated.

The common diseases are: Lireen fluke, lung warm, wire worm, mange ticks, pneomsa. Lung worm is the most common disease, followed by wire worms, and Mange.

The Veterinary Institutions comprise one Civil Veterinary Hospital (CVH) located at Ziarat town and ten Civil Veterinary Dispensaries (VD) located at different places in the district; Zindra, Kawas, Kach, Spazandhi, Gog, Ahmedoon, Tangi, Kan, Tor Shera, and Panky.

The Department of Livestock and Dairy Development is headed in Ziarat district by the Assistant Director Livestock Development. He is assisted by the Veterinary Officers and a staff of forty junior officials.

The livestock sector is served both by the public and private sector. The services provided and extent of involvement of various agencies is shown below.

No particular serious issues are found in the livestock sector. The Livestock and Dairy Development Department seems to be doing well. Its major constraint is, however, that of high cost of medicines as the livestock owners cannot afford the medicines even with a 50% subsidy. Another major problem is the lack of appropriate residential facilities for the staff. Concern has as yet not been voiced in respect of the state of veterinary hospital and dispensaries buildings, equipment, etc., but there is an obvious need of a substantial improvement of working conditions of the employees.

No activities worth mentioning in this sector.

Ziarat has the distinction of having the second largest area of juniper forests in the world. Its total forest area is 51,335 hectares which is 54% of the district's total geographical area.

A division of the forest area into reserve forests, state forests, and range land is not available. The Forest Department officers were not available when visited to obtained the required data. The area of state forest is, however, unofficially reported to be small. The juniper forest is a protected area.

Commercial forestry is not found in this district, largely due to the fact that juniper trees are a protected species.

Juniper is the major species of trees. The other major species are: Wild Ash; Wild Almond; Olea species; Khujak.

Trees can be cut only under license issued by the Forest Department. The licensees are private entrepreneurs who are closely supervised by the Forest Department's officials while tree harvesting is in progress. The forests seem to be well protected and the law on tree harvesting is strictly enforced, although still some illegal woodcutting is reported.

The district forests are looked after by the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) who is based in Ziarat town. He is assisted by officers, forest guards, and other staff, totalling 126 persons. The Forest Department has prepared a project named "Conservation and Management of Juniper Forest". The project concerns Ziarat, Choutani (Loralai district) and Shahrug (Sibi District). The major components of the project areas provided in the project proposal; "diagnostic survey and preparation of the (forest) management plan; zoning of forest; raising of forest nursery to produce planting stock; organization of community and formulation of social groups; mass awareness for public education; control of mistletoe disease; block afforestation and planting along stream beds and community orchards; social and conservation works through check dams, trenches etc.; development of springs, streams, and other water resources; impart training to the staff; and provide job opportunities. The juniper areas will be divided into the following zones.

About 1,000 ha around Ziarat town to ensure greenery.

About 10,000 ha of second best forest where villagers can collect fuel wood and grass.

About 37,500 ha will be earmarked for grazing management.

The above mentioned proposed project is a continuation of the on-going work for forest development. The forest department seems to have achieved a good deal of awareness among the masses about the importance of forest conservation. The department seems to be doing well generally speaking, but the task confronting it is huge and challenging.

The wild life reported in the district comprises: Suleman Markhor, Chakoor, Seesee, wolf, rabbit etc. In order to protect the wildlife several areas have been declared wildlife reserves. Enforcement of laws on wildlife is generally satisfactory.

Bee keepers from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) come to Ziarat district with their bee boxes when the fruit trees are in blossom. They stay here for two or three months and then move to other places. No information is available about local bee keepers. On many picnic spots pure honey is sold to tourists.

In the past the district has experienced large scale deforestation, mostly in the areas close to the roads. This process has, however, been stopped to a large extent. The Forest Department seems to be doing well in respect of protection of forest, afforestation, and other activities. What is particularly worth mentioning is the increasing awareness among the masses about the need to protect the district forests. The on-going and proposed future projects for forestry development take due care of the issues of deforestation, overgrazing, tree diseases etc.

But that does not mean that there is no development issue in this sector. While resources for development are essential, it is felt that the efficiency and discipline in the Forest Department still has a lot of scope for improvement. People’s participation in forest development should be increased.

