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History
| Transport | Educational
Institutions | Flora and Fauna |
Culture | Demography |
Notable People
Sports
 Quetta (Pashto: کوټه Urdu: کوئٹہ) is the largest
city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. It
is known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan", due to its diversity in plant
and animals wildlife. The city has been a major stronghold along the western
frontier of the country. It is situated at an average elevation of 1,654
metres (5,429 feet) metres above sea level.The city is also home to the
Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, a national park containing some of the
rarest species of wildlife in the world. The city is also home to the
research institute, Geological Survey of Pakistan.
Quetta sits near the Durand Line border with Afganistan which makes the city
an important marketing and communications centre for Pakistan with the
neighbouring country. The city is an important military installation within
the country occupying a vital and strategic position for the Pakistan Armed
Forces. The city also lies on the Bolan Pass route which was once the only
gateway to and from South Asia. The city was also the closest city to the
1935 and the 2008 earthquakes which had left a great deal of damage to the
city on both instances
Etymology
Quetta is also spelled Kuwatah which is a variation of Kuatta, a Pashto word
meaning "fort".It is believed the city received its name due to imposing
hills on all sides of the city. The hills which act as a natural fort are
called Chiltan, Takatu, Mehrdar
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Places of Interest
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Eating & Dining
| Parks & Gardens |
Educational Institutes |
Hospitals |
Sport- Centers |
Banks |
ATM |
Fuel Stations |
CNG Stations |
Police Stations |
Shopping /Trade
History
 The area was inhabited by the Kasi (Pashtun) Tribe. Being on the outskirts
of Kandahar, it was not mush developed. With the arrival of British troops,
doors of development were opened. Very soon people saw roads, trains and
Schools in the area. The British made the largely Pashtun area part of
British Balochistan - which was resented by many of the Pashtun tribes. It
remained part of the Umayyadand Abassid Empires. However, the first detailed
account of Quetta was in the 11th century when it was captured by Mahmud of
Ghazni during one of his invasions of the Indian subcontinent. In 1543 the
Mughal emperor Humayun rested in Quetta on his retreat to Persia, leaving
his one-year-old son Akbar in the city until his return two years later. The
Mughals ruled Quetta until 1556, when the Persians conquered the city, only
to have it retaken by Akbar in 1595.. In April 1883 it was combined with
Pishin into a single administrative unit. In 1828 the first westerner to
visit Quetta described it as a mud-walled fort surrounded by three hundred
mud houses. Although occupied briefly by the British during the First Afghan
War in 1839, it was not until 1876 that Quetta came under the British Empire
with Robert Sandeman being made the political leader within Baluchistan.
Before the devastating 1935 earthquake on 31 May, Quetta was a bright and
bustling city with multi-storey buildings. The British were building the
city due to its importance and beauty over the years. However, due to the
close proximity of the earthquake it completely destroyed most of the city
infrastructure. The earthquake virtually razed the city to the ground in the
early
 hours of the morning, when about 40,000 people also perished. Even
with limited funds and lack of government support the houses were rebuilt
over the years and the city once again started to rebuild. Today, houses are
generally single storey and quake proof, built with bricks and reinforced
concrete. The preferred structure is generally of lighter material In 1947
the grand Jirga of Trible leaders of Pashtoon in the leadership of Nawab
Muhammad Khan Jogizai, Malak Wazeer Khan Kasi and Malak Umar khan Kasi calls
Jirga meeting in Quetta Municipal Committee Hall and decided to be remain as
a separate state but the English Government did allowed the to be separate
state, British give them to choice either join Pakistan or India. So in this
way the British government announced the affiliation of chief commissioner’s
province with Pakistan.Quetta was made as the capital city of newly created
province of Balochistan.before combining with Balochi states (Kalat, Makran,
Lasbela and Kharan), Quetta was the capital of chief commissioner’s
province(Pashtoon province) till 1971.The population was 90% Pashtoon in the
chief commissioner’s province
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Transport
 Quetta is on the western edge of Pakistan and is well connected with the
country by a wide network of roads, railways and airways.
At an altitude of 1605 meters above sea level, Quetta Airport is the second
highest airport of Pakistan. Pakistan International Airlines, Shaheen Air
International and Airblue all have regular flights between Quetta and the
other major cities of Pakistan including Islamabad, Gwadar, Karachi, Lahore
and Peshawar. Pakistan International Airlines operates direct flights to
Manchester, Dubai, New York and other major international airports from
Quetta.
