Districts of Balochistan, Pakistan

The province of Balochistan, the least populated province of Pakistan and the largest province by area, is divided into 35 districts and seven divisions. Below, you will find an overview of the recent history of districts in Balochistan, Pakistan, a map showing each district, the divisions of Balochistan and their districts, and a list showing each district's name, the division the district belongs to, the district's area, the location of the district's headquarters, the district's population and population density (in 2017), the average annual population growth rate of each district (between 1998 and 2017), and a map showing each district's location.

History

Colonial Times

1877 - 1901

The area which covers the modern-day Pakistani province of Balochistan was first introduced to districts and divisions as administrative units under the British, and the area was first incorporated into British India in 1877. The first census of the Balochistan region was held in 1891, but it only covered the parts of Balochistan east of the 66th meridian east, was incomplete, and never had a report written about it. The first full census that was completed and had a report written on it took place in 1901. By 1901, Balochistan was divided into both the Baluchistan Agency and the Chief Commissioner's Province of Baluchistan, which was also more commonly known as British Baluchistan.

In 1901, British Baluchistan consisted principally of the areas which were under the control of Afghans, but were ceded to the British with the Treaty of Gandamak in 1879, and were formally declared British India in 1887. It was divided into two districts: Thal-Chotiali District, which consisted of the Tehsils of Duki, Shahrig (Shahrug), and Sibi, and Quetta-Pishin District, which was subdivided into Pishin Tehsil, Chaman Subdivision, and Shorarud Sub-Division.
The administration given below:

British Balochistan Province
* Thal-Chotiali District
# Duki tehsil
# Shahrig (Shahrug) tehsil
# Sibi tehsil
* Quetta-Pishin District
# Pishin Tehsil
# Chaman Subdivision
# Shorarud Sub-Division

Balochistan Agency
* Native States
# Khan of Kalat
# Kharan State
# Las bela State
# Makran State
* British Agencies
# Bolan Agency
# Chagai Agency
# Quetta-Pishin Agency
# Thal-Chotiali Agency
# Zhob Agency
* Tribal Areas
# Bugti Country
# Marri Country

The Baluchistan Agency was split into three divisions: The areas directly administered by the British, the Native States, and the Tribal Areas.

The areas directly administered by the British consisted of the Bolan Agency, the Chagai Agency (which consisted of Chagai, Nushki, and Western Sinjrani), the Quetta-Pishin Agency (which consisted of Quetta Tehsil excluding Shorarud), the Thal-Chotiali Agency (made of the Barkhan Tehsil, the Kohlu Sub-Tehsil, and the Sanjawi (Sinjawi) Sub-Tehsil), and the Zhob Agency (which included Fort Sandeman, Hindobagh, Loralai, Musakhel, and Qilla Saifullah Tehsils).

There were four autonomous princely states, making up the native states, in Balochistan: The state of Kharan (which was a vassal of Qalat), The state of Las Bela, The state of Makran, and the Khanate of Qalat (which was divided into Domki, Kaheri, and Umrani Country; Jhalawan Country; Kachhi Country; Nasirabad Niabat; and Sarawan Country).

The two tribal areas were Bugti Country and Marri Country. The tribal areas consisted of Baloch tribes which, as per the census report of 1901, exhibited "nomadic tendency to the largest degree".

This meant that the administrative setup of the Balochistan region under British control was as follows in 1901:

=Territories which do not exist anymore

=
* British Baluchistan
*** Quetta-Pishin District
*** Thal-Chotiali District
* Baluchistan Agency
*** Quetta-Pishin Agency
*** Thal-Chotiali Agency
*** Bolan Agency
*** Chagai Agency
*** Zhob Agency
* Tribal Areas
*** Bugti Country
*** Marri Country
* Native Princely States
*** State of Makrann
*** Kharan (princely state)
*** Las Bela (princely state)
*** Khanate of Qalat

1901 - 1947

By the time of the 1911 census, all the directly administered territories of the Baluchistan Agency had been abolished and reformed into districts in the Chief Commissioner's Province (British Baluchistan). Thal-Chotiali District was also abolished. In their place came the six districts of Bolan (previously Bolan Agency), Chagai (previously Chagai Agency), Loralai (previously parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency), Quetta-Pishin (previously Quetta-Pishin District and Quetta-Pishin Agency), Sibi (previously parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency), and Zhob (previously Zhob Agency). The two Tribal Areas of Bugti Country and Marri Country were also abolished as a separate unit and were made a part of Sibi District called Marri-Bugti Country (which became known the unadministered area of Sibi District, as opposed to the administered areas which covered parts of Thal-Chotiali District and Thal-Chotiali Agency).

No changes occurred to the administrative setup of the Native Princely States, which now made up the entire Baluchistan Agency until 1940, when the State of Kharan gained complete independence from the Khanate of Qalat. This did not, though, have any effect on the borders and administrative units of the borders themselves, as the State of Kharan already existed as an entity before. The only difference was now it was completely separate from Qalat.

This left the following administrative setup, which would see no changes through the 1921, 1931, and 1941 censuses, all the way until Pakistani independence:

=Territories which do not exist anymore

=
* British Baluchistan
*** Quetta-Pishin District
*** Bolan District
*** Chagai District
*** Loralai District
*** Sibi District
* Unadmistration Areas of Sibi District
* Native Princely States
*** State of Makran
*** Kharan (princely state)
*** Las Bela (princely state)
*** Khanate of Kalat

Post-Independence

1947-1955

On 3 October 1952, the four princely states of Kalat, Kharan, Las Bela and Makran was merged to form Balochistan State Union with the capital at the town of Kalat.

Administration of Balochistan

* Quetta Division
*** Quetta-Pishin District
*** Bolan District
*** Chagai District
*** Loralai District
*** Sibi District
* Unadmistration Areas of Sibi District
* Balochistan State Union
*** State of Makran
*** Kharan (princely state)
*** Las Bela (princely state)
*** Khanate of Kalat

On 14 October 1955, the Balochistan state union finally merged into Balochistan Province to form Kalat division and Marri-Bugti county abolished.

Administration is given below;
* Quetta Division
** Quetta-Pishin District
**Bolan District
**Chagai District
**Loralai District
**Sibi District
* Kalat Division
**Kalat District
** Makran District
**Kharan District
**Lasbela District

1955 -1970

In 30 September 1955, To diminish the differences between the two regions, claimed the government, the 'One Unit' programme merged the four provinces of West Pakistan into a single province to parallel the province of East Pakistan (now Bangladesh).

1970 - 1998

On 1 July 1970, West Pakistan was abolished and all four provinces of Pakistan were restored as 1947.

The administration as given below:
*Quetta Division
**Quetta-Pashin District
**Bolan District
**Chagai District
**Loralai District
**Sibi District
**Zhob District
*Kalat Division
**Kalat District
**Makran District
**Kharan District

In 1974, Balochistan government create three new districts Khuzdar and Nasirabad District by bifurcation of Kalat District, Kohlu district from Sibi district created from Quetta division.

In 1975, Pishin District was separated from Quetta District and Lasbela district transferred from Karachi division to Kalat division(From 1970 to 1975 Lasbela district was a part of Sindh province).

On 1st July 1977, Makran was declared a division and was divided into three districts, named Panjgur, Turbat and Gwadar.

In July 1983, Dera Bugti was established as a separate district .

In 1986, Ziarat District was established, previously being part of Sibi District