No mining activity is reported in the district. Nor is any information available on mineral occurrence and potential of developing any kind of mining industry in the district.

Ziarat district had 143 industrial and commercial establishments in 1993-94, according to the official counts. The exact existing (1997) number of enterprises of different types and their employees is not available from any source. Therefore, the walk, talk, and see methods had to be deployed to arrive at a rough estimate in this regard. Even by most guarded and rough estimates, both the number of enterprises and that of employees must be more than recorded in 1993-94. Numerous regular shops have been constructed in recent years and many more are under construction. Besides regular shops, there are numerous vendors in every locality. Their number would be no less than that of regular shops, except in Ziarat town where vendors are not as many as in Bazars of Kawas, Zandra and Kach.

The manufacturing/milling units existing in the district cater only to the local demand. These units include flour mills; motor/cycle workshops; artisans shops, etc. On the whole there is not much to report on manufacturing/ milling activity in the area presently.

No information is available on trade within the district and between the district and other areas.

Ziarat is a famous and popular tourist resort of Balochistan. It attracts tourists from as far as Karachi, and a few from Punjab. Several thousand tourists visit Ziarat town, mostly during April - August. On weekends, hundreds of young and old visitors come to the town on a day trip. There are six hotels and thirteen rest houses in Ziarat town. In the peak of the tourist season, they are unable to provide accommodation to all visitors. The existing facilities for tourists are wholly inadequate. The district tourist attractions are still not fully explored and developed. Much scope exists in this respect.

Existence of handicraft activity is reported in this district, but data on the kind and scale of handicrafts is not available. Shops in Ziarat town are seen selling pieces of embroidery, hand bags, decoration tapestry, etc. made by rural women of Ziarat district. No information is available on where these are made, how regularly, and on what scale.

The Small Industries Development Board, Government of Balochistan, has a carpet manufacture and training centre at Zindra. It is headed by a Manager. It is meant mainly for providing training to boys.

The district does not have any industry worth mentioning. Its commercial sector, catering to local consumers demand, has however, registered considerable expansion. Much of the commercial activity in Ziarat town is depending on tourism which is at its peak during May - August. Facilities for tourists are not adequate, and that is a great hurdle to tourists inflow. Handicraft industry can be developed by providing incentives, such as training and loans to the local women who are apt in the art of embroidery. With a view on the cultural constrains, this can be developed as a home industry.

The overall situation with respect to economic infrastructure and communication is not satisfactory. The roads are inadequate, most are shingled and the black topped roads, except in and around Ziarat town, are not in good condition. Transport facilities are also inadequate. However, improvement is taking place in respect of roads, transport, electricity, potable water service, banking etc. Still much more needs to be done.

The total length of roads is 297.60 km, out of which only 72.50 km are black topped and the rest is shingled. The 16 km shingle part of Quetta - Ziarat road is being black topped. All roads are provincial roads.

There is only one transport company in Ziarat town. This company operates eight vehicles between Ziarat - Quetta and two between Ziarat town and valleys in the district. Buses and wagons of other companies, based outside the district, ply between Quetta - Ziarat. Several of these busses pass through Ziarat town and carry passengers to other places in the district.

In the summer season numerous vehicle can be seen on Quetta - Ziarat road and in Ziarat town. Most of these are private and many are chartered vehicles. The public transport service picks up only a small fraction of the tourists and is considered wholly inadequate to cater to local peoples daily needs. The worst affected are those who live in remote valleys. Among them, the women are hit worst. Many women in labour die due to the lack of transport facilities in the valley, as they cannot be taken in time, and comfortably, to hospital if problems develop during pregnancy.

No rail or air service is available in the district.

Authentic statistics are not available regarding the number of radio and television sets in the district. Radios/ transistors are said to be found in a good number all over the district. One can also see a large number of ordinary and dish antennas in Ziarat town and the big rural and semi-urban settlements along Quetta - Ziarat road. Although it is not known how many households have TV sets, there are strong indications that the number of TV sets is increasing fast in the district.

Telecommunication facilities are concentrated in Ziarat town and the settlements along Quetta - Ziarat roads. The number of telephone connections is said to be approximately 400 and it is increasing every year. There is only one PCO in Ziarat town. A few shops and hotels, however, provide telephone facility to their customers.