 Quetta Railway Station is one of the highest railway station of Pakistan, at
the height of 1676 meters above sea level. The railway track was lined in
1890s during the British era to link Quetta with rest of the country. The
extensive network of Pakistan Railways connects Quetta to Karachi in south,
by a 863 km (536 miles) track, Lahore in northeast (1,170 km or 727 miles)
and Peshawar further northeast (1587 km or 986 miles). A metalled road is
also present along the railroad that connects Quetta to Karachi via Sibi,
Jacobabad and Rohri. A track from the Iranian city of Zahedan links to
Quetta via Taftan, but the train service was temporarily disabled in 2006
due to unrest in Balochistan.
Recently a new project has been proposed for constructing a railway track
that will link Gawadar to China, this will also link Gawadar with Quetta via
Kalat. Even though the linear distance from Quetta to Lahore is merely 700
km, there is no direct railroad track on this route because of the Sulaiman
Range that lies in the east of Quetta. So all northeast-bound trains for
Punjab or the North-West Frontier Province must go 350+ km south down to
Rohri, Sindh (near Sukkur) first, before continuing north to Punjab and/or
North-West Frontier Province. Recently Railway is under attack by the
Balochs specially in the Bolan Pass area. Some innocent passengers have been
killed and wounded. This has created a great sense of insecurity amongst the travellers.
Quetta is connected by roads to the rest of the country. A recently built
road connects it with Karachi through Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar and Lasbela.
Another road connecting Quetta to Karachi follows the Sibi, Jacobabad,
Sukkur and Hyderabad route. Quetta and Lahore are also connected through two
routes. The older route is the Sibi, Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Bahawalpur and
Multan route. Another route is via Khanozai, muslimbagh Loralai, Fort Mondro,
Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan. Quetta is also connected with Afghanistan
through Chaman and to Iran through the Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin and Taftan
route.
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Educational Institutions
Satellite View of Educational Institutes
Quetta has many higher education institutions. The prestigious military
Command and Staff College, which was founded by the British, recently
celebrated its hundredth anniversary. University of Balochistan was
established in 1974. The Balochistan University of Information Technology,
Engineering and Management Sciences is also located in Quetta. The city is
the home of a geophysical institute, the Geological Survey of Pakistan,
Sandeman Library, and two government colleges affiliated with the University
of Peshawar. In 1970, with the creation of the University of Balochistan.
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Flora and Fauna
A wide variety of Mammals like Markhor, "Gad" (wild sheep), leopards,
wolves, hyena, rabbits, wild cats and porcupines can be found in the Quetta
region. While Birds may contain species of partridge, warblers, shikra, blue
rock pigeon, rock nuthatch, golden eagle, sparrows, hawks, falcons and
bearded vultures. For Flora of Quetta, one may find about 225 species of
some pretty exotic plants like; pistachios, juniper, wild olives, wild ash
and wild almonds. Also found amongst such Flora are wide range of shrubs
like; wild fig, barbery, wild cherry, makhi and herbs like; Ephedra
intermadia, as well as gerardiana.
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Culture
 Quetta
is a tourist attraction for foreigners from abroad. It is advertised as a
thrilling location, full of adventure and enjoyment. Some prominent bazaars
of Quetta are located on the roads Shahrah-e-Iqbal (Kandahari Bazaar) and
Shahrah-e-Liaquat (Liaquat Bazaar and Suraj Gang Bazaar). Here, tourists can
find colourful handicrafts, particularly Balochi mirror work and Pashtun
embroidery which is admired all over the world. The Pashtun workers are
prominently expert in making fine Afghan rugs, with their pleasing and
intricate designs, fur coats, embroidered jackets, waist-coats, sandals and
other creations of traditional Pashtun skills.
Balochi carpets are made by the nomadic tribes of this area. They are
generally not nearly as fine or expensive as the Persian city products, or
even the Turkoman tribal rugs from further North, but they are generally
more authentic than the inferior copies of Turkoman and Persian designs
sometimes found in the major cities of Pakistan. The rugs can range in
price, starting from relatively crude rugs that can, with some bargaining,
be had at very reasonable prices to quite fine and valuable pieces. Many are
small enough to be fairly portable.
For those interested in local cuisine, there are many sumptuous dishes to
feast upon. The famous Pashtun tribal cuisine “Roash” whch non-locals call
“Namkin” is very famous in the city restaurants as well as in the interior
areas. Another Pashtun tribal dish is “Landhi” which is made of a whole
lamb, which is dried and kept fresh during the cold winters. "Khadi Kebab"
is a lamb BBQ. The "Sajji" (leg of lamb) is said to be very good by locals.
