Quetta

Quetta is the capital and largest city of the Pakistani province of Balochistan. It is the tenth largest city in Pakistan, with a population of over 1.1 million. It is situated in the south-west of the country, lying in a valley surrounded by mountains on all sides. Quetta is at an average elevation of 1,680 metres (5,510 feet) above sea level,making it Pakistan’s only high-altitude major city. The city is known as the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan” due to the numerous fruit orchards in and around it and the large variety of fruits and dried fruits produced there.

Located in the northern Balochistan near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and the road across to Kandahar, Quetta is a trade and communication centre between the two countries. The city is near the Bolan Pass which was on a major gateway from Central Asia to South Asia. Quetta played an important military role for the Pakistani Armed Forces in the intermittent Afghanistan .It is currently home to 500,000 undocumented Afghan refugees.

Quetta is known as the fruit basket of Pakistan producing plums, peaches, pomegranates, apricots, apples, melons, cherries, pistachios and almonds. Saffron grows very well on mountains around 5000 high and is cultivated on a commercial scale. The yellow and red varieties of tulip grow wild around Quetta. Quetta has always retained the central place in Balochistan since it became a contiguous unit in the 15th century when Sardar Mir Chakar Khan Rind united the main Baloch tribes and also ruled over southern Afghanistan and parts of Punjab and Sindh. Subsequently, from Quetta, Balochistan was governed by Safvids, Mughals, and Ghilzais for three centuries.

Balochistan is an entry point to the southwest of the sub-continent crisscrossed by numerous passes including Bolan Pass used as a gateway by migrants from Central Asia. It links Balochistan with Punjab and upper Sindh.Quetta is known as the fruit basket of Pakistan producing plums, peaches, pomegranates, apricots, apples, melons, cherries, pistachios and almonds. Saffron grows very well on mountains around 5000 high and is cultivated on a commercial scale. The yellow and red varieties of tulip grow wild around Quetta.Quetta’s brisk commercial activity takes place in Kandahari Bazar, Liaqat Bazar and Suraj Ganj Bazar offering world-famous Balochi mirror work, colourful handicrafts, intricately designed carpets, fur coats, jackets, sandals and other creations of traditional Balochi skills. Quetta is a hub of traditional Balochi cuisine including Sajji, Landhi, Khadda Kebab, and Namkeen Gosht.

Quetta’s Archaeological Museum has a collection of rare antique guns, swords, coins, and manuscripts. The Geological Museum has a collection of rocks and fossils found in Balochistan.Quetta has nice recreation venues such as Askari Park, Liaquat Park, and Chiltan Hill viewpoint on Brewery Road offering a panoramic view of Quetta.The national animal of Pakistan Markhor has been given protection in the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which spreads over 325,000 acres at an altitude ranging between 2000 to 3200 meters. The park also houses birds, reptiles and more than 225 species of plants.Qazar offering world-famous Balochi mirror work, colourful handicrafts, intricately designed carpets, fur coats, jackets, sandals and other creations of traditional Balochi skills. Quetta is a hub of traditional Balochi cuisine including Sajji, Landhi, Khadda Kebab, and Namkeen Gosht.Quetta’s Archaeological Museum has a collection of rare antique guns, swords, coins, and manuscripts. The Geological Museum has a collection of rocks and fossils found in Balochistan.Quetta has nice recreation venues such as Askari Park, Liaquat Park, and Chiltan Hill viewpoint on Brewery Road offering a panoramic view of Quetta.The national animal of Pakistan Markhor has been given protection in the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which spreads over 325,000 acres at an altitude ranging between 2000 to 3200 meters. The park also houses birds, reptiles and more than 225 species of plants.