Government officials and people in the district are not satisfied with telecommunication facilities. It is difficult to secure a telephone connection. There is no public PCO with direct dialling facility. If one wants to book a long distance call then it has to be booked through the exchange at Sibi.

Similarly, telephone subscribers have to go outside Ziarat to get their telephone bills corrected if there is some error or discrepancy. It should be noted that it is now more than a decade ago that Ziarat was separated from Sibi and made a district.

There are three branches of commercial banks, and one of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADBP) of Pakistan. All of these branches are located in Ziarat town. The ADBP is performing fairly well. The service of lending is rising and the recovery rate is good, according to the ADBP Manager. The borrowers are mostly fruit orchard owners. No special facilities are available to provide loans to women.

There are four grid stations in the district. The number of electricity consumers is: domestic 1,572, commercial 157, agricultural 19, industrial 2. The total consumers are 1,750. The grid stations are at Ziarat town, Zindra, Kawas and Katch Bazar. In all, 33 villages are electrified. As stated above, 1,750 electricity connections have been given till 1995-96 as compared with the corresponding figure of 1,564 in 1992-93. The progress is rather slow. There are at least 2 scheduled electricity-off periods a day, each lasting several hours. The overall situation with respect to electricity supply is thus not satisfactory.

Gas cylinders are used both for cooking and lighting. Government officials and inhabitants have recommended that the Sui gas pipe line should be extended up to Ziarat town. This will greatly improve the quality of life in the district and reduce the pressure on the forest for supply of fuel wood.

There are thirteen (government) rest houses in Ziarat town. Besides, there are six private hotels. There is also a PTDC Motel. The rest houses and the PTDC Motel have reasonable to good accommodation. Most of the private hotels are, however, in poor shape. A number of unregistered private guest houses are also found in Ziarat town. On the whole, the hotel/rest house situation is not satisfactory. The private hotels are mostly dirty and too expensive for the kind of service they provide. A little more investment in the private and public sector establishments can make them much more comfortable.

The overall state of economic infrastructure is not satisfactory. The district needs more and better all-weather roads, more electricity, better transport facilities, and also more accommodation facilities - rest houses/hotels, for visitors/tourists. While more money needs to be ploughed into these services, the standard of management - especially of tourists - oriented services particularly needs to be improved.

The water supply situation in the district varies from place to place. On the whole, it is not adequate. Only about 37% of the population has access to potable water supplied by water supply schemes of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED). The remaining 63% population depends on wells, karezes, springs, and streams. Even in the places where PHED water supply schemes are in operation the quantity of water is not adequate for the population.

Source : Water & Sanitation, LG & RDD

Agriculture Statistics, GoB.

PHED, GoB, Quetta & XENs Offices of PHED at Districts.

Drinking water is drawn by the people from PHED potable water supply schemes, wells, springs, karezes, and streams. The PHED has eight water supply schemes in operation, in Ziarat, Mullah Hutain, Kawas, Mana Karez, G-Kawar, Karin Bang, Faqeer Mohammad and J- Bandal. The schemes in Karaz Bang and Faqeer Mohammad are in the final stage. the other six schemes provide 1.6 million litres a day. Three water supply schemes are based on springs, four on surface wells, and one on a tube well. Another two schemes are in progress in Mamozar Kawas and Zindra.

Further expansion in potable water supply facilities is planned by the government. Besides PHED, the Ziarat Valley Development Authority (ZVDA) is also associated with water supply schemes.

In addition to PHED, and ZVDA the local bodies are also associated in rural areas with development of potable water supply based on open wells. Information on the scale of their involvement in the district is, however, not available.

Women are the prime collectors of water. In case water supply schemes are absent, they bring water on their backs from far away streams or wells in leather bags known as "Mushkeezas".

The PHED is responsible for development and management of drinking water schemes. The Ziarat Valley Development Authority is likely to take over this function from PHED.

Ground water in Ziarat district is of good quality. No information is available on the volume of this resource, but it is believed that the resources are adequate for the population. The problem is that of harnessing these resources by developing water supply schemes.

Sanitation situation is bad all over the district and especially in the rural areas. There are no arrangements for drainage of waste water, nor for waste collection and disposal. Garbage is seen lying around, producing foul smells.