The best restaurants are Green Hotel, Gulab Hotel, Lal Kabab, Tabaq, Usmania
and Abasin Hotel. They serve Pakistani and Continental food, while Cafe
China is one of the oldest and most reputable Chinese restaurant that
specializes in Chinese cuisine. Some of the finest mutton in the country is
raised around Quetta. It has a delicious smell which can be sampled in the "Pulao"
that most of the eating houses offer. Small and clean hotels in Alamdar road
provide real comfort for tourists in peaceful environments.
 Hanna
Lake nestles in the hills ten kilometres (six miles) east of Quetta, a
startling turquoise pool within bare brown surroundings. There is a lakeside
restaurant with picnic tables shaded by pine trees. At one end, the
irrigation dam rises out of the depths like battlements of a fort, and on
the eastern part the well known Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy (HDWSA)
is the only rowing, canoing, kayaking and sailing training center in the
Balochistan Province. Hanna Lake is very attractive for holidaymakers, and
is crowded with hikers and campers in holidays. You can hire a boat and
paddle on the lake and round the island. The Hana Lake Development
Authority,Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy and Merck Marker (Pvt.) Ltd has
planted various trees for the beautification and protection of the
environment in Hanna Lake Mountains. Askari Park is the biggest park of
Quetta with a children's playground, toys and entertainment. It is located
on Airport Road near Custom House Quetta. It is administered by the Army.
Built in mid 1990s, Askari Park is equipped with modern rides with "Dragon"
being the main attraction.
 The
Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, 20 km south-west of Quetta, Markhors have
been given protection. The park is spread over 32500 acres, altitude ranging
from 2021 to 3264 meters. Hazarganji literally means "Of a thousand
treasures". In the folds of these mountains, legend has it, there are over a
thousand treasures buried, reminders of the passage of great armies down the
corridors of history. The Bactrains, Scythians, Muslims, Mongols passed this
way.[citation needed] Pir Ghaib is a waterfall and picnic point located 70
km from the City Center on Sibi Road. Kharkhasa is located 10 km west of
Quetta which 16 km long narrow valley which shows a variety of flora and
fauna species of the region. The Chiltan Hill Viewpoint is a spot to get a
panoramic view of the city. A visit to the nearby cities of Kirani and
Ziarat have always been a popular stop travelling to and from Quetta.
The Quetta Geological Museum, Sariab Road (near Balochistan University) has
a collection of rocks and fossils found in Balochistan. The Command and
Staff College Museum is a museum dedicated to the British military history.
It is housed in the former bungalow of Field Marshal Montgomery. The Quetta
Archaeological Museum, Fifa Road has a collection of rare antique guns,
swords and manuscripts. It has a display of Stone Age tools, prehistoric
pottery and articles found from Mehrgarh. There are also coins, manuscripts
and photos of Quetta before 1935 earthquake. The Balochistan Arts Council
Library is a newly inaugurated library that houses a variety of arts and
carts of the Balochistan province.
There are also cultural and religious festivals held in the city every year.
The two Eid festivals which mark the end of fasting and the end of the Hajj
allow the majority Muslim community to put on musical shows, distribute
sweets and presents. The Sibi festival is a cultural festival celebrating
the history of the Balochi people with folk music performance, cultural
dances, handicrafts stalls and cattle and horse shows. Buzkashi is a
peculiar festival celebrated by the Pashtun people. It is celebrated on
horse-back by two teams that use their skills to snatch a goat from each
other. Find more about
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People, Art & Culture
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Demography
Quetta has been historically at the outskirts of the Pashtun-dominated
Hotaki and Durrani (Afghan empires) until captured by the British in the
mid-19th century, during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The city in general is
dominated by Pashtun people followed by Baloch people, with Brahuis, Hazaras,
Punjabi and others as the minority groups. Most of the Baloch people in
Quetta arrived after 1970, when a new province with the name of Balochistan
was created. The notable Pashtun tribes which live in Quetta are Gharghasht,
Kakar, Daavi, and others.[citation needed]
Pashto is the main language spoken throughout the city. Other languages
include Urdu, Balochi, Hazaragi, Brahui, Sindhi, and Punjabi. Quetta has
expanded at a very slow pace it population was recorded to be 11,000 in
1891. According to the 1998 census Quetta was the ninth biggest city of
Pakistan with a population between 565,137 to 676,941. Although majority of
them were repatriated back to Afghanistan through the UNHCR, a small number
of registered Afghan refugees may still be found in and around the city but
are not counted in the national census of Pakistan because they are citizens
of Afghanistan remaining in the country temporarily.