In Ziarat town there are water drains as well as arrangements for waste collection and disposal. The staff responsible for sanitation is, however, inadequate. The worst period in respect of sanitation is when tourists inflow is at its peak i.e. May-August.

There is a full-fledged PHED division at Ziarat headed by a Divisional Engineer and staffed by engineers, sub-engineers and other staff.

The agencies associated with water and sanitation services and the services provided by them are shown below.

The situation in respect of drinking water supply and sanitation is not satisfactory. There are a number of clean drinking water supply schemes in the district, but they are unable to meet the full requirements of the population in their jurisdiction. Water is available for a few hours a day and the quantity is small. Water shortage is felt particularly in Ziarat town in summer. Therefore, it was no surprise when every respondent of this study ranked drinking water as a top problem.

The sanitation situation is bad and getting worse in Ziarat town and also rural areas. All efforts of the Ziarat Valley Development Authority (ZVDA) and of the Ziarat Municipality, have failed to arrest the deterioration. While improvement in sanitation all over the district need be placed high the on development agenda, Ziarat town and areas around it deserve priority in view of their being a tourists resort.

Women have a major role in collecting water. It is important that women are involved in community level decision making on water schemes, in particular with regard to selection of sides for pumps and tanks.

The state of health of the district population in general seems to be satisfactory, measured by provincial standards. The number of medical units in the public sector is considered fair on the whole, but there are a number of localities in valleys where there are no medical facilities and from where it is not easy to bring the patients to medical units in other areas, as roads are bad or absent. The worst victims of this situation are the women and infants. Many women die while pregnant due to non availability of timely medical aid.

On the quality of medical attention and the overall state of medical services, there are different views. On the whole, it appears that the district's public sector health system compares well with most other districts in terms of quality of service. There are however, staffing and other problems which are affecting the systems efficiency.

The health system comprises predominantly the government health service. The number of private qualified doctors and hakeem in the district is not known, but is believed to be small. A few NGOs are engaged in activities contributing to child welfare, family planning and patients welfare.

The past health information reporting system was poor, according to the district's health officer. With the adoption of HMIS (Health Management Information System) the reliability of various indicators is expected to improve.

Major diseases in the district are: ARI (Acute respiratory infection), Diarrhoea; PUO (fever), arthritis; skin diseases. Information on the incidence of these diseases is not available.

There is one MCH (Mother and Child Health Centre) in the district. Facilities for vaccination and inoculation are available at the civil hospital and BHUs. Some 45% of the children under 2-years age were fully immunized by the district health service system. The district's special health service system has adopted PHC and TBA. Forty-eight trained LHVs are working, and 36 TBA’s, have been trained.

The government Health Department is headed by a District Health Officer(DHO). The staff comprises the following:

The overall situation in respect of health services is satisfactory by provincial standards. There are, however, problems and there is much scope for further improvement.

The major issues are:

* Non-availability of local female staff - LHVs and Nurses.

* Poor Laboratory facilities.

* Non-availability of specialist services at district level.

* Lack of health facilities in remote areas.

Besides the other problems, as reported by Health Department officers, it is felt that the medical officers do not have appropriate residential and transport facilities. An issue of general nature is that of high illiteracy of the people and the unhygienic living conditions and personal habits. Improvement in these respects would help lower the incidence of illness. This stresses the need for a widespread health education programme.

The overall profile of the education sector in Ziarat district is fairly good. A steady, though still not adequate, increase has been maintained in the number of schools, teachers and students. What is, however, most gratifying is the report that the performance of schools is good. Classes are held regularly, attendance is good, and so is the standard of teaching, as the reports go. Due to seasonal migration the school schedule in Ziarat town and upper valleys gets delayed by about 10-15 day as the return of local population gets delayed, which happens if the cold/snowfall is heavier than normal.

The district has educational facilities only up to high school level. There is a proposal to start a Higher secondary school/college, too. The number of schools is given in the table below.

The number of teachers, male and female taken together, is 440 (for 1994-95). This is 45 more than the corresponding total of 395 in 1992-93.

School enrolment has maintained a steady upward trend during 1991-97. In 1996-97 the total enrolment was 8,414 as compared with 5,979 in 1991-92.

-- = Data no available

M = Male

F = Female

T = Total

The continuous increase in girls enrolment is a notable positive feature. The parents attitude towards girls education at least at primary level is quite positive.

Government school system is identical throughout Balochistan province which comprises the following types of schools, all of which, except those at serial number of 9-11, exist in Ziarat district.

1. Primary Schools for Boys Single and multi teachers Schools.

2. Primary Schools for Girls "

3. Mosque shools (mixed) "

4. Middle Schools for Boys Multi teachers Schools

5. Middle Schools for Girls "

6. High Schools for Boys "

7. High Schools for Girls "

8. Model High Schools for Boys in Dist.HQ. "

9. Model High Schools for Girls in Dist. HQ "

10. Community M.Schools (mixed) Multi teachers Schools

11. Home/Muhalla School Single teachers Schools

Primary Schools are the lowest tier in the education pyramid. They provide Schooling for five years (class 1- 5). The child is taught Urdu, arithmetic, and general knowledge. Islamyat is taught as a compulsory subject to all Muslim pupils at primary and higher level. The staff of a typical primary School consists of one headmaster/headmistress, and one JVT (Junior Vernacular Teacher). The district has 121 primary Schools, 92 for boys and 29 for girls. The total number of teachers is 240 (1996-97).

Fellowship Schools are Schools opened by the Society for Community Support For Female Primary Education. Under this programme Village Education Committees (VECs) are established. The VEC provides a local female teacher (minimum 8th grade pass) and receives a grant from the Society. The School charges a fee from all the students. After successful operation of three years, a building is provided by the government and services of teachers are acquired.

The middle school comprises eight class (1 to 8 including the primary sections). The staff for a middle school comprises:

One Headmaster/headmistress

. SST Secondary School Teacher

. JET Junior English Teacher

. JAT Junior Arabic Teacher

. DM Drawing Master

. PTI Physical Training Instructor

. MQ Mualimul- Quran

. JVT Junior Vernacular Teacher

The district has 11 middle Schools including three for girls.

The high school comprises up to 10 class (1 to 10) with primary and middle sections included. Humanities and science are taught at this level. The staff for each School comprises:

One headmaster/headmistress

. SST Secondary School Teacher

. SAT Senior Arabic Teacher

. JET Junior English Teacher

. JAT Junior Arabic Teacher

. DM Drawing Master

. PTI Physical Training Instructor

. MQ Mualimul- Quran

. JVT Junior Vernacular Teacher

The total number of high schools is seven including one for girls.

The overall situation of the education sector is fairly good. The schools, particularly for girls, are fewer than needed. But it is gratifying that the public is in general satisfied with the performance of the schools. There are however some development issues that need to be attended to urgently. The major issues are:

• A degree college is needed for boys
• There are 26 shelter-less primary, and 15 mosque Schools. Proper buildings are needed for these schools.
• The impact of seasonal migration on education in Ziarat needs to be studied and appropriate measures taken to offset adverse impacts, which are believed to be there.
• The imbalance between educational facilities for boys and girls should be corrected. To increase female enrolment female teachers need to be trained and inducted and more schools for girls need to be constructed.
• Although school teachers are reportedly performing better in this district than in the neighbouring Sibi district, there is a need felt to provide in-service training to the existing teachers, and appoint trained graduates in a larger number in future.

Cricket, football, and volleyball are quite popular outdoor sports in this district. Being largely a mountainous area, the district is almost without proper sports fields. There are only two play grounds large enough to hold cricket and football matches. Youngsters are, of course, not deterred by this constraint, and they play wherever they find flat lands and space, if not very uneven, or they play on roads.

Youngsters have formed a large number of groups or teams for various games. The better known sports clubs are : i) body building club, Zindra; 2) volley ball club, Ziarat; 3) foot ball club, Koshbi; 4) Youth Welfare club, Sharqi chema; 5) cricket club, Zindra; 6) foot ball club, Zargat.

Every year the Ziarat week is organized. Sports teams from all over Balochistan come to Ziarat to take part in tournaments. The games represented in the tournament are cricket, football and volley ball. Also held are wrestling contests, cycle race and tug of war. The tournament is managed by the Ziarat Social Welfare Society with financial assistance from the Deputy Commissioner, Ziarat.

A number of hiking teams from as far as Karachi come to Ziarat.

No sports activities exist for women.