About 99% of the people are Muslims, which include the majority Sunni sect
and the minority Shias most of whom are the Hazaras. There is also a
Christian, Hindu, and Sikh population living in the city
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Notable people
Pashtuns
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General Abdul Waheed Kakar, Former Chief of Army Staff
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Mahmood Khan Achakzai, Chairman of Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
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Khan Abdul Ghafoor Khan Durrani, known for Pakistan Movement, Chief of
Durrani tribes
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Shahzada Rehmatullah Khan Saddozai, Chief of Sadozai Durrani tribe also
Known for Pakistan movement
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Kader Khan, popular Indian film actor, comedian, script and dialogue writer.
Acted in over 300 films
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Jamal Shah, famous actor, director, painter and social worker
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Dur Mohammad Kassi, PTV producer and director
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Qamar Zaman, British Open Squash winner
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Hiddy Jahan, legendary Squash player
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Hayatullah Khan Durrani, caver and mountain climber of international repute,
known personality of Sadozai Durrani tribe
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Khan Muhammad Sarwar Khan Kakar, politician and leader of the Kakar tribe
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Aimal Kasi, executed on Nov 14, 2002 in Virginia, USA, after admitting to
killing two CIA agents
Baloch
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Ayoob Khoso, actor
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Hameed Sheikh, TV artist
Hazaras
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General Musa Khan, Former Chief of Army Staff
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Hussain Ali Yousafi Shaheed, famous Hazara politician, who was killed in
Jinnah Road Quetta.
Others
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Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of Pakistan
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Justice Javaid Iqbal (Jr.), Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan
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Suresh Oberoi, Indian actor who is also the father of Bollywood actor Vivek
Oberoi, and is a recipient of 1987 National Film Award for Best Supporting
Actor
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James Cassels (British Army officer), Chief of the General Staff, the
professional head of the British Army and served as a Brigadier on the
General Staff of 21st Army Group during World War II
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Chris Keeble, a Colonel in the British Army, most noted for his service in
the Falklands War of 1982.
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Sports
Satellite view of Sports Centers
The city is mad about the different types of sports. Unlike in most of
Pakistan, cricket is not the most popular sport of the city. Football is the
most popular sport in Quetta. Teams in Quetta include Quetta Zorawar, Afghan
Football, Hazara Green Football, Baluch Football and Quetta Bazigars Club.
Among the famous footballers of Quetta are Abdul Wahid Durrani (Wahido) Taj
Senior; Taj Junior, Qayyum Changezi, Agha Gul, Mohammad Younas Changezi;
Mohammad Ismaeel Durrani (famous goal keeper) in the Indian subcontinent and
his son Dawood Durrani of PIA football team, and Kazim Ali Sheralyat, the
former captain of Pakistan. in Body building Shoukat Ali Changezi -
Mr.Norway; Din Mohammad Brohvi - Mr. Pakistan; and Noorullah Khan
Durrani,(Mr. Pakistan Runner-up). The city has also produced minor cricket
players for the national team such as Shoaib Khan who played for the
Pakistan national cricket team. The Ayub National Stadium is the prime
stadium which hosts many international cricket and football matches.
In field hockey, Quetta has produced Zeeshan Ashraf and Shakeel Abbasi who
are still representing the Pakistan national field hockey team. In Mountain
climbing and caving, Hayatullah Khan Durrani (Pride of Performance), chief
executive of Hayat Durrani Water Sports Academy (HDWSA) at Hanna Lake Quetta.
In Kayaking, Muhammad Abubakar Durrani, National Junior Champion selected
for world Junior Canoeing Championship 2009 Moscow (Russia). In Boxing
Olympians from Quetta include: Abdul Salam Khan Kakar; Syed Ibrar Ali Shah;
Asghar Ali Changezi; and Haider Ali Changezi.
In squash Hiddy Jahan Khan was ranked among the top-6 players in the world
from 1970 through to 1986. British Open champion Qamer Zaman also hails from
Quetta. Other famous squash players include: Zarak Jahan Khan; Abdul Wali
Khan Khilji; Hamayoon Khan Khilji; Zubair Jahan Khan; Shams ul Islam Khan
Kakar; Tariq Rahim Khan Kakar; and Shaied Zaman Khan.
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